USS New Mexico photographs and printed material
Collection
Identifier: MSS-905-SC
Scope and Content
The collection consists of 7 official Navy photographs of the USS New Mexico as well as three issues of The Queen’s Daily News, a photocopied page from the war diary of the USS New Mexico, and 2 news print brochures. Also included is a V-J day insert from the Lima News (OH), Aug. 6, 1995, the hometown newspaper of the donors of the collection.
Dates
- 1945, 1995
- Majority of material found in 1945
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Biography / History
Construction began on the first turboelectric-driven battleship, the USS New Mexico (nicknamed "The Queen"), in October of 1915 at the New York Navy Yard. The ship was christened the USS New Mexico by Margaret C. de Baca on April 23, 1917, and placed into commission by the US Navy on May 20, 1918, just before the fall of Germany in World War One. Assigned to the west coast in 1919, the New Mexico became the first flagship of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and was stationed in San Pedro, California. In 1941 the USS New Mexico returned to the east coast to patrol shipping lanes in the Atlantic during World War Two. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the ship journeyed to San Francisco, was conditioned for war, and sailed for Hawaii. There, she participated in the Pacific and Northern Pacific theaters, including the battles in the Aleutian Islands. After a short stint in the South Pacific, the USS New Mexico went to the Marshall Islands in 1944, where she suffered her first casualty of war when one of her Kingfisher scouting planes went down. In 1944, she participated in the reconquest of Guam, and in 1945, the invasion of Luzon. There, she was attacked by Kamikaze bombers, and was hit by a plane that killed her commanding officer and 29 others. After being repaired and returned to combat, she was again struck by a Kamikaze attack. Following the atomic bomb attack on Japan, the ship joined Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet, and sailed into Tokyo Bay on August 30th to participate in the surrender of Japan The battleship USS New Mexico was decommissioned July 19, 1946, stricken from the US Naval Registry, and allocated to the auction block on February 25, 1947. In her career, the USS New Mexico earned six battle stars on the Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Ribbon, and also earned the Navy Occupation Service Medal (Pacific) for the period of September 2-11, 1945.
Source: Fray Angelico Chavez History Library collection description
Source: Fray Angelico Chavez History Library collection description
Extent
1 Folder
Abstract
The collection consists of photographs and printed material relating to the USS New Mexico.
- Title
- Finding aid of the USS New Mexico photographs and printed material, 1945, 1995
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- © 2013
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu