September 13, 2024 • 43 mins
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAztqlphMdE
Texian Navy Day 2024 https://www.texasnavy.org/event-5812705
I sit down with the President of the Texas Navy Association, Scott Powell & discuss a few aspects to the Texas Navy Association. Scott is a commissioned Admiral in the Texas Navy, only made possible by the Governor of Texas.
Today, the Texas Navy exists primarily as a symbol of historical pride and maritime heritage rather than a functioning military force. It is maintained and celebrated through the nonprofit organization The Texas Navy Association, which works to preserve its legacy and educate the public about the Navy's historical significance to Texas.
Key efforts include organizing events like Texian Navy Day, supporting museums like the Texas Maritime Museum, and promoting historical preservation projects, including those involving notable vessels. These initiatives help keep the spirit of the Texas Navy alive and honor its contributions to Texas history.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Galveston Island is the home port of the Texas Navy.
So now we look at GalvestonIsland, fort Point In 1835, from
the original Texas Navy totoday.
The US Coast Guard is still anactive base at Fort Point.
When you come in you say, well,how do I promote the great
(00:22):
history of Texas?
Well then you sit back and yousay, well, governor Price
Daniels said the flotilla needsto be recognized every year.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It is no exaggeration to say that without the Texas
Navy there probably would havebeen no Lone Star State and
possibly the state of Texaswould still be a part of Mexico.
Brigadier General TheodoreRoosevelt Jr.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I've retired and I've been in the Texas Navy and now
I'm president and she says ifyou're going to work this hard,
why didn't you go get anotherboard job somewhere and get paid
?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I know Well man are you ready to get started.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
That was just fun.
I like the warm up.
That was great.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I might have to put that behind that story, behind a
paywall, if people would liketo pay for that story that'd be
great, Can you, Scott?
Can you give us a little bit ofbackground on yourself and
we'll get into it right afteryou tell us a little bit about
yourself.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
All right, I'm a Texas boy and I grew up over in
the Baytown area, directlyacross from the San Jacinto
Monument.
As a kid, you know, I played inthe waters over there around
what today is the Baytown NatureReserve and Burnett's Bay and
(01:46):
Crystal Bay and Scotts Bay.
And I mean as a kid the watersystem there at San Jacinto
Junction was just our playground.
We had sailboats and canoes andkayaks.
We'd get a group of kidstogether and we'd canoe over to
San Jacinto Battleground duringthe summers and hang out and
(02:08):
play in the battlefields andclimb all over the battleship
Texas, you know that was justpart of our backyard.
I'm descended, you know, notquite into the original 300, not
quite into the original 300,short by just a couple of years.
So my family goes way back intothe Texas history.
(02:32):
On the opposite side we werethe first family over in
Louisiana.
My ancestors actually built andoperated the first steam
tugboat that pulled the sailingships up the Mississippi to New
Orleans.
Wow, yeah, that is awesome.
So long, long history of themaritime background and growing
(02:55):
up on the ship channel watchingthe ships go up and down, you
know as a kid, and it was adifferent time back then.
You know it's, wear your lifejacket and be home before dark,
because all the parents did wascount to see how many of the
floating assets were in the yard, to see if you were not home or
(03:18):
not.
And other than that, we had aball.
When I was 10 years old, dadkind of kicked off my 10th
10-year birthday with a 10-foothydroplane for a 10-year-old
with a 10-horse Mercury motor onit.
(03:38):
Oh, wow.
And I would run that boat fromour house in the old
neighborhood of Brownwood allover the bay system and up into
the San Jacinto River, and itwas, you know, had a ball, and
so it has always stuck.
Yalveston Bay has always beenvery special to me, and when I
(04:00):
returned to go to college downhere and it was truly a coming
home and I couldn't ask foranything better to be part of
the Galveston waterfrontcommunity, to be educated here
in Galveston as a cadet, theferry system was unbelievably
(04:21):
gracious to us cadets becausethey would allow us at night to
come and ride the wheelhousesand practice shooting radar
plots for practice, yeah.
And the tugboats G&H knew themwell because they helped the
cadets out too.
We were always welcome in thewheelhouse of the G&H tugs to
(04:46):
learn to navigate and do shipturnings and barge transitions
as just extra wheelhouse labor,and the experience that we
gained was unbelievably precious, and so you could never reward
those companies enough forhelping build the careers that
came out of it.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
You know, my dad was a captain on the ferry for 28
years and it was a deckhand forthree years before that, so he
might have been out there withyou at one of those points.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
That's it.
Yeah, no, it's good careers.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Because it's a good, real good career path, excellent
.
So then you got into a realgood career path.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Excellent.
So then you got into a littleoil and gas, didn't you?
Speaker 1 (05:29):
You know, I started off on the tankers third officer
and moved on up through thetanker system to captain and
sailed on the big ships andsailed on the big ships.
I was on the smaller shipssailing between Port of Houston
and up the East Coast haulingrefined product.
(05:51):
I moved out to the West Coastand then I was at a time when
the company was getting rid ofsome vessels and I was a young
captain at the time and so theythey sent me off to salvage
school because I was also anengineer, and I came back from
salvage school just in time forthe Exxon Valdez to happen and I
(06:15):
got loaned out to Exxon toassist with the removal of the
Valdez and I integrated rightinto a great group of guys Good
process Got real well acquaintedwith a lot of the Coasties,
coast Guard guys and women thatI would actually interface for
the next 25, 30 years of mycareer.
(06:37):
We all cut our teeth up therein Alaska when the Valdez was
pretty well done.
I later got an invite to jointhe American Bureau of Shipping
and I really liked the fieldwork and so I did nothing for
about a nine-year period exceptgo around the world dealing with
(07:02):
ship accidents, burnt andtwisted and broken steel and
pulling vessels off of reefs andsandbars and doing everything I
could to save the vessel andkeep it from going to true
salvage.
And so that right there earnedme a reputation in another
(07:22):
sector of the oil industrybecause I supported some
offshore well control eventswhere they were floating assets.
I was asked if I wanted to joina little company, wild Well
Control, and it was.
You know, very few peopleunderstand that arena.
It's a very small niche andit's fascinating.
(07:45):
I spent my next 20 years, youknow, as their vice president
and doing the offshore andsubsea work.
Loved every bit of it up untilthe day I retired.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
It sounds like a super exciting career.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
It's been three exciting careers and every one
of them have built right onthemselves.
I've got guys that are in theTexas Navy with me, that were
with me literally up to 37 yearsand so good following.
(08:20):
Because you don't do anythingby yourself, it takes a real
team effort.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
That is awesome.
So your experience as a kidgrowing up basically where the
San Jacinto Monument is andBattleship Texas where it was,
and then tied into your maritimecareer, that kind of also
rolled into the position you'rein now at the Texas Navy right.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yes, it did, and our family actually.
If you were to look at a mapback in the early days where the
Lynchburg Ferry is, it had afinger point that ran down the
north side of the channel almostto the Fred Hartman Bridge.
That was original Lynch familyland grant property and our
(09:08):
family had gotten property onthe upper side of Burnett Bay in
the town of Baytown, which I'moriginal founding family of the
Baytown area oh wow yeah, theBrownss, the woosters, uh, the
crows and our family members uh,acquired the lynch family
(09:33):
properties because not longafter the san jacinto battle mr
lynch got ill and passed away,leaving his wife and kids, and,
and so she was needing money andso she was divesting of some
land and our family bought thatland to complete all around the
(09:57):
bay, and that's the propertywhere David Burnett his cabin
sat, which is why it was namedBurnett Bay up there.
That's where he and his wifelived and he had his fishing
cabin and all was their ownproperty that we eventually
owned.
And so it's a love of historythat runs deep and far and just
(10:23):
a real pleasure to look at anddream of what it was in those
days.
And I took that history, alwayshaving time to read when you're
on a ship or offshore orwherever.
I've always got a suitcase fullof books, and most of them
would be history books for whereI'm going.
(10:45):
So if I was headed into Canadaor somewhere, I'd have history
books on where I'm about to getto and I'd be reading those, and
it's just been a life's passion.
And so when Governor Abbottextended commission as
Commission, as Admiral in theTexas Navy, you know, it was
(11:06):
really, you know and that wasextended for services to the
state.
It was like the real coup ofthe height of career to get that
.
And here I sit a few yearslater now as president of the
Texas Navy Association andreally being able to help steer,
to make sure that we'repositioned to go forward.
(11:29):
You always have your eyes tothe future to make sure the
history is moving forward withyou, and that's what we try to
do, is to steer the Texas NavyAssociation, the Texas Navy
Association.
(11:49):
Our goal, as charged by thegovernor, in short, is to
preserve, protect and promotethe wonderful history of the
state of Texas, the Texas Navy.
And that history starts clearback in 1835.
And with the start of it it didnot start as an official Navy.
What it was was?
It was an approved group,authorized as opposed to
(12:12):
licensed but authorized group ofprivateers, and they were
charged with helping to protectthe Texas coast, protect the
trade between Texas and NewOrleans.
People don't realize just howTexas depended on the port of
New Orleans, you know, with itsimportance, because everything
(12:37):
that came into Texas pretty muchcame by ship out of New Orleans
down the Mississippi, came byship out of New Orleans, down to
Mississippi and over toGalveston, down to Freeport and
Velasco and then Matagorda andthen all the way down to the
(12:58):
very tip of Texas, and Matamoroswas also a big trading point.
And Matamoros was also a bigtrading point.
So with that it was theprogression and the privateers.
(13:24):
They interrupted the Mexicanarmy's ability to just
constantly harass the Texasvessels and the trade vessels
supplying us.
But it pushed.
The Republic as it was cominginto being showed them the
importance of having a Navy, andso that's when they authorized
the acquisition of the firstfour sailing vessels that were
rigged out as fighting schooners, and today we know three of
(13:47):
them.
We're still missing one, andsomeday we'll bring her home to
us and at least by pinpointingwhere she rested and know more
about her final days right offof the coast of Galveston.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Mr Andy Hall was in here a few months ago.
He was telling me that there'sstill one Texas Navy shipwreck
off the coast of Galveston,somewhere that has not been
located just yet.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Just yet man.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Do you think it's possible?
I mean, it sank in the 1840s,is that right?
1830s?
Yeah, so do you think it'spossible, even with all the
hurricanes we've had, thenumerous hurricanes we've had
over the past almost 200 years,that we'll be able to find it
and identify it?
Yes, okay.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Let me just boil that down to a simple yes, okay, you
know.
And the most important thing,when you enter into searches
like that, even when you dosearch grids and I've done lots
and lots of search grids forinformation in the Gulf of
Mexico, because now you justproved where it's not- Right,
(14:57):
that's right.
And that's very important,because if you know that it's
not behind that rock, then youdon't have to go move that rock
again, and so that's the key toit.
An example when people say,well, will it ever be found?
Parks and Wildlife and theirmagazines and Texas Monthly
(15:25):
there is a shipwreck down inSouth Texas, on South Padre
Beach, and it's just right offthe beach and every few years it
surfaces.
They have not been able toclearly identify which vessel it
is.
Now there's plenty ofspeculation based on the size
(15:49):
and all, but they've neverexcavated it to prove and it'll
be there for a little while, andthen the weather kicks in again
and the sands shift and itdisappears again.
And the sand shift and itdisappears again, and so it's
covered up, which is goodbecause it protects the remains
(16:10):
from would-be treasure huntersand looters and people that just
want to take a piece of the oldwood home with them.
You know which is sodetrimental.
That's why we have theantiquities laws, that we have
to preserve and protect ourhistory, and that's why the
governor's charge is for us todo exactly that with the history
(16:34):
of the Texas Navy, and so wehave to learn as much as we can.
The Texas Navy.
It's had evolutions of its life.
You had the first Texas Navy,which was made up with the four
original ships, and then thesecond Texas Navy, where they
(16:59):
started bringing in thesteamship.
One of them is stranded justoff of Texas city and ended up
being blown up.
Then they intentionally blewthe wreck and then it was an
obstruction to navigation andthe remnants and it was blown up
again.
And when they were trying toimprove the commerce of Texas
(17:23):
city.
Well, we do have possession andnot we, but a museum that Texas
Navy Association, for short it'scalled the TNA.
We're deeply involved with theTexas Maritime Museum down in
(17:44):
Rockport.
They have parts of the boilerand they are currently working
on expanding their footprint ofthe museum itself and we are
involved with them to design thedisplay and how to use that as
a tool to teach the Texas Navyhistory.
(18:05):
And we already have a real nicedisplay in their museum.
We also have a wonderfuldisplay on board the USS
Lexington.
If you want to go see itspecifically, as soon as you get
your ticket you tell them Ineed a guide to take me down to
the Texas Navy Museum exhibitbecause it's a honeycomb
(18:30):
environment to weave your waythrough the ship unless you have
a week to spend and rations tosupport you while you're down
there.
You know it's best to get aguide that vessel is massive.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
I was on there a few years ago and you don't realize
how big aircraft carriers areuntil you get on one, and it's
pretty tough to navigate whenyou get on there.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Yeah yeah, and how many small compartments and the
doors don't go all in the samedirection, and so it.
It makes it fun.
But yeah, we're on there.
Uh, we've been on thebattleship texas since 1955 in
the wardroom, uh, with a nicedisplay.
(19:12):
And I'll regress a little bit.
The battleship that is theflagship of the Texas Navy and
very few people are familiarwith the Buford Jester.
He was only governor of Texasin 1948, and he suffered a heart
(19:34):
attack and he was lost to thegreat state of Texas as a result
of that heart attack.
But what he did do wasmonumental because he's the
governor that Admiral Nimitzbrought the Battleship Texas to
and presented it.
Governor Jester in hisstatement says I accept the
(19:59):
Battleship Texas on behalf ofthe people of Texas and I hereby
dedicate the Battleship Texasas the flagship of the Texas
Navy from this day forward.
And so that gave us ourofficial tie to the battleship.
In 58, with Governor PriceDaniels, he re-recognized and
(20:26):
re-dedicated the flagship ofTexas when he stood up the Texas
Navy as the third Texas Navy.
It was a standing up of civildefense activities and trying to
reformulate it, and so hecalled on the Texas Navy to come
(20:48):
forth on the third Saturday ofeach September with a flotilla
of vessels that could be countedas part of the Texas Navy in 58
.
And coming forward.
(21:18):
The Texas Navy was actuallypart of the state of Texas
militia as a resource for thegovernor to call out and use as
he would need.
What happened in 74 was I don'tknow if it was the Sunset
Commissions existed right thenor not, or their predecessor
most likely but it wasdetermined that the Texas Navy,
(21:39):
due to funding resources and all, would reinvent itself as a
nonprofit organization, nolonger part of the Texas militia
as they were doing their bestto downsize in 74.
But the Texas legislator saysyou're now the Texas Navy
Association nonprofit, and wehereby proclaim that you are the
(22:03):
Texas Navy still in fact, andso that was in 74.
Then it just keeps comingforward in that same fashion and
right to this day.
You know the re-recognizing ofthe Texas Navy and what we do
(22:32):
and it's always our mission isto promote and preserve and
protect our great history of theTexas Navy along our waters.
And the governor'sproclamations are very clear
that when you accept yourcommission from the governor you
are also accepting theresponsibility to protect the
boundaries and the waters of thestate of Texas and to act if so
(22:53):
called.
And so they keep a string onyou for being able to carry that
title.
And so then, within the TexasNavy Association, it's admirals
that are tasked with themanagement.
To be on the board, elected tothe board, you have to be a
(23:15):
commissioned admiral by thegovernor.
The only governor can issuecommissions is admirals.
You know we take it extremelyresponsible and it's an honorary
title, but it has a lot ofrespect and responsibilities
involved with it.
And so when you come in, yousay, well, how do I promote the
(23:39):
great history of Texas?
Well, then you sit back and yousay, well, governor Price
Daniels.
Governor Price Daniels said theflotilla needs to be recognized
every year.
And so one of the things welooked at as a group this year
was you know, how do we reallykickstart and get things going
(24:03):
so that the public knows thatwe're taking our charge serious?
And it's Texian Navy Day Since1958, we've been charged to
celebrate it on the thirdSaturday of each September.
And so this year we sat down asa group and we said how do we
want to do this?
(24:24):
And so, coming from thebackground I do I'm like, well,
we need to make sure that wedon't exclude any of the facets,
because the Texas Navy has beenan evolution.
It didn't just stop when theTexas Navy achieved statehood.
(24:45):
It was actually incorporatedinto the US Navy at the time of
statehood.
It was actually incorporatedinto the US Navy at the time of
statehood and the US Navy tookover all of the assets here on
Galveston Island.
So 1835 to statehood,everything on the island was
under the Texas Navy Statehood.
(25:09):
It became the US Navy'sresponsibility and they had
these built-in bases andwarehouses and infrastructure
right here.
Well, the Navy wanted to fightforeign wars, not do anything.
So as the US Coast Guardevolved, then they passed over
(25:31):
the responsibility to the USCoast Guard.
So now we look at GalvestonIsland, fort Point In 1835, from
the original Texas Navy totoday the US Coast Guard is
still an active base at FortPoint.
Today the US Coast Guard isstill an active base at Fort
Point.
The mission of the Coast Guardis not just a military armed
(25:58):
mission.
It involves search and rescue,aerial assets, pollution
response, big one, big piece ofit.
And so with that we said how dowe do that?
And so boat parade.
That incorporates the actualtheme protecting our coast from
(26:22):
1835 to present.
So how do we do that?
We have got the boat paradeorchestrated to where we've got
a fire tug Starting us down thechannel with all the water.
We've got the 200-foot offshoreenvironmental vessel, texas
(26:47):
Responder leading the way, thepilot boats, the Galveston
Pilotage Group and we've gotthree Coast Guard cutters Three.
We've got three Coast Guardcutters three.
We've got the 87-foot Alligator, which is a beautiful patrol
cutter and she's going to befloating around doing security
(27:11):
for us on the channel during theparade.
Then they have Coast Guard saidthey really wanted to be able
to include the 164-foot fastresponse cutter and they're
always fun to look at, yes, andshe's a beauty.
Well, and we've got anotherspecial treat in the
(27:34):
100-year-old, 125-foot retiredcutter, morris.
Wow, yeah, and the Morris hasnot been in Galveston very long
and she is owned by the VietnamMarine and Aviation Museum and
(27:56):
they acquired her over out ofSan Francisco where, when she
retired, she spent 17 or 18years as a Sea Scout vessel,
then went into retirement fromthat in a maritime museum that
was foundering and trying tosupport her, and so these guys
(28:18):
picked her up.
They brought her around fromSan Francisco through the canal
on her own bottom, under her ownpower.
Oh my gosh.
Oh yeah, quite the story withno glitches.
You know, perfect Operated allthe way, and so we're really
looking forward to her.
That's going to be great, yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Are there going to be civilian vessels in there as
well?
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Yeah, that's going to be great.
Yeah, are there going to becivilian vessels in there as
well?
Yeah, after you get past thelast of the government vessels,
then we've got some of the newvessels and commercial vessels
right here from Galveston.
The tour group just tookdelivery of a new 70-foot
(29:03):
sternwheeler excursion boat, andso they're really hoping to get
everything ready and be outthere with it.
And then we've got the pleasureyachts coming in, and I think
our largest is right around 100foot and down to I don't know
what, but total prairie.
(29:28):
It's going to be around 40, 45vessels, so it's going to be a
great day.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
That's going to be a sight to see.
It really is and what is thedate it's happening?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
September, the 21st, 21st of this year.
At Pier 21.
21, 21.
Yeah, so you can't forget it21st day of September at Pier 21
.
We've got a wonderful museum ornot museum but monument there
at Pier 21 to commemorate andrecognize the heroes of the
(30:01):
First Navy of Texas and it'soverlooking.
And you've got the battleshipin the background, broadside,
beautiful beautiful setting.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
I'm really excited about that.
I might even hop on one of myfriend's boats and head out
there to pee on the water.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
If you're going to do it, there's a couple of
important things, because CoastGuard is doing a channel closure
for the event for safety's sake, and we have two designated
areas for viewing from boats.
One of them it starts on theSeawolf Park side of Pelican
(30:38):
Island from about the cornerwhere the parking lot starts on
the western edge and then itruns down.
There's kind of like a bay typearea right in there and that's
all available for spectator boatmoorage.
Then on the opposite side, alittle further down the channel,
(31:00):
from where you're clear of theferry terminal, because it's
going to be running, you know,nonstop Saturday, lots of
traffic back and forth toBolivar.
We don't want to do anything toimpede them, but along that
water's edge, be respectful ofprivate docks that are over
(31:22):
there, stay clear of those.
But it comes all the way up tothe eastern corner of the boat
haven on that side, and so withthose two you got to be in
position before 10 o'clock,gotcha, and you can't move out
(31:43):
until the parade's over.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Gotcha because the Coast Guard will be blocking off
both sides of the channel.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Yeah, and the Coast Guard's going to have plenty of
patrol vessels to make sure thateveryone's safe, and that's our
big thing is safety, and soit's.
You know it's a big event.
We've got a lot of heavy ironinvolved and big boats that are
moving, and Galveston has neverseen a parade like this before.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
I'm excited about this.
I'm really excited about it.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
It's a glorious way to celebrate Texas Navy Day and
honor exactly what GovernorPrice Daniels asked to have
accomplished.
You know Texas Navy Day.
We encourage every squadron ofTexas Navy to be celebrating
(32:34):
Texas Navy Day in their ownregion.
But Galveston Island is thehome port of the Texas Navy, and
not only from.
This is where our shipyardswere and this is our bases and
logistics and our tie back toNew Orleans.
But this is the actual homeport and where the Texas Navy
(32:57):
Association resides and no onecan move it from here except a
governor.
It takes governor'sproclamation and approval to
move us to anywhere else.
So it's a great story.
I love it.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
It's amazing.
You know, I was telling Andywhen he was in here growing up I
didn't hear much about theTexas Navy.
I mean maybe a little bit inTexas history.
Of course it might've been justa day, a short little, a short
little segment on the Texas Navyit's.
It's really one of those thingsthat people are really starting
to realize how important theTexas Navy is and was to
Galveston and Texas, becausewithout the Texas Navy Mexico
(33:39):
would probably still own most ofTexas right, it runs deeper
than that, because the TexasNavy, you know, interrupted the
supply lines of Santa Ana andwith that, you know, with the
victories that we sustained downin the Bay of Campeche.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
But we actually captured the vessels that had
Santa Ana's supplies ofmunitions and cannons and a
thousand additional troops andthey were headed towards the
Brazos River.
If they had landed at theBrazos River they would have
marched right up and come inbehind Sam Houston and that
(34:30):
would have trapped Sam Houstonbetween Santa Ana and the
reinforcement and it could have,and most likely would have been
another Alamo.
And so it was the Texas Navy'sability to secure those vessels
and hold those recruits offshoreand prevent that from occurring
(34:54):
, A real turning of the tide.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
That wouldn't happen.
No Republic of Texas wewouldn't be here today.
No Texas in the United States,nothing.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Wow, you know I love Mexico.
I've, you know I've been had somuch of my life, I am
intertwined with it.
I am a red-blooded Texan allthe way through.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Yeah, and that's, and so are some of my friends.
It's just the way it is.
We are in history.
History is wonderful.
There's a reason why historyturns out the way it did, and so
we've had great resources, wehave great support and we will
(35:42):
continue to find ways.
You know, we build our financesso that we can keep building
museums, expanding ourliterature, storytelling and
talk about the people.
You know of who the Texas Navywas, and I put a challenge out
(36:03):
to our members, our historycommittee.
It's like okay, what do I wantyou guys to do for us this year?
I want the backstories.
You know, yes, we always have afew prominent names that are
involved and associated with theTexas Navy.
I want to know who was on thedeck of the ships, who were the
(36:27):
families, when did they comefrom and where did they go.
There's so much more to ourTexas history that is yet to be
told.
And telling a family lore.
You may not have all thedocumentations dug out to
substantiate everything, butthere's family lore and it's
(36:50):
important.
How many stories do people havethat they were told by their
parents, grandparents, and theythink their kids will forget it
because it's not documentedanyhow.
And so I've charged our peopleto expand on that and let's see
what we can develop.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
What are some lesser known stories or history from
the Texas Navy that people arealways really surprised to hear?
Speaker 1 (37:28):
really surprised to hear you know the story about
how the resupply literallyturned the tides of the Battle
of San Jacinto.
No one knows that story and itis so key and functional.
The other story is, you know,our sailing vessels that were
down in the Bay of Campecheovertook and won the battle
(37:48):
against steam-powered MexicanNavy vessels, which was unheard
of and that surprises a lot ofthe not just people but
historians, because they said no, steam power was superior and
so it was always expected to besuperior.
But yeah, the big one is thestory of how we captured all the
(38:16):
supplies and the recruit, thereinforcement recruits of Santa
Ana is just a phenomenal storythat people don't know.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
I was at the Alamo probably three or four years ago
.
They had a big diagram of theAlamo and a big diagram of Texas
.
It was kind of one of theexhibits they had set up outside
to really tell more aspects ofthe Alamo story or the Texas
history story, right, like tellmore aspects of the Alamo story
or the Texas history story,right, and it was.
It was wild because I of courseread about the Texas Navy at
(38:47):
this point, but as she'sdescribing the story of how Sam
Houston's moving eastward andhow the Texas Navy came in, and
when she's talking about theTexas Navy she's kind of
describing it in detail as youare and people around her like
about the Texas Navy.
She's kind of describing it indetail as you are and people
around her like Texas had a Navy.
You know these people from allover the world looking at this
diagram and people are reallylike shocked to hear about that.
(39:11):
But then that story alone islike pivotal in the entire
history of the revolution andTexas history.
So it's.
It blew my mind.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
Yeah, and it's so important because the whole
world looks at the monument atthe Battle of San Jacinto and
says that was the deal, and itwas, it was the real deal.
It's there because it trulypays homage to the heroic acts,
(39:41):
because it was such a smallnumber of Texans that overtook
such a vast majority, and it'sunbelievable.
And the same thing was with theTexas Navy.
You know, a couple of shipsturned the tide on Santa Ana
because he didn't believe thatTexas had any type of sea power
(40:06):
worthy of note.
And so that in itself, you know, underestimation is, you know,
defeatism so often around theworld.
If you don't know who you're upagainst, you don't stand a
chance.
If you don't know who you're upagainst, you don't stand a
chance.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
That's very true.
I want to do some research onAdmiral Nimitz in the Pacific
now, yeah, because I'm reallycurious, being a Texas boy
himself.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
I'm really curious if there's any history or strategy
he took from that and tied intothe Pacific.
You know he was a greathistorian.
He loved the Texas Navy.
That's why he was so driven tobring the battleship Texas to
Texas.
But he was a big supporter ofthe history of the Texas Navy.
We've got to get back with thebattleship and on it and see how
(41:01):
that's all going to play out.
We're a nonprofit.
Yeah, we're a 501c3.
It is 100% pro bono.
Nobody gets paid.
We've got one contractbookkeeping service that's only
a couple of hours a week andsame thing with a digital admin
(41:28):
to help us.
Other than that, we do it all.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
It's pure preservation and promotion of
history.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
It really is.
So any dollar that is donatedto us through our fundraising
events and whatever, it's goingstraight to the product.
And I like that, I really likethat there's no middleman,
nobody's taking a cut, we're notpaying big salaries.
(41:57):
We do it all.
We do it for the love of ourhistory.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
Well, Scott, I really appreciate you coming in today.
Talk a little bit about theTexas Navy Association and the
big event you have coming up injust a couple weeks and I really
hope to see it here every yearafter.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
For eternity.
That is our goal, and I'vealready started thinking about
next year.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
That's what you need to do.
That's it, great.
Keep on growing.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Next year.
You know, I think we can have alot of fun yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
Yeah, of course Awesome.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Well, Scott, thank you so much man.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Well, I've always been told that I can't tell my
name.
You know it's like tomorrow I'mkeynote speaking at a joint
military advisory commission.
They're giving you 45 minutes.
You can't tell them your namewithout 30 minutes.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
Hey, I get it.
I'm the same way.
Galveston Island is the home port of the Texas Navy.
So now we look at GalvestonIsland, fort Point In 1835, from
the original Texas Navy totoday.
The US Coast Guard is still anactive base at Fort Point.
When you come in you say, well,how do I promote the great
(00:22):
history of Texas?
Well then you sit back and yousay, well, governor Price
Daniels said the flotilla needsto be recognized every year.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It is no exaggeration to say that without the Texas
Navy there probably would havebeen no Lone Star State and
possibly the state of Texaswould still be a part of Mexico.
Brigadier General TheodoreRoosevelt Jr.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I've retired and I've been in the Texas Navy and now
I'm president and she says ifyou're going to work this hard,
why didn't you go get anotherboard job somewhere and get paid
?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
I know Well man are you ready to get started.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
That was just fun.
I like the warm up.
That was great.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
I might have to put that behind that story, behind a
paywall, if people would liketo pay for that story that'd be
great, Can you, Scott?
Can you give us a little bit ofbackground on yourself and
we'll get into it right afteryou tell us a little bit about
yourself.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
All right, I'm a Texas boy and I grew up over in
the Baytown area, directlyacross from the San Jacinto
Monument.
As a kid, you know, I played inthe waters over there around
what today is the Baytown NatureReserve and Burnett's Bay and
(01:46):
Crystal Bay and Scotts Bay.
And I mean as a kid the watersystem there at San Jacinto
Junction was just our playground.
We had sailboats and canoes andkayaks.
We'd get a group of kidstogether and we'd canoe over to
San Jacinto Battleground duringthe summers and hang out and
(02:08):
play in the battlefields andclimb all over the battleship
Texas, you know that was justpart of our backyard.
I'm descended, you know, notquite into the original 300, not
quite into the original 300,short by just a couple of years.
So my family goes way back intothe Texas history.
(02:32):
On the opposite side we werethe first family over in
Louisiana.
My ancestors actually built andoperated the first steam
tugboat that pulled the sailingships up the Mississippi to New
Orleans.
Wow, yeah, that is awesome.
So long, long history of themaritime background and growing
(02:55):
up on the ship channel watchingthe ships go up and down, you
know as a kid, and it was adifferent time back then.
You know it's, wear your lifejacket and be home before dark,
because all the parents did wascount to see how many of the
floating assets were in the yard, to see if you were not home or
(03:18):
not.
And other than that, we had aball.
When I was 10 years old, dadkind of kicked off my 10th
10-year birthday with a 10-foothydroplane for a 10-year-old
with a 10-horse Mercury motor onit.
(03:38):
Oh, wow.
And I would run that boat fromour house in the old
neighborhood of Brownwood allover the bay system and up into
the San Jacinto River, and itwas, you know, had a ball, and
so it has always stuck.
Yalveston Bay has always beenvery special to me, and when I
(04:00):
returned to go to college downhere and it was truly a coming
home and I couldn't ask foranything better to be part of
the Galveston waterfrontcommunity, to be educated here
in Galveston as a cadet, theferry system was unbelievably
(04:21):
gracious to us cadets becausethey would allow us at night to
come and ride the wheelhousesand practice shooting radar
plots for practice, yeah.
And the tugboats G&H knew themwell because they helped the
cadets out too.
We were always welcome in thewheelhouse of the G&H tugs to
(04:46):
learn to navigate and do shipturnings and barge transitions
as just extra wheelhouse labor,and the experience that we
gained was unbelievably precious, and so you could never reward
those companies enough forhelping build the careers that
came out of it.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
You know, my dad was a captain on the ferry for 28
years and it was a deckhand forthree years before that, so he
might have been out there withyou at one of those points.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
That's it.
Yeah, no, it's good careers.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Because it's a good, real good career path, excellent
.
So then you got into a realgood career path.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Excellent.
So then you got into a littleoil and gas, didn't you?
Speaker 1 (05:29):
You know, I started off on the tankers third officer
and moved on up through thetanker system to captain and
sailed on the big ships andsailed on the big ships.
I was on the smaller shipssailing between Port of Houston
and up the East Coast haulingrefined product.
(05:51):
I moved out to the West Coastand then I was at a time when
the company was getting rid ofsome vessels and I was a young
captain at the time and so theythey sent me off to salvage
school because I was also anengineer, and I came back from
salvage school just in time forthe Exxon Valdez to happen and I
(06:15):
got loaned out to Exxon toassist with the removal of the
Valdez and I integrated rightinto a great group of guys Good
process Got real well acquaintedwith a lot of the Coasties,
coast Guard guys and women thatI would actually interface for
the next 25, 30 years of mycareer.
(06:37):
We all cut our teeth up therein Alaska when the Valdez was
pretty well done.
I later got an invite to jointhe American Bureau of Shipping
and I really liked the fieldwork and so I did nothing for
about a nine-year period exceptgo around the world dealing with
(07:02):
ship accidents, burnt andtwisted and broken steel and
pulling vessels off of reefs andsandbars and doing everything I
could to save the vessel andkeep it from going to true
salvage.
And so that right there earnedme a reputation in another
(07:22):
sector of the oil industrybecause I supported some
offshore well control eventswhere they were floating assets.
I was asked if I wanted to joina little company, wild Well
Control, and it was.
You know, very few peopleunderstand that arena.
It's a very small niche andit's fascinating.
(07:45):
I spent my next 20 years, youknow, as their vice president
and doing the offshore andsubsea work.
Loved every bit of it up untilthe day I retired.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
It sounds like a super exciting career.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
It's been three exciting careers and every one
of them have built right onthemselves.
I've got guys that are in theTexas Navy with me, that were
with me literally up to 37 yearsand so good following.
(08:20):
Because you don't do anythingby yourself, it takes a real
team effort.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
That is awesome.
So your experience as a kidgrowing up basically where the
San Jacinto Monument is andBattleship Texas where it was,
and then tied into your maritimecareer, that kind of also
rolled into the position you'rein now at the Texas Navy right.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yes, it did, and our family actually.
If you were to look at a mapback in the early days where the
Lynchburg Ferry is, it had afinger point that ran down the
north side of the channel almostto the Fred Hartman Bridge.
That was original Lynch familyland grant property and our
(09:08):
family had gotten property onthe upper side of Burnett Bay in
the town of Baytown, which I'moriginal founding family of the
Baytown area oh wow yeah, theBrownss, the woosters, uh, the
crows and our family members uh,acquired the lynch family
(09:33):
properties because not longafter the san jacinto battle mr
lynch got ill and passed away,leaving his wife and kids, and,
and so she was needing money andso she was divesting of some
land and our family bought thatland to complete all around the
(09:57):
bay, and that's the propertywhere David Burnett his cabin
sat, which is why it was namedBurnett Bay up there.
That's where he and his wifelived and he had his fishing
cabin and all was their ownproperty that we eventually
owned.
And so it's a love of historythat runs deep and far and just
(10:23):
a real pleasure to look at anddream of what it was in those
days.
And I took that history, alwayshaving time to read when you're
on a ship or offshore orwherever.
I've always got a suitcase fullof books, and most of them
would be history books for whereI'm going.
(10:45):
So if I was headed into Canadaor somewhere, I'd have history
books on where I'm about to getto and I'd be reading those, and
it's just been a life's passion.
And so when Governor Abbottextended commission as
Commission, as Admiral in theTexas Navy, you know, it was
(11:06):
really, you know and that wasextended for services to the
state.
It was like the real coup ofthe height of career to get that
.
And here I sit a few yearslater now as president of the
Texas Navy Association andreally being able to help steer,
to make sure that we'repositioned to go forward.
(11:29):
You always have your eyes tothe future to make sure the
history is moving forward withyou, and that's what we try to
do, is to steer the Texas NavyAssociation, the Texas Navy
Association.
(11:49):
Our goal, as charged by thegovernor, in short, is to
preserve, protect and promotethe wonderful history of the
state of Texas, the Texas Navy.
And that history starts clearback in 1835.
And with the start of it it didnot start as an official Navy.
What it was was?
It was an approved group,authorized as opposed to
(12:12):
licensed but authorized group ofprivateers, and they were
charged with helping to protectthe Texas coast, protect the
trade between Texas and NewOrleans.
People don't realize just howTexas depended on the port of
New Orleans, you know, with itsimportance, because everything
(12:37):
that came into Texas pretty muchcame by ship out of New Orleans
down the Mississippi, came byship out of New Orleans, down to
Mississippi and over toGalveston, down to Freeport and
Velasco and then Matagorda andthen all the way down to the
(12:58):
very tip of Texas, and Matamoroswas also a big trading point.
And Matamoros was also a bigtrading point.
So with that it was theprogression and the privateers.
(13:24):
They interrupted the Mexicanarmy's ability to just
constantly harass the Texasvessels and the trade vessels
supplying us.
But it pushed.
The Republic as it was cominginto being showed them the
importance of having a Navy, andso that's when they authorized
the acquisition of the firstfour sailing vessels that were
rigged out as fighting schooners, and today we know three of
(13:47):
them.
We're still missing one, andsomeday we'll bring her home to
us and at least by pinpointingwhere she rested and know more
about her final days right offof the coast of Galveston.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Mr Andy Hall was in here a few months ago.
He was telling me that there'sstill one Texas Navy shipwreck
off the coast of Galveston,somewhere that has not been
located just yet.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Just yet man.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Do you think it's possible?
I mean, it sank in the 1840s,is that right?
1830s?
Yeah, so do you think it'spossible, even with all the
hurricanes we've had, thenumerous hurricanes we've had
over the past almost 200 years,that we'll be able to find it
and identify it?
Yes, okay.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Let me just boil that down to a simple yes, okay, you
know.
And the most important thing,when you enter into searches
like that, even when you dosearch grids and I've done lots
and lots of search grids forinformation in the Gulf of
Mexico, because now you justproved where it's not- Right,
(14:57):
that's right.
And that's very important,because if you know that it's
not behind that rock, then youdon't have to go move that rock
again, and so that's the key toit.
An example when people say,well, will it ever be found?
Parks and Wildlife and theirmagazines and Texas Monthly
(15:25):
there is a shipwreck down inSouth Texas, on South Padre
Beach, and it's just right offthe beach and every few years it
surfaces.
They have not been able toclearly identify which vessel it
is.
Now there's plenty ofspeculation based on the size
(15:49):
and all, but they've neverexcavated it to prove and it'll
be there for a little while, andthen the weather kicks in again
and the sands shift and itdisappears again.
And the sand shift and itdisappears again, and so it's
covered up, which is goodbecause it protects the remains
(16:10):
from would-be treasure huntersand looters and people that just
want to take a piece of the oldwood home with them.
You know which is sodetrimental.
That's why we have theantiquities laws, that we have
to preserve and protect ourhistory, and that's why the
governor's charge is for us todo exactly that with the history
(16:34):
of the Texas Navy, and so wehave to learn as much as we can.
The Texas Navy.
It's had evolutions of its life.
You had the first Texas Navy,which was made up with the four
original ships, and then thesecond Texas Navy, where they
(16:59):
started bringing in thesteamship.
One of them is stranded justoff of Texas city and ended up
being blown up.
Then they intentionally blewthe wreck and then it was an
obstruction to navigation andthe remnants and it was blown up
again.
And when they were trying toimprove the commerce of Texas
(17:23):
city.
Well, we do have possession andnot we, but a museum that Texas
Navy Association, for short it'scalled the TNA.
We're deeply involved with theTexas Maritime Museum down in
(17:44):
Rockport.
They have parts of the boilerand they are currently working
on expanding their footprint ofthe museum itself and we are
involved with them to design thedisplay and how to use that as
a tool to teach the Texas Navyhistory.
(18:05):
And we already have a real nicedisplay in their museum.
We also have a wonderfuldisplay on board the USS
Lexington.
If you want to go see itspecifically, as soon as you get
your ticket you tell them Ineed a guide to take me down to
the Texas Navy Museum exhibitbecause it's a honeycomb
(18:30):
environment to weave your waythrough the ship unless you have
a week to spend and rations tosupport you while you're down
there.
You know it's best to get aguide that vessel is massive.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
I was on there a few years ago and you don't realize
how big aircraft carriers areuntil you get on one, and it's
pretty tough to navigate whenyou get on there.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Yeah yeah, and how many small compartments and the
doors don't go all in the samedirection, and so it.
It makes it fun.
But yeah, we're on there.
Uh, we've been on thebattleship texas since 1955 in
the wardroom, uh, with a nicedisplay.
(19:12):
And I'll regress a little bit.
The battleship that is theflagship of the Texas Navy and
very few people are familiarwith the Buford Jester.
He was only governor of Texasin 1948, and he suffered a heart
(19:34):
attack and he was lost to thegreat state of Texas as a result
of that heart attack.
But what he did do wasmonumental because he's the
governor that Admiral Nimitzbrought the Battleship Texas to
and presented it.
Governor Jester in hisstatement says I accept the
(19:59):
Battleship Texas on behalf ofthe people of Texas and I hereby
dedicate the Battleship Texasas the flagship of the Texas
Navy from this day forward.
And so that gave us ourofficial tie to the battleship.
In 58, with Governor PriceDaniels, he re-recognized and
(20:26):
re-dedicated the flagship ofTexas when he stood up the Texas
Navy as the third Texas Navy.
It was a standing up of civildefense activities and trying to
reformulate it, and so hecalled on the Texas Navy to come
(20:48):
forth on the third Saturday ofeach September with a flotilla
of vessels that could be countedas part of the Texas Navy in 58
.
And coming forward.
(21:18):
The Texas Navy was actuallypart of the state of Texas
militia as a resource for thegovernor to call out and use as
he would need.
What happened in 74 was I don'tknow if it was the Sunset
Commissions existed right thenor not, or their predecessor
most likely but it wasdetermined that the Texas Navy,
(21:39):
due to funding resources and all, would reinvent itself as a
nonprofit organization, nolonger part of the Texas militia
as they were doing their bestto downsize in 74.
But the Texas legislator saysyou're now the Texas Navy
Association nonprofit, and wehereby proclaim that you are the
(22:03):
Texas Navy still in fact, andso that was in 74.
Then it just keeps comingforward in that same fashion and
right to this day.
You know the re-recognizing ofthe Texas Navy and what we do
(22:32):
and it's always our mission isto promote and preserve and
protect our great history of theTexas Navy along our waters.
And the governor'sproclamations are very clear
that when you accept yourcommission from the governor you
are also accepting theresponsibility to protect the
boundaries and the waters of thestate of Texas and to act if so
(22:53):
called.
And so they keep a string onyou for being able to carry that
title.
And so then, within the TexasNavy Association, it's admirals
that are tasked with themanagement.
To be on the board, elected tothe board, you have to be a
(23:15):
commissioned admiral by thegovernor.
The only governor can issuecommissions is admirals.
You know we take it extremelyresponsible and it's an honorary
title, but it has a lot ofrespect and responsibilities
involved with it.
And so when you come in, yousay, well, how do I promote the
(23:39):
great history of Texas?
Well, then you sit back and yousay, well, governor Price
Daniels.
Governor Price Daniels said theflotilla needs to be recognized
every year.
And so one of the things welooked at as a group this year
was you know, how do we reallykickstart and get things going
(24:03):
so that the public knows thatwe're taking our charge serious?
And it's Texian Navy Day Since1958, we've been charged to
celebrate it on the thirdSaturday of each September.
And so this year we sat down asa group and we said how do we
want to do this?
(24:24):
And so, coming from thebackground I do I'm like, well,
we need to make sure that wedon't exclude any of the facets,
because the Texas Navy has beenan evolution.
It didn't just stop when theTexas Navy achieved statehood.
(24:45):
It was actually incorporatedinto the US Navy at the time of
statehood.
It was actually incorporatedinto the US Navy at the time of
statehood and the US Navy tookover all of the assets here on
Galveston Island.
So 1835 to statehood,everything on the island was
under the Texas Navy Statehood.
(25:09):
It became the US Navy'sresponsibility and they had
these built-in bases andwarehouses and infrastructure
right here.
Well, the Navy wanted to fightforeign wars, not do anything.
So as the US Coast Guardevolved, then they passed over
(25:31):
the responsibility to the USCoast Guard.
So now we look at GalvestonIsland, fort Point In 1835, from
the original Texas Navy totoday the US Coast Guard is
still an active base at FortPoint.
Today the US Coast Guard isstill an active base at Fort
Point.
The mission of the Coast Guardis not just a military armed
(25:58):
mission.
It involves search and rescue,aerial assets, pollution
response, big one, big piece ofit.
And so with that we said how dowe do that?
And so boat parade.
That incorporates the actualtheme protecting our coast from
(26:22):
1835 to present.
So how do we do that?
We have got the boat paradeorchestrated to where we've got
a fire tug Starting us down thechannel with all the water.
We've got the 200-foot offshoreenvironmental vessel, texas
(26:47):
Responder leading the way, thepilot boats, the Galveston
Pilotage Group and we've gotthree Coast Guard cutters Three.
We've got three Coast Guardcutters three.
We've got the 87-foot Alligator, which is a beautiful patrol
cutter and she's going to befloating around doing security
(27:11):
for us on the channel during theparade.
Then they have Coast Guard saidthey really wanted to be able
to include the 164-foot fastresponse cutter and they're
always fun to look at, yes, andshe's a beauty.
Well, and we've got anotherspecial treat in the
(27:34):
100-year-old, 125-foot retiredcutter, morris.
Wow, yeah, and the Morris hasnot been in Galveston very long
and she is owned by the VietnamMarine and Aviation Museum and
(27:56):
they acquired her over out ofSan Francisco where, when she
retired, she spent 17 or 18years as a Sea Scout vessel,
then went into retirement fromthat in a maritime museum that
was foundering and trying tosupport her, and so these guys
(28:18):
picked her up.
They brought her around fromSan Francisco through the canal
on her own bottom, under her ownpower.
Oh my gosh.
Oh yeah, quite the story withno glitches.
You know, perfect Operated allthe way, and so we're really
looking forward to her.
That's going to be great, yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Are there going to be civilian vessels in there as
well?
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Yeah, that's going to be great.
Yeah, are there going to becivilian vessels in there as
well?
Yeah, after you get past thelast of the government vessels,
then we've got some of the newvessels and commercial vessels
right here from Galveston.
The tour group just tookdelivery of a new 70-foot
(29:03):
sternwheeler excursion boat, andso they're really hoping to get
everything ready and be outthere with it.
And then we've got the pleasureyachts coming in, and I think
our largest is right around 100foot and down to I don't know
what, but total prairie.
(29:28):
It's going to be around 40, 45vessels, so it's going to be a
great day.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
That's going to be a sight to see.
It really is and what is thedate it's happening?
Speaker 1 (29:36):
September, the 21st, 21st of this year.
At Pier 21.
21, 21.
Yeah, so you can't forget it21st day of September at Pier 21
.
We've got a wonderful museum ornot museum but monument there
at Pier 21 to commemorate andrecognize the heroes of the
(30:01):
First Navy of Texas and it'soverlooking.
And you've got the battleshipin the background, broadside,
beautiful beautiful setting.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
I'm really excited about that.
I might even hop on one of myfriend's boats and head out
there to pee on the water.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
If you're going to do it, there's a couple of
important things, because CoastGuard is doing a channel closure
for the event for safety's sake, and we have two designated
areas for viewing from boats.
One of them it starts on theSeawolf Park side of Pelican
(30:38):
Island from about the cornerwhere the parking lot starts on
the western edge and then itruns down.
There's kind of like a bay typearea right in there and that's
all available for spectator boatmoorage.
Then on the opposite side, alittle further down the channel,
(31:00):
from where you're clear of theferry terminal, because it's
going to be running, you know,nonstop Saturday, lots of
traffic back and forth toBolivar.
We don't want to do anything toimpede them, but along that
water's edge, be respectful ofprivate docks that are over
(31:22):
there, stay clear of those.
But it comes all the way up tothe eastern corner of the boat
haven on that side, and so withthose two you got to be in
position before 10 o'clock,gotcha, and you can't move out
(31:43):
until the parade's over.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Gotcha because the Coast Guard will be blocking off
both sides of the channel.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Yeah, and the Coast Guard's going to have plenty of
patrol vessels to make sure thateveryone's safe, and that's our
big thing is safety, and soit's.
You know it's a big event.
We've got a lot of heavy ironinvolved and big boats that are
moving, and Galveston has neverseen a parade like this before.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
I'm excited about this.
I'm really excited about it.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
It's a glorious way to celebrate Texas Navy Day and
honor exactly what GovernorPrice Daniels asked to have
accomplished.
You know Texas Navy Day.
We encourage every squadron ofTexas Navy to be celebrating
(32:34):
Texas Navy Day in their ownregion.
But Galveston Island is thehome port of the Texas Navy, and
not only from.
This is where our shipyardswere and this is our bases and
logistics and our tie back toNew Orleans.
But this is the actual homeport and where the Texas Navy
(32:57):
Association resides and no onecan move it from here except a
governor.
It takes governor'sproclamation and approval to
move us to anywhere else.
So it's a great story.
I love it.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
It's amazing.
You know, I was telling Andywhen he was in here growing up I
didn't hear much about theTexas Navy.
I mean maybe a little bit inTexas history.
Of course it might've been justa day, a short little, a short
little segment on the Texas Navyit's.
It's really one of those thingsthat people are really starting
to realize how important theTexas Navy is and was to
Galveston and Texas, becausewithout the Texas Navy Mexico
(33:39):
would probably still own most ofTexas right, it runs deeper
than that, because the TexasNavy, you know, interrupted the
supply lines of Santa Ana andwith that, you know, with the
victories that we sustained downin the Bay of Campeche.
Speaker 1 (34:05):
But we actually captured the vessels that had
Santa Ana's supplies ofmunitions and cannons and a
thousand additional troops andthey were headed towards the
Brazos River.
If they had landed at theBrazos River they would have
marched right up and come inbehind Sam Houston and that
(34:30):
would have trapped Sam Houstonbetween Santa Ana and the
reinforcement and it could have,and most likely would have been
another Alamo.
And so it was the Texas Navy'sability to secure those vessels
and hold those recruits offshoreand prevent that from occurring
(34:54):
, A real turning of the tide.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
That wouldn't happen.
No Republic of Texas wewouldn't be here today.
No Texas in the United States,nothing.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Wow, you know I love Mexico.
I've, you know I've been had somuch of my life, I am
intertwined with it.
I am a red-blooded Texan allthe way through.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Yeah, and that's, and so are some of my friends.
It's just the way it is.
We are in history.
History is wonderful.
There's a reason why historyturns out the way it did, and so
we've had great resources, wehave great support and we will
(35:42):
continue to find ways.
You know, we build our financesso that we can keep building
museums, expanding ourliterature, storytelling and
talk about the people.
You know of who the Texas Navywas, and I put a challenge out
(36:03):
to our members, our historycommittee.
It's like okay, what do I wantyou guys to do for us this year?
I want the backstories.
You know, yes, we always have afew prominent names that are
involved and associated with theTexas Navy.
I want to know who was on thedeck of the ships, who were the
(36:27):
families, when did they comefrom and where did they go.
There's so much more to ourTexas history that is yet to be
told.
And telling a family lore.
You may not have all thedocumentations dug out to
substantiate everything, butthere's family lore and it's
(36:50):
important.
How many stories do people havethat they were told by their
parents, grandparents, and theythink their kids will forget it
because it's not documentedanyhow.
And so I've charged our peopleto expand on that and let's see
what we can develop.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
What are some lesser known stories or history from
the Texas Navy that people arealways really surprised to hear?
Speaker 1 (37:28):
really surprised to hear you know the story about
how the resupply literallyturned the tides of the Battle
of San Jacinto.
No one knows that story and itis so key and functional.
The other story is, you know,our sailing vessels that were
down in the Bay of Campecheovertook and won the battle
(37:48):
against steam-powered MexicanNavy vessels, which was unheard
of and that surprises a lot ofthe not just people but
historians, because they said no, steam power was superior and
so it was always expected to besuperior.
But yeah, the big one is thestory of how we captured all the
(38:16):
supplies and the recruit, thereinforcement recruits of Santa
Ana is just a phenomenal storythat people don't know.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
I was at the Alamo probably three or four years ago
.
They had a big diagram of theAlamo and a big diagram of Texas
.
It was kind of one of theexhibits they had set up outside
to really tell more aspects ofthe Alamo story or the Texas
history story, right, like tellmore aspects of the Alamo story
or the Texas history story,right, and it was.
It was wild because I of courseread about the Texas Navy at
(38:47):
this point, but as she'sdescribing the story of how Sam
Houston's moving eastward andhow the Texas Navy came in, and
when she's talking about theTexas Navy she's kind of
describing it in detail as youare and people around her like
about the Texas Navy.
She's kind of describing it indetail as you are and people
around her like Texas had a Navy.
You know these people from allover the world looking at this
diagram and people are reallylike shocked to hear about that.
(39:11):
But then that story alone islike pivotal in the entire
history of the revolution andTexas history.
So it's.
It blew my mind.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
Yeah, and it's so important because the whole
world looks at the monument atthe Battle of San Jacinto and
says that was the deal, and itwas, it was the real deal.
It's there because it trulypays homage to the heroic acts,
(39:41):
because it was such a smallnumber of Texans that overtook
such a vast majority, and it'sunbelievable.
And the same thing was with theTexas Navy.
You know, a couple of shipsturned the tide on Santa Ana
because he didn't believe thatTexas had any type of sea power
(40:06):
worthy of note.
And so that in itself, you know, underestimation is, you know,
defeatism so often around theworld.
If you don't know who you're upagainst, you don't stand a
chance.
If you don't know who you're upagainst, you don't stand a
chance.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
That's very true.
I want to do some research onAdmiral Nimitz in the Pacific
now, yeah, because I'm reallycurious, being a Texas boy
himself.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
I'm really curious if there's any history or strategy
he took from that and tied intothe Pacific.
You know he was a greathistorian.
He loved the Texas Navy.
That's why he was so driven tobring the battleship Texas to
Texas.
But he was a big supporter ofthe history of the Texas Navy.
We've got to get back with thebattleship and on it and see how
(41:01):
that's all going to play out.
We're a nonprofit.
Yeah, we're a 501c3.
It is 100% pro bono.
Nobody gets paid.
We've got one contractbookkeeping service that's only
a couple of hours a week andsame thing with a digital admin
(41:28):
to help us.
Other than that, we do it all.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
It's pure preservation and promotion of
history.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
It really is.
So any dollar that is donatedto us through our fundraising
events and whatever, it's goingstraight to the product.
And I like that, I really likethat there's no middleman,
nobody's taking a cut, we're notpaying big salaries.
(41:57):
We do it all.
We do it for the love of ourhistory.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
Well, Scott, I really appreciate you coming in today.
Talk a little bit about theTexas Navy Association and the
big event you have coming up injust a couple weeks and I really
hope to see it here every yearafter.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
For eternity.
That is our goal, and I'vealready started thinking about
next year.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
That's what you need to do.
That's it, great.
Keep on growing.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Next year.
You know, I think we can have alot of fun yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
Yeah, of course Awesome.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
Well, Scott, thank you so much man.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (42:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Well, I've always been told that I can't tell my
name.
You know it's like tomorrow I'mkeynote speaking at a joint
military advisory commission.
They're giving you 45 minutes.
You can't tell them your namewithout 30 minutes.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
Hey, I get it.
I'm the same way.
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