An American warship is being restored to its former glory, and it’s a bittersweet reminder of a bygone era.
The USS Texas returned to the water Tuesday after spending 18 months in dry dock at the Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair in Galveston, Texas, KHOU-TV reported.
So far, the vessel, which carried the Allies to victory at sea in World War II in places like Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Normandy, has received a $21 million restoration.
There is still more to be done, but coming out of dry dock will help move along repairs to the upper part of the ship.
The Battleship Texas Foundation is the nonprofit in charge of the project and will transform “the historic ship into a premier hands-on museum and visitor attraction,” the website said.
“Battleship Texas was decommissioned and commemorated as a museum and memorial on April 21st, 1948 — the day the Texas Republic won its independence 112 years before. Seven decades later and Battleship Texas still stands as mighty as the State for which she is named, and a symbol of US naval power.”
Tony Gregory, the president and CEO of the foundation, lauded the launch on Tuesday as another success in the process.
“We feel great. It’s been in the dry dock 18 months,” Gregory told KHOU.
“It was a major victory to get her here in the dry dock, and this is a result of our hard work and what we’ve been doing for the last 18 months working on the hull,” he added.
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Workers painted the hull after replacing more than 700 tons of steel.
According to KTRK-TV, the ship is a Dreadnought that was made 122 ago. It saw action in both World War I and World War II before becoming an attraction at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site for more than 70 years.
Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott posted about the momentous occasion on social media platform X.
“Battleship Texas. Repaired and floating again,” Abbott captioned a photo of the ship retweeted from another user.
Battleship Texas.
Repaired and floating again. https://t.co/QVgtgDXVVz
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 5, 2024
To see such a vessel on its way to fighting shape — or at least museum-worthiness — is a beautiful reminder of America’s strength and military might that was the envy of the world.
However, it’s also a sobering reminder that building a robust military is no longer a priority of today’s bloated bureaucracy.
America is facing a readiness crisis as several branches of the armed forces, including the U.S. Navy, have failed to meet recruiting goals.
It’s not just that military-age people don’t want to serve, it’s that many are unfit to do so due to the rising rates of obesity that put over a third of people ages 17 to 24 over the weight limit.
They also can’t pass the math and other skills tests required for entry into the military, likely due to the failures of the public education system.
Add to that the left’s crusade to turn the armed forces into a woke proving ground, and America is just not ready for the next conflict.
Battleship Texas (BB-35) leaving dry dock at Gulf Copper Galveston – March 5, 2024 #usstexas #bb35
SRC: FB- Battleship Texas Foundation Group / various pic.twitter.com/5G6BRmb9zQ
— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) March 6, 2024
Like the USS Texas, the nation has seen better days than these, even as it still bears the imprint of all that made it great.
The USS Texas is a relic of what the nation once was — but more than that, its restoration is a reminder that it’s never too late to recapture what made it exceptional.
