History
The
Texas Clipper was commissioned by the US Navy as the
USS Queens (APA-103) in December 1944. During World War II (WWII), she was used as a
troop transport ship into the South Pacific and as a floating hospital and transport after the battles in Iwo Jima. Before being decommissioned in 1946, the
Queen was also part of an American occupation in Japan.
In 1948, the
Clipper's name was changed to the
S.S. Excambion; and from 1948 to 1959, she served as one of the post-war
four aces for the
American Export Lines. The original Four Aces were ocean liners that routinely crossed the Atlantic to various ports in the Mediterranean. But when WWII broke out, these ships were sold to the US Navy and converted to troop transports. Unfortunately, three of these ships sank in battle including the original
S.S. Excambion. To replace the lost vessel, the American Export Lines purchased the
USS Queens and quickly converted her to a cruise liner to continue their business abroad.
Once her service with the American Export line ran its course, the
S.S. Excambion lay at anchorage in the Hudson River Ready Reserve Fleet for seven year. It was not until 1965 when the next phase of her life was determined when the federal government lent the
Excambion to the Texas Maritime Academy. Once at the Academy she was renamed the
U.S.T.S. Texas Clipper; and from 1965 to 1996 she spent summers at sea providing an educational experience to hundreds of student.
Finally, after more than 30 years of service with the Texas Maritime Academy, she was placed on reserve mooring at the port of Beaumont in Texas. For 2 years her future was undecided but in 1998 the final phase of her life was resolved. She was to be given to the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to use in their
Artificial Reef Program. She was to offer 76,000 ft
2 of hard surface to enhance the growth of marine organisms and an underwater ecosystem that would include barnacles, oysters, mussels, moss animals, sponges, and various forms of corals. Her high vertical profile would also attracts many fish species such as Atlantic spade fish, red snapper, barracuda, almaco jack, cobia, and various sharks.
