THE LAKE AT PIRATES BEACH

Modern gated beach home community built exclusively by Coastal Cottage Homes is located in a prime location near Galveston Island State Park and Jamaica Beach. The beach, restaurants and other essential necessities are all within golf-carting distance

Appropriately, the Texas, the last of the WWI-era dreadnought battleships in existence, is now a museum ship. It is an amazing showpiece. Its armaments were staggering, including 10 14-inch guns capable of firing 13-plus miles, 21 5-inch medium caliber guns and an array of smaller caliber arms. But in addition to these powerful armaments, it also boasted several crucial innovations, including rear torpedo tubes, anti-aircraft guns on elevated turrets, gunfire range detectors and production radar units.

But like all steel ships operating in salt water, the Texas is suffering from substantial corrosion and is experiencing serious leaks. To address this, it is currently undergoing a $35 million rebuild of its hull structure while at Galveston. Discussions are now underway where it will be re-sited as a tribute to those who served their country during its almost four decades of operation.

Whether the Texas will join the Cavalla and Stewart is anyone’s guess. But either way, expect new stories as the Galveston Naval Museum grows into its future. Abugel smiles as he sketches what he expects at the Museum.

“We are adding to our collection of artifacts and continue to grow our footprint beyond the confines of Pelican Island,” he says. “Our theme is based around what a forward operating base in the Pacific Theatre would look like. This includes integrating various aspects of Navy, Marine and Army operations to tell the broader story of how these services came together to win the war in the Pacific Theatre.”

Onboard Experience At Galveston Naval Museum

Artifacts, texts, pictures and videos cannot convey the full real life experience of those who actually fought to preserve our freedoms—whether in the Second Texas Navy or aboard any of the warships in WWI or WWII. For all visitors, but especially for our country’s youngsters, many of whom are privileged to grow up in an era of relative peace, the Galveston Naval Museum provides an unparalleled onboard experience in its sleepover program. It allows small groups of children to spend a night onboard the Stewart or the Cavalla to simulate the experience of a WWII sailor. The hardhat tour features the engine rooms and other non-public parts of the ships.

And a night onboard is a great place for more stories. Among them, Abugel tells how a small group of destroyers, destroyer escorts and escort aircraft carriers turned back the bulk of the Japanese surface fleet. “It wasn’t the ships themselves, it was the determination and dedication of their crews,” he says.

In its unique concept and program design, the Galveston Naval Museum helps memorialize the experience of the Greatest Generation as it fought to restore and preserve the freedoms we now enjoy. It is a special experience and a special effort by the people of Galveston and the supporters of the small museum to remember the past as we try to secure our freedoms for the future.

Bennett Root is a photographer and writer who has been able to develop his craft over twenty some years of traveling throughout the United States and frequently in Europe and Asia. Most recently, Ben has served as Executive Vice President for the North American Travel Journalist Association (NATJA) and staff writer and photographer for TravelWorld International Magazine

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Surfrider Foundation Galveston Chapter is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. Join Surfrider in their fight to keep Galveston and Texas beaches open and free of marine debris. Meetings are open to the public every second Tuesday at 6pm. For more details, contact Janese. (409)502-8221

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