MC History: USS Maine Explodes

February 15, 1898, in Marine Corps history.
MC History: USS Maine Explodes
Posted on 2/15/2026

On February 15, 1898, 28 Marines and 232 sailors were killed when the U.S. battleship Maine exploded under suspicious circumstances in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. Despite the fact that no definitive evidence of the Spanish being involved in the explosion, "Remember The Maine" became a rallying cry and less than three months later, the United States and Spain were at war.

*Image info: The USS Maine prior to its explosion.


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