Last May, I received an email from Admiral Bill Rouse of the Texas Navy asking if he could nominate me to the governor’s office to receive an Admiral’s commission. I had heard of the Texas Army (even put together a story on them back in the day), but not the Texas Navy. Turns out, that is part of the reason the current Texas Navy exists -- to remember the ones from the past. The first Texas Navy came about in 1835-36 as Texas declared independence. But by 1845, that Texas Navy lost support and the US Navy would absorb it when Texas officially became a state in 1846.

HOUSTON – Frank Billingsley was honored Saturday morning with an Admiral’s Commission in the Texas Navy at the Seaport in Galveston. Greg Abbott, as commander in chief of the Texas Navy, used his position as governor to honor several Texans who are special to Texas. “During the 1950s Governor Price Daniel popularized a tradition of Texas governors honoring citizens of Texas by proclaiming them ‘Admirals in the Texas Navy,’" according to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. "Citizens receive their honorary title for a number of reasons such as special achievement in government service or athletics. Here’s what a Texas Navy Admiral Commission is all aboutAdmiral Chester Barnes, commander of the Charles Hawkins Squadron of the Texas Navy, presented the Admiral Commission to Billingsley.