Battleship Texas Closed for Repairs

La Porte, TX -- One of the most recognizable monuments in Texas is being closed for repairs until further notice.

The Battleship Texas, which was commissioned in 1914, has been a symbolic piece of the San Jacinto Battleground State Park since the late 1940s.

Last week, the signs of age began to really show as the hull began to take on water and had to be closed for repairs.

The repairs to the ship are being handled by T&T Marine Salvage who are removing older patches on the hull, and repairing a three foot section that is taking on water.

Officials said that ideally, they’d like to remove the ship from the water to repair, but such an endeavor would be too costly.

Although it’s little more than a monument, the Battleship Texas has been an active participant in some of the most important events in world history.

Launched in 1912, the dreadnought class Battleship Texas was a state of the art vessel when it took to the high seas at the start of World War I.

At the time of her launch, she had the largest guns of any other naval vessel in operation.

She saw much of her action in World War II, participating in combat actions in both the European and Pacific theater of war.

The battleship provided support to amphibious landing forces landing at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, and participated in military operations in the Mediterranean Sea, along the North African and Southern French and Italian coastlines.

By 1945, the Battleship Texas was in the South Pacific to support the Marines landing on Iwo Jima, and her crew was able to witness the historic flag raising on Mount Suribachi.

In 1948, the Battleship Texas came home to La Porte and was permanently moored in Buffalo Bayou, and became the first battleship museum in the U.S.

The monument has taken on water in the past, but the community has always rallied to salvage her.

In the 1980s, students in Pasadena ISD raised over $10,000 that was donated and used toward renovations the $14 million renovation project to repair the hull and replace the deck.

The hope is that someday, the iconic ship will be in a dry berth that will allow her to last longer for those future generations, but that’s doing so isn’t likely to happen soon.

In the meantime, crews are working to have her back open to public something later this week, or early next week.

Image: Rennette Stowe via Flickr