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"It is bound to prove an expensive failure, so let some other nation try it first." So argued protesting experts in 1914 when NEW MEXICO was designed to be the first turboelectric-driven battleship. Prompted by the successful record of the fleet collier JUPITER, pioneer in electric propulsion, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels ordered the new battleship to be outfitted with four mammoth General Electric motors; driving her four propellers, they would enable her to make her specified 21 knots.

Old time sailors and engineers were quick to voice strong opposition in letters, telegrams and interviews, and soon had the controversy before the House Naval Committee.

Daniels persevered and later happily reported to the House Naval Committee: "The machinery was designed to develop 26,500 horsepower at full speed, which it was expected would give the ship a speed of 21 knots. She actually developed more than 31,000 horsepower and maintained for four hours a speed of 21.25 knots – and this when running at a displacement of 1,000 tons greater than her design called for. If she had been tried at her designated displacement as is customary with all new ships, she would have made 21.5 knots without any trouble whatsoever; and what is still better, she could have kept up this speed as long as her fuel lasted, for like all our later dreadnoughts, she is an oil-burner and there would be no reduction in speed due to the necessity of cleaning fires, which must be done in coal-burning ships after a run of four hours at top speed.

First Flagship of the Pacific Fleet

Proceeding to Hampton Roads, Virginia in July 1919, the NEW MEXICO figured prominently in a significant change in the strategic disposition of American naval might. With the realization that U.S. foreign policy would henceforth face its chief problems in the West came the decision to create two main fleets, one in the Atlantic and one in the Pacific, concentrating the newer ships on the west coast. Admiral Hugh Rodman, newly-appointed Commander-in-Chief of the newly-organized naval force, chose to break his flag in USS NEW MEXICO. Thus, as the first flagship of the United States Pacific Fleet, the NEW MEXICO accompanied other units through the Panama Canal and established her base at San Pedro, California.

Peacetime Gunnery Awards

Fleet blue-jackets came to nickname her "The Queen" in tribute to honors won in competition with other first liners. In 1920-21, 1927-28 and 1929-30 the ship copped the coveted "meat ball" (red pennant with a black circle in its center) for the best in gunnery, engineering and battle efficiency.

Okinawa

Her gunners had ample opportunity to test those skills off Okinawa in May 1945.

Dusk on May 12 brought the Imperial Air Force thundering forth in droves. Shortly after 1700 a formation closed the NEW MEXICO from astern. Captain Haines' gunners nestled in anti-aircraft tubs frantically banged away at one of them, which peeled off and dove down on "The Queen". One 5-inch shell burst directly under the kamikaze, lifting it clear of the mastheads as it zoomed overhead. Close aboard it smacked into the sea. "It came so close," exclaimed one observer, "that I could have hit it with a spud!"

Read more of New Mexico's history.

DANFS article

Built during the First World War, New Mexico (BB–40) displaced 32,000 tons, was  624 feet long, and carried twelve 14” main guns and fourteen secondary  5” guns. She was the lead ship in her class, which included  Mississippi (BB-41) and Idaho (BB-42).

New Mexico (BB–40) was laid down 14 October 1915 by the New York Navy Yard: launched 13 April 1917; sponsored by Miss Margaret C. DeBaca, daughter of the Governor of New Mexico; and commissioned 20 May 1918, Capt. Ashley H. Robertson in command.

After initial training, New Mexico departed New York 15 January 1919 for Brest, France, to escort home transport George Washington carrying President Woodrow Wilson from the Versailles Peace Conference, returning to Hampton Roads 27 February. There on 16 July she became flagship of the newly-organized Pacific Fleet, and three days later sailed for the Panama Canal and San Pedro, Calif., arriving 9 August. The next 12 years were marked by frequent combined maneuvers with the Atlantic Fleet both in the Pacific and Caribbean which included visits to South American ports and a 1925 cruise to Australia and New Zealand.

Modernized and overhauled at Philadelphia between March 1931 and January 1933, New Mexico returned to the Pacific in October 1934 to resume training exercises and tactical development operations. As war threatened, her base was Pearl Harbor from 6 December 1940 until 20 May 1941, when she sailed to join the Atlantic Fleet at Norfolk 16 June for duty on neutrality patrol. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, she returned to the west coast, and sailed 1 August 1942 from San Francisco to prepare in Hawaii for action. Between 6 December and 22 March 1943, she sailed to escort troop transports to the Fijis, then patrolled the southwest Pacific, returning to Pearl Harbor to prepare for the campaign against the Japanese in the Aleutians. On 17 May she arrived Adak, her base while serving on the blockade of Attu, and on 21 July she joined in the massive bombardment of Kiska that forced its evacuation a week later.

After refitting at Puget Sound Navy Yard, New Mexico returned to Pearl Harbor 25 October to rehearse the assault on the Gilbert Islands. During the invasion, begun 20 November, she pounded Butaritari, guarded transports during their night withdrawals from the islands, and provided antiaircraft cover during unloading operations, as well as screening carriers. She returned to Pearl Harbor 5 December.

Underway with the Marshall Islands assault force 12 January 1944, New Mexico bombarded Kwajalein and Ebeye 31 January and 1 February, then replenished at Majuro. She blasted Wotje 20 February and Kavieng, New Ireland 20, March, then visited Sydney before arriving in the Solomons in May to rehearse the Marianas operation.

New Mexico bombarded Tinian 14 June, Saipan 15 June, and Guam 16 June, and twice helped drive off enemy air attacks 18 June. She protected transports off the Marianas while the carrier task force spelled the doom of Japanese naval aviation in its great victory, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19–20 June. New Mexico excorted transports to Eniwetok, then sailed 9 July guarding escort carriers until 12 July, when her guns opened on Guam in preparation for the landings 21 July. Until 30 July she blasted enemy positions and installations on the island.

Overhauled at Bremerton August to October, New Mexico arrived in Leyte Gulf 22 November to cover the movement of reinforcement and supply convoys, firing in the almost daily air attacks over the Gulf, as the Japanese posed desperate resistance to the reconquest of the Philippines. She left Leyte Gulf 2 December for the Palaus, where she joined a force covering the Mindoro-bound assault convoy. Again she sent up antiaircraft fire as invasion troops stormed ashore 15 December, providing cover for two days until sailing for the Palaus.

Her next operation was the invasion of Luzon, fought under a sky full of would-be suicide planes, against whom she was almost continually at general quarters. She fired prelanding bombardment 6 January 1945, and that day took a suicide hit on her bridge which killed her commanding officer, Captain R. W. Fleming, and 29 others of her crew, with 87 injured. Her guns remained in action as she repaired damage, and she was still in action 9 January as troops went ashore.

After repairs at Pearl Harbor, New Mexico arrived at Ulithi to stage for the invasion of Okinawa, sailing 21 March with a heavy fire support group. Her guns opened on Okinawa 26 March, and were not silent until 17 April as she gave every aid to troops engaged ashore. Again on 21 and 29 April she opened fire, and on 11 May she destroyed 8 suicide boats. While approaching her berth in Hagushi anchorage just after sunset 12 May, New Mexico was attacked by two suicides; one plunged into her, the other managed to hit her with his bomb. She was set on fire, and 54 of her men were killed, with 119 wounded. Swift action extinguished the fires within half an hour, and on 28 May she departed for repairs at Leyte, followed by rehearsals for the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands. Word of the war’s end reached her at Saipan 15 August, and next day she sailed for Okinawa to join the occupation force. She entered Sagami Wan 27 August to support the airborne occupation of Atsugi Airfield, then next day passed into Tokyo Bay to witness the surrender 2 September.

New Mexico was homeward bound 6 September, calling at Okinawa, Pearl Harbor, and the Panama Canal before arriving Boston 17 October. There she decommissioned 19 July 1946. She was sold for scrapping 13 October 1947 to Lipsett, Inc., New York City.

New Mexico received 6 battle stars for World War II service.

Sources: Public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

and scans from my father's 1943 Naval Recognition Manual

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