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Operation "Magic Carpet"
23 September to 24 December 1945 |
| Departing Okinawa on 23 September, TEXAS
arrived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 4 October, to begin her last US Navy action
the transporting of troops from the Pacific to California for demobilization. TEXAS was one of many combat ships returning troops from the Pacific as well as across the Atlantic, under the name "MAGIC CARPET". At the end of September, TEXAS was one of 107 ships, which grew to 369 ships by 15 December The use of combat ships was part of larger transport program. On the same day as her 4 October arrival, at Pearl Harbor, TEXAS began receiving troops for transport to California. She departed for San Pedro Harbor (Long Beach), California, on the 9th (number of troops is unknown) for the first of 4 trips from Pearl Harbor to California When she arrived in San Diego, on 24 December on her 4th and final trip, TEXAS had returned over 4,276 troops to America before Christmas. (4,267 troops returned in November and December plus the unknown number in October). |
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| 27 October 1945, Navy Day, San Pedro |
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| While TEXAS was bringing returning troops home, hundreds of TEXAS veterans were also discharged. So while the size of the ship's compliment was reduced, TEXAS was carrying an extra 1,500 people on the November and December runs. Even with a reduced crew and the returning troops, the 1945 compliment of 1,800 was well over 2,000. People were sleeping on the main deck because of a lack of space but also for fresh air. In spite of cramp conditions they were going home. They made it. |
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| Deactivation Begins - December 1945 |
| 12 December - Catapult and airplanes were removed. This was done after the 3rd of four arrivals in California. After debarking passengers in San Diego on 4 December, TEXAS entered Terminal Island Navy Yard, near Los Angeles during which the catapult was removed. If the airplanes were also removed is uncertain for some BB35 veterans said the planes had already been removed and were brought back aboard for Navy Day. |
| More Newspaper Articles to Bring BB35 to Texas |
| More newspaper articles began to appear in Houston
newspapers about bringing TEXAS to her Name State and coverage about the money needed. On 23 December, as she neared San Diego, an article reported she and other obsolete ships might be turned over to the Chinese Nationalist. |
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Started 11 May 1999 Chuck Moore, FTV (1st Texas Volunteers) BB35 volunteer group