The Texas Tower was named for its resemblance to an oil rig. It was one of three Air Force radar platforms placed off the eastern seaboard as part of the DEW ( Distant Early Warning ) Line. ( Towers #1 and #5 were never built. )

Unfortunately, this one was placed in deep water on an unstable mud bottom, whereas the other two were placed in shallow water on a solid, rocky bottom. From the beginning there were structural and stability problems with Tower #4. It was decided to abandon it, but not before the sensitive radar equipment could be removed, to prevent it from falling into the hands of hovering Russian "trawlers."

As a precaution the crew was reduced to a bare minimum. Just before the end, the platform's commander requested desperately that the tower be abandoned, but was ordered to stay on. The entire crew was lost when the tower collapsed in a hurricane. Only two bodies were even recovered.