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| The USS New Mexico |
November 12, 2004 |
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Dear Friends,
There is a group of World War II Submarine Veterans whom I have gotten to know over the last six years. They show up at parades and regularly come to Veterans Day and Memorial Day functions drawing their replica of a WWII sub behind them and wearing their "Sub Vet" vests and hats and patches.
I come from a flying family. The freedom of the air, the brotherhood of weekend pilots, the feel of well used tools on the bench in the back of a swallow-infested hangar are familiar to me. I`ve never felt drawn to the sea, and certainly not to submarines. But these guys were. And they served in subs that were pretty dangerous machines that you couldn`t land in a cow pasture if the engines quit.
They`ve been talking to me for a long time about getting a submarine of the Virginia Class named the USS New Mexico. We`ve sent letters to successive Secretaries of the Navy about it along with the rest of the New Mexico delegation. Last time they named a ship, we came close. But I think we might be about to get a sub named for our desert state.
I called Gordon England, Secretary of the Navy, last Thursday. He`s always been an easy guy to talk to. I put in my plug for New Mexico and talked to him about the community support for such a ship. I reminded him of the support Albuquerque gives to the crew of the USS Albuquerque -- inviting them to Chamber of Commerce dinners and creating a connection between the people and some sailors a long way from home.
They are going to make a decision on the naming of the next sub within the next few weeks. I invited the Secretary to New Mexico for the announcement, if it goes the way we`d like. Keep your fingers crossed.
Wish you were here,
p.s. This e-newsletter started as a small effort to stay connected better to New Mexicans, and it has grown to quite a large list of subscribers. I try to send it every week, but have been kind of busy the last few months. . . . It feels good to get back to work and I`ll try to write more regularly. |
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