Friday, October 28, 2016

Holscher's Hub: USS Texas. The only surviving dreadnought in the world. San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, Texas.

Holscher's Hub: USS Texas. The only surviving dreadnought in the world

These are photographs of the USS Texas. The date stamp, fwiw, is in error. These were taken in  October, 2016.

The  Texas is the last Dreadnought on earth.  One pre dreadnought battleship exists, a Japanese example, and several post dreadnought battleships. But these ships, which formed the backbone of every major fleet in the world in the early 20th Century, are down to this example.  She was launched in 1912 and commissioned on 1914. A major ship in her day, while she served all the way through World War Two, and provided support to amphibious landings in Europe and the Pacific, she was already somewhat antiquated at the time of her commissioning.  Super dreadnoughts, like the Arizona, were already being launched prior to her commissioning.  Still, she was a ship of many firsts, including being the first US ship to mount anti aircraft guns.
 












































 San Jacinto Monument as viewed from the USS Texas.










































































Tuesday, October 4, 2016