New Mexico: Veterans Park in Deming

When we went to the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, we noticed the Veterans Park right next to it, but we didn’t have any time to do more than glance at it. We finally got a chance to go back and spend some more time there.

Bataan-Corregidor memorial

This is a truly sad story. In January 1941, the New Mexico National Guard was inducted into federal service and trained at Fort Bliss as the 200th Coast Artillery. In September 1941, the 200th was sent to the Phillippines, 3 months before the attack at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. In April 1942, the Americans in the Phillippines surrendered to the Japanese and endured the atrocities of the Bataan Death March. In 1945, after 40 months of torture, the prisoners of war were liberated. Approximately 900 of the 1800 New Mexico National Guardsmen did not come back from the Phillippines – they gave their lives for our country.

The main Bataan-Corregidor memorial.
The main Bataan-Corregidor memorial.
An explanation of the losses at Bataan on three panels.
An explanation of the losses at Bataan on three panels.
The names of all the New Mexico Bataan prisoners, alphabetically by county. Names covered all 4 sides of this plaque.
The names of all the New Mexico Bataan prisoners, alphabetically by county. Names covered all 4 sides of this plaque.

World War I, World War II, and Korea Memorial

The Oldtimers Association of Luna County dedicated this memorial to all who served in these three conflicts on November 11, 2000.

A beautiful stand alone memorial.
A beautiful stand alone memorial.

New Mexico Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial

The New Mexico Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW dedicated this memorial to all the men and women who have sacrificed for their country. Plaques on this memorial represented 5 branches of the military: Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. Also, there were two plaques on the side panels, one for the VFW, and one for the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW.

A close up of the Ladies Auxiliary memorial.
A close up of the Ladies Auxiliary memorial.
The Ladies Auxiliary memorial was placed between two trees.
The Ladies Auxiliary memorial was placed between two trees.

Arbor Day tree courtesy of Deming Garden Club and Porter House Nursery

On Arbor Day 2003, a tree was planted by the Deming Garden Club and Porter House Nursery to honor the veterans who put themselves in harm’s way to defend our freedom.

A close up of the plaque.
A close up of the plaque.
The plaque and the planted tree.
The plaque and the planted tree.

Persian Gulf Crisis (Desert Storm)

This memorial was dedicated by the Yellow Ribbon Support Group in 1992 to all those who served our country during Desert Storm.

Desert Storm memorial.
Desert Storm memorial.

Vietname War memorial

This memorial includes three pieces: a map showing the country of Vietnam with important place names, a small plaque, and a large memorial with the conflict ribbon and another outline of the country map.

Large memorial from the side, with the country map plaque.
Large memorial from the side, with the country map plaque.
Close up of the Vietnam country map with important place names.
Close up of the Vietnam country map with important place names.
This is a small plaque honoring those in Luna County (Deming is the county seat) who served in the Vietnam War.
This is a small plaque honoring those in Luna County (Deming is the county seat) who served in the Vietnam War.

World War II (Pearl Harbor)

The last memorial is a World War II memorial dedicated to those who lost their life at Pearl Harbor, and also the survivors of Pearl Harbor by the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association of Southern New Mexico.

The Pearl Harbor memorial.
The Pearl Harbor memorial.

It is well worth the stop at Veterans Park.

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