Battleship Texas Almost Sinks

LA PORTE, Texas (AP) _ All that stood between the battleship USS Texas and sinking at its permanent berth in the Houston Ship Channel were a rag and a backup pump.

Texas state park officials revealed Tuesday that an employee noticed the ship appeared to sitting lower in the water than usual last week at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, near Houston.

Park manager Andy Smith says the ship was lower still the next day. In fact, officials say the ship sank 2-3 feet overnight because a pump in the steering compartment had burnt out.

Officials say a rag stopped the leak and backup pumps removed some 105,000 gallons of water from the ship. It was back riding high by Saturday.

The 1914-vintage ship is the last of its kind and a veteran of both world wars.

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