Battleship TEXAS Foundation

Newsletter of the Battleship Texas Foundation Fall 2014

In this issue . . . Anheuser-Busch Donation Pg.1

From the Director Pg.2

Curator Comments Pg.3

First TX Volunteers Pg.4

Battleship Scrap Metal Pg.5

OEP Update Dreadnought Update Pg.6

In Honor Of Pg.7

Membership Info Pg,8

WWII Poster . . .

Page 2

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

Charles A. Alcorn,

Chairman Emeritus

Jimmy Burke

Penny H. Butler

Alfred Davis, IV

Sylvia R. Garcia

Theodore S. Hirtz

RADM. J. Weldon Koenig,

USN (Ret.)

Michael N. Pearson

CAPT. Clifford H. Royal,

USN (Ret.)

Thomas C. Wright

Bruce D. Bramlett

Execut ive D irector ;

bruce@battleshiptexas.org

TPWD Ship Staff

Andy Smith,

From The Director’s Chair

I often think how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to serve as The Executive Director of The Battleship Texas Foundation. This has been even more true this past year because of all that has happened. In March along with Texas Parks & Wildlife we hosted the final Battleship Texas crew reunion. While we gathered to honor the men who served so well on The Texas, truth be told, each of our staff and volunteers were honored to have the opportunity to spend a few minutes with these great men and their families. Maybe I am right or maybe I am wrong but I often think a ship without a crew is just a bunch of steel. A crew without a ship may just be a bunch of men looking for life preservers. Their stories are so in-terrelated with their ship that any attempt to separate them from each other leaves a major hole in the story.

It is a reality that most of us that spend our days trying to preserve The Texas get many op-portunities to walk her decks. I would not trade anything for that experience but we seldom have the chance to see the former crew members gather as a group. Forget the commercial, it was a priceless. Through their stories, their service, and their experiences the former crew members are able to bring all that history back to life again if only for a day. The Texas and her crew honored our nation with their service. They gave their best for all of us and ask nothing in return. We honor that service today through our efforts to restore and preserve The Might T.

As we close out this year and prepare for the Texas next 100 years I would be remise if I did not thank all of you for your continued interest and support. So here’s to you. Thanks for being an important part in The Texas past and in her future.

Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays.

Page 3

COME ON TEXAS !!

As you are aware, the Battleship TEXAS Foundation, along with Texas Parks & Wildlife, will be hosting the “Come On Texas!” gala on Wednes-day, November 12, from 6 to 10pm at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. We are hoping for a good guest turn out and would like to ask you to send along your RSVP for this event.

In addition, we would like to open up the invitation opportunity to any of your friends or business contacts that might enjoy seeing the Battleship TEXAS Exhibit at the museum. If you would like for us to extend an invita-tion to someone, please give us their contact information and we will take care of it. The tickets are free, but we do need people who are planning on attending submit an RSVP so we can have an accurate head count.

Thank you so much for your sup-port in helping us sustain the Battle-ship TEXAS for another 100 years!

Page 4

Contact the Foundation office

at 713-827-9620 to make reservations.

Page 5

To learn more about the America's Fighting Ships collection, go to http://www.americasfightingshipsknives.com/Home.html.

To learn more about Richardson Knives, go here: http://www.richardsonhandmadeknives.com/index.html.

Richardson Knives is located at 1508 Atkinson Drive, Lufkin, TX. The phone number is (936) 634-1690

Page 6

Dreadnought Update

By Neil Thomas

Overnight Education Program Report By Jerry Irwin and Kandace Trujillo

Page 7

SUPPORTERS

Hal & Nancy West Stephen K. Brewer Wm. G. Dwyer Robert B. Frazier

Emil C. Caburao Mitzi Maceo John R. Meyer Daniel L. Milsop

SMSgt Paul W. Stauss, USAF (Ret.) Theodore F. Hammer

Anheuser-Busch Chevron Phillips Chemical Company

Lyondell Chemical Company Taylor Marine Construction

Texas Energy Control Products Woodforest National Bank

USS Texas Veterans Assn FabEnCo Founding Father's Foundation

IN HONOR/MEMORY OF

All those who have served LCDR Mack R. Ball, Jr. , USN

Paul David Bohannon Lanny Woodruff Gordon W. Jones, Sr.

James W. Brewer Edward Joseph Dempsey Dr. C. A. Dwyer, Jr.

CDR Robert B. Frazier, USN Col. Leland L. Hildebrand, USAF

George R. Milsop MSGT Charles W. Stanley, USA

Frederick Roland "Huck" Smith, Jr. Adrian E. Stockton

Charles Benson Johnston, USN Ruskin H. Meyer

Membership Benefits

Individual. $35 Entry level membership entitles Member to receive a free subscription to the BTF quarterly e-mail newsletter “The Dreadnought” and a free subscription to TPWD’s bi-weekly e-mail newsletter “The Battle Report” (if you provide your e-mail address). Family. $ 45 Everything above, plus invitations to San Jacinto Site activities and special events. 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 in “The Dreadnought” and at special events held aboard the TEXAS. USS TEXAS Veterans. $10 Benefits the same as for Individual Member.

Mail to:

BATTLESHIP TEXAS FOUNDATION One Riverway

Suite 2200 Houston, Texas 77056

Phone 713-827-9620

Membership Application

I am pleased to support the USS TEXAS with my membership in the Battleship TEXAS Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization.

Individual $35.00 Family $45.00 Supporting $150.00

Benefactor $500.00 Corporate $2,000.00

USS TEXAS Veteran $10.00

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One Riverway, Suite 2200 Houston, Texas 77056