The historic Battleship Texas site in La Porte, Texas, for the retiredUSS Texas warship reopened to visitors on Saturday, June 17, after a week-long closure to repair leaks in its hull. The 103-year-old battleship is a veteran of both World Wars, including the battles of Iwo Jima and D-Day in World War II.
The battleship was closed earlier this month to repair several holes beneath the waterline on the starboard side of the hull, which caused an 8 ° list for the ship. A dive crew was deployed, and holes were found about 15 ft (4.6 m) below the waterline.
The dive crew patched the leaks, while staff members pumped water off the ship. The vessel’s list is currently back to normal at 1.8 °, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) (Austin, Texas).
At 103 years old, the Battleship Texas is the last surviving U.S. vessel to have served in both World War I and World War II. The iconic ship, now docked along the Houston Ship Channel, was decommissioned and became a memorial ship in April 1948.
Source: TPWD, tpwd.texas.gov.