1944 BEAT TO QUARTERS
A jive band in full swing wasn’t a common sight for the deck of a battleship deployed in World War II, but voyages to the Pacific theatre were lengthy so the crew of the USS New Mexico were able to enjoy a moment of entertainment and sunbathing before battle commenced. This US Navy flagship, dubbed ‘The Queen’, was heavily involved in shelling Japanese-held islands, during which she survived two direct hits by kamikaze aircraft.