2. The burial service for the unidentified dead was held June 22, 1947 Cars were park a mile and a half up and down the highway, and the crowd was estimated at 5,ooo. The sixty-three caskets were brought from Camp Wallace by separate hearses from fifty-one participating funeral homes in twenty-eight cities. It was a striking procession, probably the longest in the history of funeral services. Each casket was carried by pallbearers from the American Legion, V.F.W., Labor Organizations and Volunteer Firemen. Each was decorated with a spray of flowers, gifts of the Florist Association. In this small plot of ground, at the time only a scarred prairie, were placed the remains of sixty-three unidentified dead, each in its own casket, each in its own lined grave~numbered and recorded so that if a new inquiry were ever necessary the information would be available. No one else ever has ever been buried in this cemetery; no one else ever will be. It stands as a resting place for those unidentified, and a memorial for all those who suffered during that time. The Park was built in remembrance of the sixty – three unidentified victims of the 1947 Texas City Disaster. The park was rebuilt in 1991 during Charles T. Doyle s term as Mayor. At this time a new section was added in remembrance of those who died defending the Country and the Texas City Firemen and Police who died in the line of duty. In 2007 the city built a new section for the Compassionate Friends in remembrance of the children whose life ended too early PowerPoint by Jack Cross jcross002@comcast.net Slides Advance on Mouse Click Music – our father who art in heaven

5. More than 550 people lost their lives, more than 3,000 were injured. Encased around this fountain are the numbered markers from the graves of the sixty-three unknown victims

8. GRIEF By Lee A Stark April 16, 2000 Purchased by Mayor Charles T. Doyle with private donations by corporate, business and individuals. Dedicated to the anniversary of the Texas City Disaster in 1947. The French Ship Grand Camp exploded and resulted in our nations worst industrial disaster. Grief represents these tragedies and the many lives that were changed forever. May those who lost their lives rest in peace

9. WAR & PEACE IN SOLEMN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR FELLOW AMERICANS AND THEIR ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. THIS MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS CITY The entire Texas City Volunteer Fire Dept. lost their lives in the Grand Camp explosion

10. Monsanto Memorial to the several hundred plant workers who lost their lives on April 16, 1947 Monsanto Plant parking lot and houses near the plant

12. THE GRAND CAMPS ANCHOR

13. ON THIS SITE, WITHIN THESE OVAL WALKWAYS ARE BURIED THE REMAINS OF THE UNIDENTIFIED DEAD, KILLED BY THE SHIP EXPLOSIONS ON APRIL 16, 1947

14. In Memory of the French Officers and Sailors who died on April 16. 1947 - They were from the cities of Grand Camp and Nantes France located near the beaches of Normandy

15. In 2007 the City of Texas City allowed the Compassionate friend to set aside a section of the park as a remembrance for families who lost children at a young age. The Compassionate Friends helping newly bereaved energy that has been directed inward begins to flow outward and both are helped to heal. The vision of TCF is that everyone who need us will find us and everyone who finds us will be helped

17. Words of remembrance embedded in the walkways In the Compassionate Friends section of the Park

18. Texas City has more Statues than any city its size in America

21. In 2000 the Doyle Center was dedicated with the Phoenix Fountain symbolizing the mythical bird rising from the ashes. Like the Phoenix, Texas City rose and In 1997 was named an All American City

23. Last Slide