BB-40 Historians
Margarita C. de Baca, standing next to a Navy Lieutenant, at the Christening Ceremony for Battleship NEW MEXICO on April 23, 1917. Margarita was the daughter of Governor Ezequiel C. de Baca who died in office two months before the christening.Photo courtesy of Bob C. de Baca.
MUSS New Mexico (BB-40) in drydock, possibly during modernization at the Philadelphia Navy Yard during the period 1931-1933
Howard E. Lee, Jr. served on BB-40 during World War II. Read his fascinating story about life in the Navy on a Battleship. Howard’s Mountain
Our most qualified BB-40 Historians are the crew of The Queen. Their 51 st reunion was held 18-21 September 2008 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Front Row: Jerry Bates - George Herder - Max Igleheart - Harold Streets – George Smith
2nd Row: Roy Hunt – William Beard – Grant Erickson – La Vell Richins – Vern Dasher – Eugene Walker
3rd Row: Linn Peterson – Robert Way – Leon Hansen – Robert Goodwin – Jim Oeswein – Ernie Doyle
4th Row: Edward Ehalt – Leonard Hart – John Cox – Philip Lee – Bill Seaman
Congratulations Gentlemen. We salute your tremendous legacy of service to our nation. Keep making history!
Berle Spurlock was on Midway Island in the 1960’s when someone sent him a navy ship cover. Since then he has collected stamps and joined the Universal Ship Cancellation Society. He started collecting covers, ships photos, and welcome aboard materials and now has a collection that fills seven file cabinets with five drawers each plus many albums of navy ship covers. He went aboard many of ships to obtain the cancellation. He sent us the following pictures of the BB-40 from his collection. Thanks Berle!
Ron Reeves, HTC (Ret) and a member of the Philadelphia Council of the Navy League of the United States, sent us a list of all of the BB-60 Commanding Officers. There are some well known names on this list. Thanks Ron!
USS NEW MEXICO (BB-40) Commanding Officers
| Name | From | To | Remarks |
| Robertson, Ashley Herman, CAPT | May 1918 | Sept 1918 | Highest rank was VADM |
| Bostwick, Lucius Allyn, CAPT | Sep1918 | May 1919 | Highest rank was RADM |
| Willard, Arthur Lee, CAPT | May 1919 | May 1921 | Highest rank was RADM |
| Williams, George Washington, CAPT | May 1921 | Jun 1922 | |
| Stirling Jr., Yates, CAPT | Jun 1922 | Jun 1924 | |
| Brumby, Frank Hardeman, CAPT | Jun 1924 | Oct 1926 | |
| Leahy, William Daniel, CAPT | Oct 1926 | Oct 1927 | Highest rank was FADM |
| Larimer, Edgar Brown, CAPT | Oct 1927 | May 1929 | |
| Watson, Adolphus Eugene, CAPT | May 1929 | Jun 1931 | |
| Cocke, Herbert Claiborne, CAPT | Jun 1931 | Jun 1933 | |
| Weaver, David Allen, CAPT | Jun 1933 | Nov 1934 | |
| Soule, Clarence Carroll, CAPT | Nov 1934 | Jun 1936 | |
| Fletcher, Frank Jack, CAPT | Jun 1936 | Dec 1937 | Highest rank was ADM |
| Jacobs, Walter Frederick, CAPT | Dec 1937 | Jun 1939 | |
| Bauchman, Cortlandt C., CAPT | Jun 1939 | Jan 1941 | |
| Brown, Walter Elliott, CAPT | Jan 1941 | Sep 1942 | |
| Downes, Oliver Lee, CAPT | Sep1942 | Sep 1943 | |
| Zacharias Sr., Ellis Mark, CAPT | Sep1943 | Sep 1944 | |
| Fleming, Robert Walton, CAPT | Sep 1944 | Jan 1945 | Killed in action by Kamikaze off Luzon |
| Warren, John Thompson, CDR | Jan 1945 | Mar 1945 | Highest rank was RADM |
| Haines, John Meade, CAPT | Mar 1945 | Nov 1945 | Highest rank was RADM |
| Newcomb, Arnold Houghton, CDR | Nov 1945 | Jul 1946 |
A Question from New Zealand
Gaye Fletcher from New Zealand sent us a question: “I have a metal disk with USS New Mexico on one side. The same side has a bell shape, the capital letter ‘R’, and the number 133. The obverse side has the eagle and U.S.N. I assume this belonged to one of the men on board the ship. I don’t know how old it is. I know the ship was in New Zealand in the 1920s. Perhaps it
was here again in the 1940s. The disk was in my family’s possession and I have held on to it for many years. Would like to know more about it and the owner of it.”
Gaye sent us these pictures:
We think we have identified the disk as a bunk key since it is similar to bunk keys one of our committee members remembers from USS IOWA (BB-61). If anyone has a better identification or more details to share please send them to us.
Karen Fessler sent us the following pictures. Karen’s father, Norman H. Booth, served on the NEW MEXICO during World War II. He was one of 87 wounded in January 1945. Norman lives in Oklahoma and had Karen send us his favorite pictures.
 The Queen at Anchor |
 Starboard 30° Angle on the Bow |
 BB-40 with Seaplane |
 BB-40 Letting Loose |
 Night Shooting |
 Aft guns pointed to starboard |
 Watching an engagement |
 Antiaircraft Drill |
 Antiaircraft Guns |
 Gun Crew |
 Canisters pile up after shooting |
 At anchor with Patrol Boats alongside |
 Crewmembers gather Topside |
 Studying the Deck |
 Gun Canisters |
 A Quiet Day on Deck |
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| Crewmembers Pause for a Picture | |
 Observing Events Ashore |
 Signaling |
 Reviewing the Marine Detachment |
 Award Ceremony |
Official Ceremonies
 War Correspondents |
 Visiting Admiral |
 Welcome Aboard! |
 Enjoying a Movie |
 Crossing the Equator |
 Sunning on the Bow |
 Religious Services |
 Ship’s Mascot |
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| Christmas Dinner 1943 | |
Thanks for the great pictures Karen and Norman and for your service to the nation Norman.
Phelps White sent us the following pictures. His father attended the New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) 1919-1923. On one occasion some cadets were sent to Monterrey for ROTC training and were shown the USS NEW MEXICO.
 BB-40 at Anchor |
 Starboard side looking Aft |
 View from Port Bow |
Thanksgiving Meal on the BB-40 in 1944:
W. Dale Carter’s brother John N. Carter served on the USS NEW MEXICO from the latter part of 1944 until she was decommissioned in 1946. Dale found the menu shown below that was used on Thanksgiving Day in 1944. Below the menu is a picture of John Carter.
Menu for USS NEW MEXICO on 30 November 1944
John N. Carter – Served on BB-40 from late 1944 through 1946