June 2018 - Between the Pages: New Mexico BB-40 and New Mexico's Navy

It is summer so thoughts travel to the NAVY? Really? Did you know there was a USS Torrance County, SS Navajo Victory, USNS Pecos, USS Albuquerque, SS Archbishop Lamy, and many more? I am not a lover of ships but I found it fascinating that New Mexico, a landlocked state, has so much Naval history. The USS New Mexico BB-40, is another book in Arcadia’s Images of America series. It has a multitude of pictures from the silver service on the ship, flags, people, and of course the USS New Mexico. Sadly, the USS New Mexico was scrapped but not her history.

In New Mexico’s Navy, the whole history of ships named for people and places in New Mexico is fleshed out with pictures and text. Everybody is represented: Anglos, Native Americans, and Hispanics. There are commemorative stamps, bells, maps, and patches. Many of the ships have been disappeared and their history of being sold, re-named, scrapped, and even on display is documented. Who knew we had such a deep history? I hate to be sexist, but boys and men will love the books. But I loved them too. There are often jokes about floating down the Rio Grande but finding a USS Rio Grande made me wonder. There was even a USS Caliente! Both books can be special ordered in bookstores.

USS New Mexico BB-40

By John Taylor, Richard Melzer, Dick Brown & Greg Trapp

Arcadia Publishing 2017

$21.95

127 pages, B&W

New Mexico’s Navy

By John Taylor

A Valencia County Historical Society Publication

$20

2018 186 pages, B&W