The city of Galveston boasts a unique naval legacy, having had not one, but two, United States Navy ships proudly bear its name. These two USS Galveston vessels served in distinct eras, establishing a connection between the city's name and American maritime history.
Both ships had multiple identifying numbers linked to their names. When a naval vessel is reclassified or significantly modified to indicate a shift in its role or capabilities, the hull classification number displayed on the hull changes.
The Original USS GALVESTON C-17/PG-31/CL-19
The first USS Galveston was launched in 1903, with Miss Ella Sealy (1878-1963), daughter of George and Magnolia Willis Sealy, serving as its sponsor.
The 308-foot Denver-class cruiser was placed into commission in February 1905. On April 10, 1905, the ship left Norfolk for Galveston and arrived nine days later.
The city’s residents presented the ship with a 20-piece silver service set, purchased through public subscriptions. Made by Gorham Manufacturing, the set included a coffee pot, teapot, sugar bowl, cream pitcher, water pitcher, four candlesticks, a butter dish, and several serving trays, each inscribed with “Presented to the USS Galveston by the City of Galveston, April 24, 1905.”
Galveston rejoined the North Atlantic Fleet on the East Coast and departed New York Harbor on June 18 with the cruisers Brooklyn, Chattanooga, and Tacoma for Cherbourg, France. The squadron arrived in Cherbourg on June 30.
After an elaborate ceremony, the vessel departed with the remains of Admiral John Paul Jones - a legendary figure revered for his daring exploits during the Revolutionary War - whose body had been discovered in Paris after a six-year search.
Known as the “Father of the American Navy,” Jones is best remembered for his famous words, “I have not yet begun to fight!”
On July 22, the squadron arrived in Annapolis with Jones on board. The body was ultimately laid to rest in the crypt beneath the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel on July 24, 1905.
In March 1920, at the height of the Russian Civil War, Red Army forces advanced on the coastal city of Novorossiysk, Russia. Ships from various nations began evacuating refugees. As part of this effort, Galveston evacuated approximately 200 refugees (women and children) while under fire from Red Army artillery.
The original USS Galveston made its next port of call in her namesake city on August 26, 1923, to represent the U. S. Navy at the State of Texas American Legion Convention. She again returned to Galveston in October 1929 to take part in the Navy Day celebrations.
Galveston resumed its duties with a Special Service Squadron until May 19, 1930, when it transited the Panama Canal. Afterward, she returned to Galveston for one last visit, remaining there from May 24 to 31. It then departed for the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where the ship was decommissioned on September 2, 1930.
The following month, Galveston’s silver service set, along with the ship’s bell and wheel, was returned to the city of Galveston. Galveston was struck from the U.S. Navy list on November 1, 1930, and was sold for scrap to the Northern Metal Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 13, 1933.
USS Galveston CL-93/CLG-93/CLG-3
Built by William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding in Philadelphia, the second USS Galveston was originally a Cleveland-class light cruiser, commissioned by sponsor Libbie Moody Thompson (1897-1990), daughter of William Lewis Moody of Galveston.
Galveston’s construction was suspended in June 1946, just before its completion, as part of the general demobilization following World War II. At that time, the hull of Galveston was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
On February 4, 1956, she was converted from a CL-93 and reclassified as CLG-93 (Guided Missile Light Cruiser), then reclassified as CLG-3 on May 23, 1957, and finally commissioned on May 28, 1958.
Measuring 610.2 feet in length, the ship featured four propellers, six 6-inch 47-caliber guns in two triple mounts, six 5-inch 38-caliber guns in twin mounts, one Mk-7 TALOS missile launcher, and a crew of about 1,250.
Galveston successfully fired the first TALOS missile ever launched at sea on February 24, 1959. The RIM-8 TALOS was a ramjet-propelled surface-to-air supersonic guided missile, achieving speeds that exceeded Mach 2. The test demonstrated her capability as one of the mightiest warships in the modern United States Navy.
The ship made front-page news upon her arrival in her namesake city on February 16, 1960, at Pier 14. Although the city had been blanketed with an unusual layer of snow four days before, the atmosphere was warm, and a crowd of Galvestonians welcomed her into port as the Ball High School Band played "Anchors Aweigh."
During a special ceremony on deck, the silver service that had been presented to the original ship was given to the new Galveston as the Kirwin High School Band played the Star-Spangled Banner.
Libbie Thompson, who commissioned the ship, hosted a reception for the ship’s officers at her Cedar Lawn home. The focal point of the event was a seven-foot-long replica of Galveston made with over 3,000 flowers.
Plans for the model began when she presented the ship’s designs to Knapp Florists three months earlier. White flowers were used, with red ones outlining the centerpiece details.
The floral decoration was later showcased at a dance honoring the ship’s officers and crew at the Moody Civic Center, which over 2,000 people attended. Dozens of young ladies volunteered to ensure there were enough dancing partners for the service members.
Among the other guests were Gus and Elizabeth Lindall Findley Wortham. Mrs. Wortham had introduced Libbie to her husband at a dance in Galveston during World War I when he was a corporal in the Marines, making this a full-circle moment.
Thompson enlisted singer Hank Fort to write a song in honor of the cruiser and had the lyrics printed so that guests at the reception could join in the chorus of her performance. “Oh, the USS Galveston… Everyone agrees… That’s she’s a pip… and the greatest ship… To sail the seven seas.”
Enlisted crewmen also enjoyed a party at The Beachcomber, while other events took place for crewmen at the Pleasure Pier.
The ship was open to the public, and children from Galveston’s three orphanages were taken to tour the impressive vessel.
In February 1961, Galveston achieved the most extended range Talos firing at sea, followed in June by the first Talos two-missile salvo at sea. A salvo is a nearly simultaneous firing of multiple missiles.
Galveston made a brief return visit to her namesake city in July 1962, before transiting the Panama Canal on her way to San Diego, California.
Sharp-eyed fans of the Top Gun movies will recognize the name of the ship, prominently displayed on an oversized patch on the back of Maverick's flight jacket, as portrayed by Tom Cruise. The patch design symbolizes the ship’s 1963-1964 deployment to various locations in the Far East, including Japan and Taiwan.
In early 1965, Galveston became one of the first major naval vessels involved in the Vietnam conflict. She patrolled the waters of Southeast Asia from the Gulf of Thailand to the Gulf of Tonkin, supporting the American effort to repel Communist aggression in South Vietnam.
She also provided gunfire support during search-and-clear operations at Chu Lai and the Vạn Tường Peninsula, offered air defense for the 7th Fleet carriers in the South China Sea, and conducted search and rescue operations in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Galveston returned in October 1968 and assisted in combat and logistical missions in the region near DaNang. After completing its deployment to the Western Pacific and Vietnam in February 1969, she was reassigned to the Mediterranean.
After completing a transit through the Panama Canal on her way to the Mediterranean, Galveston once again visited Galveston Island and moored at Pier 15 on April 19, 1969.
The following month, another Moody family connection to the USS Galveston took a decidedly more social form than when Libbie cracked a bottle of champagne across the hull in 1945.
In May 1969, Frances Lambert Russell Moody Newman (1906-2003), who had been married to Libbie’s late brother, Shearn Moody, Sr. (1895-1936), was aboard her luxury yacht Southern Breeze in Athens, Greece.
She was sailing with her husband, Augustus “Gus” James Newman (1901-1976), when she spotted Galveston cruising into port. She alerted her husband and asked him to radio the ship to invite the crew on board for a few cocktails.
Once contact was established, Commanding Officer Captain James W. Montgomery and 80 officers in dress uniform arrived the following evening to enjoy the couple’s hospitality.
After years of service in the waters of the United States, Japan, South Vietnam, Sicily, Hong Kong, Spain, Greece, Crete, Malta, France, and Mallorca, Galveston was officially decommissioned on May 25, 1970, along with 47 other ships. She was stricken from the U.S. Navy ship register three years later.
The ship was offered to the City of Galveston, but it was declined due to the costs associated with its upkeep and berthing.
On April 30, 1975, the same day Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese and became Ho Chi Minh City, the USS Galveston was offered for sale as scrap at a value of $400,000.
New Museum Exhibit
On May 28, 2025, six veterans of the USS Galveston (CLG-3) attended the unveiling of a beautiful model of the ship at the Galveston County Museum. As the USS Galveston Shipmates Association is disbanding, the group used their remaining funds to commission the model and donated it to the museum to share their history and provide enjoyment for future generations.
Veterans John Gober from Montgomery, Alabama; James Balgord from Ocean Springs, Mississippi; Mike Clark from Washington; Earl Fisher from Phoenix, Arizona; Raul Lopez from Round Rock, Texas; and Grant Gee from Georgetown, Texas, were present for the presentation.
The posting of the Colors was conducted by members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 880 in Galveston, and members of the Texas Navy presented a framed certificate that formally inducted Galveston into the Texas Navy.
The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce and local officials were also present to conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the installation of the exhibit.
The Galveston County Museum, where the USS Galveston exhibit is now housed, is located inside the former Galveston County Courthouse at 722 Moody (21st Street). Visitors can enjoy free admission on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10am to 4pm. The museum offers free parking and has a handicap entrance at the rear of the building.
The silver set given by the City of Galveston, which was utilized aboard both ships, has been returned to the city and is now under the care of the Rosenberg Library Museum archives. The original Galveston bell is showcased at the City Marshal’s Office in the historic Galveston Water and Electric Light Station on Ball Street.
Galvestonians can help to solve a mystery about the USS Galveston. With the locations of the bell and silver service confirmed, the only unknown location of an artifact is the whereabouts of Galveston’s ship wheel, which was gifted to the city after the decommissioning of the first USS Galveston.
If you have any information or clues about its location, please contact the Galveston County Museum so it can be documented.