Most military bases in the United States have
always issued some form of identification to vehicles authorized to
enter onto those installations. During the 1940s and ’50s the
identification often took the form of special military license plates or
license plate toppers unique to each base. Examples of such tags and
toppers are known to survive from several, but not all, of the military
bases which
existed within New Mexico at one time or another. Note: While the
headquarters of the Ft. Bliss Anti-Aircraft Artillery and Guided Missile
Center is in Texas, its missile firing range and most of its land area
lies in New Mexico, so a tag from that base is included here as well.
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Notes for Camp Luna plate: Located near Las Vegas,
N.M., and formerly a New Mexico National Guard training camp, Camp Luna was
used as a U.S. Army training camp during World War II. The letters ATC
on the plate stand for Army Training Camp. Luna Army Air Field was
co-located here.
Note for Holloman AFB plate: Holloman AFB was
established in 1942 as Alamogordo Army Air Field. A Post Office was
established there in 1944 with the name Monista, New Mexico, and carried
that name until 1948 when both the base and the Post Office were renamed
Holloman Air Force Base after the U.S. Air Force was created as a
separate service branch.
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The wrecked panel truck seen here is a
U.S. Army vehicle from Hobbs Army Airfield. The wreck occurred off base
in the late 1940s, in the town of Hobbs. Though the undated license
plate is partially obscured by the taillight, the abbreviation at the
top of it is believed to be U.S.H.A.A.F. Courtesy David L.
Minton.
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| Photo Credits: Sandia Base, Carlsbad Army Air
Field and Clovis Army Air Base courtesy Tom Allen. Roswell Army Air
Field courtesy Walker Aviation Museum. White Sands Proving Ground
#884 courtesy White Sands Missile Range Museum.
Fort Bayard courtesy Derek Heinzerling. All others by Bill Johnston. |
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