America's only surviving WWI-era dreadnought, D-Day bombardment flagship at Omaha Beach, and Texas's most-haunted vessel — currently under restoration in Galveston.
Pier 22, 2525 Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX 77550
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Museum admission will be charged upon reopening (est. 2027). Check battleshiptexas.org for current status — the ship is closed during restoration.
Access
Limited Access
Historic warship with ladders, hatches, and below-deck spaces; significant physical demands. Check accessibility updates at reopening.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1914 · National Historic Landmark · First US Battleship Permanent Museum · Only Surviving WWI-Era Dreadnought · D-Day Bombardment Flagship at Omaha Beach · WWI Grand Fleet Service
USS Texas (BB-35) was laid down at Newport News in 1911, launched May 18, 1912, and commissioned March 12, 1914 under Captain Albert W. Grant. She was among the most powerful vessels in the U.S. fleet at commissioning and served as flagship of the United States Fleet from 1927 to 1931.
During World War I, Texas operated with Britain's Grand Fleet out of Scapa Flow beginning February 1918, joining convoy missions and blockade operations. She was among the American vessels present for the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet on November 21, 1918. In 1919, Texas became the first American battleship to launch an aircraft, when Lieutenant Commander Edward O. McDonnell flew a Sopwith Camel from her foredeck.
In World War II, Texas saw action in the November 1942 North Africa landings (Operation Torch), followed by bombardment duties during the June 1944 invasion of Normandy. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, she served as bombardment force flagship at Omaha Beach, firing 255 fourteen-inch shells in 34 minutes against the German position at Pointe du Hoc. On June 25, 1944, during the Battle of Cherbourg, a German 24-centimeter shell struck the ship's conning tower, wounding eight men and killing helmsman Christen Christensen — the ship's only confirmed combat fatality. Texas went on to support the invasion of Southern France in August 1944 and participated in the Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns in 1945, firing more than 2,000 fourteen-inch shells at Okinawa while at general quarters for over 50 consecutive days.
Texas was decommissioned April 21, 1948, and immediately transferred to the State of Texas as the first permanent battleship memorial museum in the United States. She was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Severe structural deterioration, including hull flooding and corrosion, prompted a major drydock restoration project; the ship was towed from her longtime berth at La Porte to Galveston in 2023 for repairs. A grand reopening is projected for approximately 2027.
Sources
For a ship that survived two world wars and multiple amphibious invasions, the USS Texas's confirmed combat death toll was strikingly small. Helmsman Christen Christensen was killed by a German shell at Cherbourg on June 25, 1944 — the only man lost directly to enemy fire. Accounts from the ship's investigation history also reference an Army Ranger who died on the ship's operating table in the days following D-Day, and two sailors who went overboard during World War I operations.
The paranormal reports that have accumulated around the Texas concentrate on the ship's ladders, engine spaces, and below-deck quarters. The most consistently described figure is a young man in an older-style naval uniform, described as red-haired and standing calmly near the ladder banks — a figure staff and investigators have interpreted as a former crew member who has not left his post. White vapors have been reported drifting through compartments near the engine spaces. Disembodied voices, described in investigation accounts as urgent and wartime in character, have been documented throughout the ship.
In 2019, Haunted Rooms America organized the first ticketed overnight ghost investigation aboard the Texas, at $179 per person including breakfast and investigation equipment. ABC13 and KHOU both covered the event. The investigation drew attention to the ship's reputation as one of the most haunted locations in Texas, a claim that circulates widely among Gulf Coast paranormal enthusiasts. The Texas's current restoration status means no public access or investigation programs are currently available; check battleshiptexas.org for reopening information.
Notable Entities
Walk the decks, gun turrets, engine room, and below-decks spaces of the last surviving dreadnought-era battleship. The ship served in both World Wars and is a National Historic Landmark. Check battleshiptexas.org for reopening date.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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