Newsletter of the Battleship Texas Foundation Winter 2018
In this issue . . . From The Director’s Chair The Directors Chair Pg1 As 2018 draws to its close I wanted to let FTV Report Pg3 you all know that it has been a very productive OEP Report Pg4 year for The Battleship Texas. Earlier this month OEP Update Pg5 Phase II of structural Curators Corner Pg6 repairs were completed by Taylor Marine. Phase In Memory Of Pg7 I and Phase II structural repairs represent a total investment of approximately $39 Membership Forms Pg8 million dollars. These much-needed repairs put The Texas in a much-improved condition. I have included a few photographs to give just a hint of the magnitude of the work. We have also been hosting a number of Navy Poster . . . events around the State of Texas that we have called Come and Save It. We have had really great turn outs and we have had thousands of people sign on to our petition to save The Texas. Again, I am including a few photographs for you to see. Finally, I am happy to share with you that after a lot of effort we believe that shortly we will be able to offer an audio tour of The Texas. I especially want to Thank TPWD and Shell Oil for their efforts to make this dream a reality. From all of us at The Battleship Texas Foundation we wish for you and your family a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for all of your support in the past. continued on next page
Battleship TEXAS Foundation From The Director’s Chair continued Advisory Directors Hon. James A. Baker, III 61st Secretary of State ADM. James L. Holloway, III USN (Ret.), Former CNO Ned S. Holmes Commissioner, Texas Transportation Commission Board of Trustees Anthony K. Gregory, Chairman Thomas J. Perich, Vice Chairman Donald H. Fischer, Treasurer Rey Gonzales, Jr., Secretary Brad Bouillion Jimmy Burke Penny H. Butler David Dewhurst Theordore S. Hirtz RADM. J. Weldon Koenig, USN (Ret.) John O’Neil Michael N. Pearson CAPT. Clifford H. Royal, USN (Ret.) Thomas C. Wright Bruce D. Bramlett Executive Director; [email protected] TPWD Ship Staff Andy Smith, Ship Superintendent Stephanie Croatt, Assistant Superintendent Mike Stovall, Maintenance and Restoration Sarah Conlon, Curator
Page 2 By Don Fischer
Restoration In this seemingly short quarter since the and enjoyed themselves immensely. last edition of the Dreadnought, work has Nevertheless, the low number of visitors was continued on the various projects currently a disappointment. It seems, though, that there underway. Real progress is being made within were abundant alternative venues competing the Combat Information Center (CIC). The for attendance that weekend, including the project is at a stage where individual pieces ever popular Wings Over Houston air show, of equipment, of which there are many, are with its headliners, the Navy’s Blue Angels set for restoration. Flight Demonstration Team. Everyone believes The 40mm anti-aircraft gun mounts on the the upcoming November tour, scheduled for fantail are progressing, although it is difficult Saturday the 17th, will bring FTV back to to see the efforts at this point. So much its typical numbers. For more information, work is internal to the gear boxes. Once the please go to www.firsttexasvolunteers.org. team is confident in the mechanics, then the The FTV will also assist Texas Parks and cosmetics will call the public’s attention to Wildlife and the Battleship Texas Foundation the great efforts involved in this project. in commemorating the end of World War This coming weekend, members will be on- I and the armistice 100 years ago this year. hand to assist in what is commonly called Ceremonies and activities for the entire family the PPG Deck Painting Project. The current will be presented on Saturday, November 10. wood deck, installed during 1989-90, has been decaying for years, with many hours of manpower and efforts, including many board feet of plank replacement seemingly going for nought. The PPG Corporation feels they have a product that can help arrest further decay and present a uniform appearance until a new wood deck can be funded. Further plank replacement is still expected for the worst. All are hopeful that greater safety from potential trip hazards will be attained along with a much improved appearance for all our visitors. Docent Services The October Hard Hat Tour was a qualified success. All 40 of our visitors agreed it was an entertaining and education highlight
Page 3 Battleship TEXAS Overnight In addition to the gun trailer, items from Youth Education Program the education collection were brought to be shown. They were a big hit with the public. By Kandace Trujillo We are having a busy Fall at the youth overnight education program. We thank the 20 groups and 403 campers that participated through the months of August through October. We welcomed back the Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma on October 18th. This is the group’s third trip to the ship. Each year they bring a new set of girl scouts an Amid all that fun, the overnight crew also and their chaperones. Their leader, Maureen helped get more signatures for our “Come McMahon received her third tour patch. She and Save it Petition” Thank you to everyone has successfully spent the night aboard the who signed the petition. ship three times. We are looking forward to hosting the them again next year. Pieces of Steel from the ship were also given for donations to the ship. Come and Save It The Overnight Program Staff participated in Tshirts were also available. an outreach event. They took the 20mm gun trailer to the Wings Over Houston Air Show. The show was October 20th and October 21st and took place at Ellington Airport in Houston. Air Show events included the Blue Angels, Team Oracle, Jack Link’s Screamin’ Sasquatch, and Tora! Tora! Tora, a living history recreation of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Some of the overnight program staff got to participate in the living history events.
We are approaching our busy season and are booking in to next year. If would like to participate in an overnight program, please contact:
[email protected] or (281) 542-0684 (office)
Page 4 Battleship TEXAS Overnight Youth Education Program By Kandace Trujillo New Overnight Space Update We have some exciting news for the ship and the overnight program. The expansion project has been completed. We have gone from being able to support 80 participants to 150 participants in the overnight program. The final piece that was completed was the new overnight washroom. The washroom contains trough style sinks and urinals. This will allow more people to use the facilities at the same time, which means shorter bath room lines. We are so thankful to the TPWD and Taylor Marine crews who completed the project. The new washroom is in the Decontamination Station 2, which is in the same passageway as the sleeping quarters. Our first group to use the washroom was a JRTOC group from Pearland. Our participants have liked the new addition, especially the shorter lines.
Page 5 ByBy Stephanie Sarah Conlon, Croatt, Curator Curator
Whew! Things have certainly calmed down services to create high-quality scans of the Armisticearound here after 100th the rushAnniversary of special events ship’s historic photograph collection. These and holidays last quarter. Now that we are fi- scans are also uploaded to the Portal to Texas This November, Battleship TEXAS State “Bells of Peace” ceremony aboard the ship in nally able to catch our breath, we are taking a History (http://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/ Historiclook at theSite year tocommemorates come, and it looksthe great!one collaborationcollections/BTXPC/), with the where World anyone War I Centennialwho is in- hundredthHere are a few anniversary exciting things of the on Armistice the horizon: that Commission’sterested can browse initiative through to mark the the images. hour ofA new batch of photos will be added to The Por- broughtStructural an Repairs end to World War I. Did you know the Armistice with twenty-one bells ringing in tal this summer. Sarah and ship’s staff are thatThe TEXASpaperwork served has alongside begun for the the British next Grandround communities nationwide. also working on establishing a partnership Fleetof structural in 1918? repairs,The ship and and weher hope crew witnessedto have a Decemberwith the Texas is a greatArchive opportunity of the Moving to introduce Image to contractor begin work around the boiler several significant events of the war firsthand, professionally digitize the ship’s 1931 Lanni rooms within the year. But first, we will need friends and family to Battleship TEXAS. including King George V’s visit to TEXAS’ film, which is the only remaining film that to survey the areas identified for work to The ship will be decorated for the holiday sister ship, USS NEW YORK, and the surrender portrays life aboard the ship during her active evaluate the scope and details of the work to season throughout December; decorations service. Once digitized, this film can be place ofbe thedone. German Then, weHigh will Seas go outFleet. to bidIn Decemberfor a con- areonline inspired for easy by viewinghistoric forphotos anyone of thewho crew’s is in- 1918,tractor TEXAS who can also make served those as areaspart ofsounder. the escort ownterested. celebrations. On Saturday, December to transport U.S. President Woodrow Wilson Audio Tours 1, Battleship Texas Foundation and the Interpretive Training and Projects toSpeaking France ofto paperwork,participate wein treaty are currently negotiations wait- TexasThe ship’s Commandery interpreter, of Sarahthe Naval Faulkner, Order has of thating forwould our determineState Historic the Preservationshape of the Office post- thebeen United selected States to undergowill host Master the annual Interpreter Pearl (Texas Historical Commission) and the Na- war world. On Saturday, November 10, ship Training through TPWD’s Interpretive Services tional Parks Service to give us the green light Harbor Commemoration Ceremony at 11:00 staff offered a variety of special programs Program this year. She will continue to share to begin producing audio tours for the ship. AM aboard TEXAS. On Saturday, December 8, included with the price of regular admission some of her interpretive wisdom with the We received word last summer that the Na- celebrate the season like a sailor at Yuletide ship’s docents by presenting interpretive thattional underscored Parks Service TEXAS’ awarded role the in shipthe conflict. a Mari- TEXAS,trainings a onfamily Second friendly Saturdays event, out from at the 11 ship. am Professortime Heritage Jonathan Grant Rayner for a oflittle the Universityless than toSarah 3 pm. will Admission also hone to herthis interpretiveevent is included skills of$50,000 Sheffield for producingin England audio gave toursan educational for adults induring regular her admission Master Interpreterand gets you Training access byto and children, in English and Spanish. Even presentation about the ship’s history during completing three projects that will benefit the though we’ve had to cool our heels the past special activities, crafts, refreshments, musical World War I. Docents interpreted the ship’s ship. These projects will include creating the- few months, we are still excited about being performances, and a photo opportunity with history and provided visitors with hands-on matic travelling trunks that teachers can able to bring this new interpretive offering to Santa. check out and use in their classrooms, and an learningthe public. opportunities We are hoping using these WWI-era tours will items help activity booklet for children to use when they fromthe ship the comeship’s alive education for the collection. ship’s prospective Visitors Please note that Battleship TEXAS State visit. This activity booklet will engage kids in ofstewards all ages and contributed supporters. to a large-scale mural Historic Site will be closed to the public the ship’s story, and possibly dovetail with on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and titledBringing “Lest Our We Collections Forget” depictingto the People, a field of the audio tour for kids. poppiesDigitization composed of hundreds of individual Christmas Day. The site is open to the Sarah Conlon, the ship’s collections manager, public2016 is from looking 10 likeam an to exciting 5 pm year,every and other we thumb prints. On the evening of November certainly have our work cut out for us! We are will continue working behind the scenes to day of the year. If you’d like to learn more 10, Battleship TEXAS held a free screening of all looking forward to this labor of love, and ensure the safety and accessibility of objects about upcoming events at the ship, visit our “Thein the Battle ship’s of collections. the Somme” One at of the the San major Jacinto pro- welcome anyone who is interested in helping website (https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ Museumjects Sarah of will History. be tackling On Sunday, this year November is collec- out. 11,tions Texas digitization. Parks Digitaland Wildlife copies of Department all the pho- battleship-texas) and follow us on Facebook waivedtos, postcards, admission and feesdocuments to all instate our collec-parks, (@San Jacinto Battleground/Battleship TEXAS includingtion will makeBattleship it easier TEXAS for staff,and Sanvolunteers, Jacinto – Texas Parks and Wildlife) and Instagram (@ and researchers to get the information they Battleground, in honor of Veterans Day. battleshiptexas). need from the collection. The University of SanNorth Jacinto Texas hasCollege granted sponsored the ship digitizationa moving
Page 46 Christine Richardson
Roy L. Hammonds USMC
R.L. O’Glee
Page 7 One Riverway,Riverway, Suite 2200 Houston, TexasTexas 77056
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Membership Benefits Mail to: Individual. $35 Entry level membership entitles Member to receive a free subscription to the BTF quarterly e-mail newsletter “The Dreadnought” BATTLESHIP FOUNDATION and a free subscription to TPWD’s bi-weekly e-mail newsletter “The Battle TEXAS Report” (if you provide your e-mail address). One Riverway Family. $ 45 Everything above, plus invitations to San Jacinto Site Suite 2200 activities and special events. Houston, Texas 77056 Supporting $ 150 Everything above, plus one (1) Hard Hat Tour. Benefactor. $ 500 Everything above, plus two (2) Hard Hat Tours Corporate. $2,000 Everything above, plus publication of your firm’s name Phone 713-827-9620 in “The Dreadnought” and at special events held aboard the TEXAS. USS TEXAS Veterans. $10 Benefits the same as for Individual Member.