CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Local knife makers are taking part in a nationwide effort to restore The U.S.S Texas.
The battleship was commissioned in 1914 and fought in both world wars. Now being refurbished into a museum.
3NEWS spoke with a blacksmith helping military veterans with projects that will aid restoration of the historic ship.
The Battleship Texas Foundation is sending materials from the U.S.S Texas to artisans across the US.
Mark Banks is a blacksmith living in Portland. He is helping pair veterans with professionals so they can turn those materials into something that can help restore the ship.
"It's like an eight by twelve about half inch piece of steel that comes off the ship and then a piece of wood from off the deck or wherever it comes from on the ship," Banks said, "They will send that and then make the project out of it and then turn around and donate it back."
Brush Country Knife Makers of South Texas and Forging Forward of South Texas are helping veterans find a new passion. Banks is involved with both, blacksmithing as a hobby since he was a kid growing up on an Oklahoma ranch.
Banks explained that one of his suppliers, a veteran in one of the groups was excited to be a part of U.S.S. Texas refurbishment efforts.
"This is really neat, he said, this is new vets helping old vets and working on a historic project that the old vets did and lived on and fought off of and helping bring that back to life." Banks said.
The U.S.S. Texas was decommissioned in 1948 and later turned into a museum. It now needs extensive repairs so it can return to the water; that's where Battleship Texas Foundation comes in.
Banks said he's working with at least four veterans to make projects with materials from the ship. Their projects will be put up for auction for raising money for repairs.
The knives can be worth between $300-1,400, depending on the cause they're going to and who's bidding on them. Making them is also a way he said veterans can escape from hardships in a healthy way.
"Let them learn that, hey, there's a way for me to fight those demons and it's not through drugs, it's not through alcohol, it's not through violence," Banks said. "That I can fire the forge up and take my frustrations out on that piece of steel with a hammer."
Banks said he also has a connection to the U.S.S. Texas. Now 60-years-old, he remembers visiting the ship when he was younger. He now has the chance to help save it.
Banks explained, "To be able to walk onto that ship when I was a kid and know that it's still there and now, I'm helping to restore it is, is just amazing."
Projects have to be completed by January 1, 2024. Most items will become collector's items after auction and another stage of repair efforts with new artisans will begin next year.
If you want to get involved, click here.
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