Texas Navy

Friday, Sep. 05, 2008
The Flower Mound Messenger
Flower Mound Boasts Texas Navy Admirals
By Adrian McCandless
Staff Writer

Submitted Photo
Robert A. Callanan, left, recently attended the Flower Mound Rotary Club to speak on the history of the Texas Navy and present rotarians Leland Mebine, center, and Bud Blank, right, with their induction as Admirals in the organization.

Most Texans have two years of classes on the history of the Lone Star State and think they know Texas history. But few people know that Texas had its own Navy – and that it still exists.

Through the years, Texas governors have kept the Texas Navy alive by appointing honorary commissions of admirals to the Navy to honor recipients for their contributions to the state.

Some Texas Navy admirals can be found in Flower Mound.

Bob Callanan was recognized for his work in the medical field as a long-term care manager and received a commission as admiral in 1994. He has been actively involved preserving the history of the Navy ever since.

"It was a total shock to me," Callanan said. "I had no clue I was being awarded a commission, and at that time I didn’t even know there was a Texas Navy."

In 2005, Callanan helped charter the Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Squadron with headquarters at Rush Creek Marina on Lake Ray Hubbard.

Callanan recently recognized two fellow admirals, Flower Mound residents Leland Mebine and Howard Blank, at a recent Flower Mound Rotary Club meeting.

Mebine and Blank received their commissions from state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, in April 2004 when she was appointed governor for a day.

"It was something I never expected because I am not a native Texan," Mebine said. "So, for that reason alone, I thought it was an honor."

Mebine, who just turned 95, said that he received his commission into the Texas Navy because of his 25 years of service to the community of Flower Mound. He served on the Planning and Zoning Commission, Town Council, Chamber of Commerce, Youth and Family Services Board, and was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Flower Mound Rotary Club.

Blank said he, too, thought of his commission as an honor. He received the recognition from Nelson for his part in forming the Flower Mound Rotary Club 20 years ago after the Lewisville chapter grew too large. He added that he helped form the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce, and was active with the YMCA and Boy Scouts, among many other organizations.

Callanan said a project the Texas Navy Board members are working on is the relocation of the Battleship Texas [in active service in WWI and WWII] from its on-land resting place on the San Jacinto Battleground at LaPorte in East Texas. The 1836 battle was part of the Texas War for Independence.

"Having the battleship on the San Jacinto Battle Ground is like parking a B-52 Bomber at the Gettysburg Battlefield," Callanan said.

He said that when the battleship was berthed on the battleground in 1948, one-third of the historical site was destroyed.

"At its current location, the Battleship Texas is operating at an annual deficit of nearly a quarter-million dollars," Callanan said.

"Relocating this ship to a site which will be accessible to and draw larger numbers of visitors would not only afford significant cost savings to the citizens of Texas, but also honor the Battleship Texas … while also preserving the hallowed ground at San Jacinto," he said.

He added that it is the only battleship memorial to be in the "red" out of the seven such memorials in operation.

amccandless@alliancenews.net 972-724-3158
http://flowermoundmessenger.com/news/story/1782.html