GALVESTON, Texas — It’s official. Battleship Texas has a new permanent home.
The Galveston Wharves Board voted unanimously on Tuesday to move the Battleship Texas to Pier 15, which is near the cruise terminals. They didn’t give a timetable of when the ship would make its move there, though.
Battleship Texas’s former home was the Battleground State Historic Site, but the vessel needed a massive restoration that took more than two years to complete. The work to get the ship in shape took place in Galveston, and now it will stay there.
“After years of hard work and dedication, we’re thrilled to have the support of the Wharves Board to bring TEXAS to Pier 15 in Galveston- just a short walk from Pier 21 and the historic Galveston Strand,” the Battleship Texas Foundation posted on social media Tuesday. “TEXAS, the last ship of its kind, will promote tourism, educate future generations, and create a visitor experience worthy of her crew and legacy.”
Here’s a map of Pier 15 in Galveston, where Battleship Texas will dock.
This is video of Battleship Texas when it was on the move six months ago during the restoration process.
History of Battleship Texas
The Battleship Texas was one of around 6,900 vessels involved in the D-Day Invasion. It’s the last surviving battleship that saw action at Normandy.
“This ship had a tremendous impact on the success of the allies on D-Day, particularly at Omaha beach,” said Travis Davis, VP of ship operations for the Battleship Texas Foundation in a story we did last year. “So, on June 6, 1944, this ship fired the most shells that she fired in a single day.”
“The ship provided fire support for the Army going ashore, but also served as a floating hospital,” Davis said.
The foundation’s website features photos of men manning some of the guns on D-Day while officers kept tabs on the action from the bridge high above. Originally built for a crew of about 1,000, 1,800 sailors were aboard the ship on D-Day.
The captain’s quarters include a map mural.
“Which we think was put on in the fall of ’44,” Davis said.
The mural features Normandy, France, along with other noteworthy sites from the ship’s service in two World Wars.
“This is the only place without going to these far battlefields in Europe or in the Pacific where you can come and touch history,” Davis said. “Where the war was changed and touched a changemaker.”
The Battleship Texas Foundation partnered with the Commemorative Air Force to fly collectible items from the ship over Normandy.