Location by Global Positioning System

Using the NAD83 datum set, the center point of the Matagorda Island Liberty Ship Reef (1) is located at 28° 06' 58.806" N and 96° 05' 14.542" W (Matagorda he bravery of America’s Merchant located at other reef sites along the Texas Island Block 616). This point can be reached by sailing Marines helped the Allies win coast. Brochures for these reef sites are ° T 21 nautical miles on a bearing of 139 from the World War II. Now, fourteen World available from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Matagorda jetties. War II ships that carried supplies Department. and oil into the most dangerous Reef Component North Latitude West Longitude fronts of the war serve as artificial The Dwight L. Moody made the perilous Liberty Ship (2, 3) 28° 06' 59.732" 96° 05' 12.035" reefs off the coast of Texas. Located Atlantic crossing several times during World Liberty Ship (4, 5) 28° 07' 00.183" 96° 05' 17.745" in six readily accessible reef sites, War II; one convoy was attacked, with two Liberty Ship (6, 7) 28° 06' 55.442" 96° 05' 09.327" they offer divers and recreational ships torpedoed. Both the Jim Bridger and anglers an encounter not only with the George Dewey served in the Normandy magnificent reefs, but also with invasion, transporting Army and Navy Matagorda America’s maritime heritage. personnel and cargo. The crew of the George Dewey received the Operation and Island The Matagorda Island Liberty Engagement Star for their participation in Ship Reef is composed of three the initial phases of the invasion. The crew Detailed maps of this and other reef sites are Liberty Ships, the Dwight L. Moody, of the Jim Bridger later received the available for purchase from Texas Parks and Liberty Ship the Jim Bridger and the George Philippine Liberation ribbon for services Wildlife Department’s Artificial Reef Program. Dewey. Nine other Liberty Ships are including a landing at Mindanao. For additional information contact: Reef Artificial Reef Program Seabrook Marine Laboratory Texas Parks and Wildlife Department P.O. Box 8 Seabrook, Texas 77586 (713) 474-1418

Credits World War II Heritage Historical research conducted by for Divers, Anglers Texas Historical Commission, Austin and the Public

Photo courtesy of the National Archives. (November 4, 1944) courtesyPhoto National (November of the Archives. At a French port ammunition receives priority handling from Liberty ship to railway box car for quick dispatch to the front. Off loading by pallets permitted the handling of 30 boxes at PWD BR V3400–424A (9/95) one time, with each box containing 60 projectiles for the In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. 105 mm howitzer, the backbone of the U.S. field artillery. Texas Artificial Reefs Port A Tribute to the Lone Star State Houston Arthur the Texas has been involved in artificial reef development for nearly 50 years. Numerous reef building materials 28° 07' 12.196" N BOUNDARY LIMITS OF ARTIFICIAL REEF 28° 07' 11.545" N have been used over the years. However, the first 96° 05' 28.911" W 96° 04' 59.439" W L highly successful artificial reef development Freeport The water depth at the Matagorda occurred during the mid-1970’s when Island Liberty Ship Reef is 105- I 12 obsolete Liberty Ships were sunk at Port Lavaca 107 feet, and the depth to the five different sites in the Gulf of wrecks ranges from 85-105 feet. B Mexico. The Texas Parks and Matagorda Island Liberty Ship Reef -105' Wildlife Department’s Artificial 28° 06' 58.806" N Reef Program has added 96° 05' 14.542" W E materials to most of these sites 21 nm from Matagorda Bay bearing 139°. Corpus Three ships. and created others through Christi R programs like Rigs to Reefs, in which petroleum companies donate obsolete petroleum T -106' platforms to the Program. -88' At these sites, anglers may LIBERTY SHIPS -104' 3 Y 4 -118' -90' encounter numerous fish Port -85' species including amberjack, Mansfield -107'

-111' snapper, cobia, Atlantic -114' spadefish, triggerfish, tarpon, -105' -106' -92' 1 2 sharks (such as the blacktip, Brownsville -115' S tiger, dusky, and hammerhead), -91' and grouper. In addition, -107' H divers may see colorful damsel -111' fish, butterflyfish, blennies, LIBERTY SHIP6 and countless invertebrates. To -91' I 7 date, 24 artificial reef sites have been -88' established to benefit the environment by With the stern already resting on the bottom, the bow of this P creating habitat for marine organisms, and Liberty Ship will soon be submerged to form a part of an artificial reef. The Texas Coastal and Marine Council to provide areas for increased fishing and constructed four such reefs using twelve ships in waters of sport diving opportunities. the Gulf of Mexico off Texas in the mid-1970’s.

feet R 0 200 400 600 1000 Type EC-2 Liberty Ship 800

441 feet overall -107' E E 28° 06' 46.067" N BOUNDARY LIMITS OF ARTIFICIAL REEF 28° 06' 45.416" N 96° 05' 29.644" W 96° 05' 00.174" W F Andrew Hall (1995) S