USS Maine Disaster

Date: 15 Feb 1898 to 15 Feb 1898
Location: Havana, Cuba
Surnames/tags: Disasters US_Navy

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USS Maine Disaster

The USS Maine Disaster is one of the most well-known military disasters in United States history due to its role in causing the Spanish-American War. The USS Maine was an American Navy armored cruiser that was sent to Havana, Cuba in order to protect United States interests during the Cuban War for Independence from Spain. On February 15, 1898, at 9:40 pm, an explosion occurred onboard the Maine that resulted in the total loss of the ship.^[1]

Maine's casualties were extensive. As the Navy's Surgeon General reported: "The complement at the time of the disaster was 355--290 sailors, 39 marines, and 26 officers. Of this number 251 men and 2 officers were killed or drowned and only 102 saved. Seven of this number died subsequently of their injuries, making the number of survivors 94. This gives as the appalling percentage of loss practically 75 per cent of those on board [...] Of the 77 rescued sailors and marines, only 16 were uninjured."^[2]

At the time, a naval board of inquiry concluded that the Maine "was destroyed by the explosion of a submarine mine." Yellow Journalism publications such as Joseph Pulitzer's New York World and William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal blamed the explosion on a Spanish attack, and the resulting public outcry pushed the United States into war with Spain. Although the possibility of a mine having caused the explosion remains "plausible," according to a 1998 computer model, there is no conclusive evidence and many scientists believe that the explosion was accidental, and the cause was an internal coal fire.^[3]

Casualties and Survivors

Names in bold are connected to the Global Family Tree.

• John Adams, Coal Passer, Killed
• James Pillans Aitken, Boatswain's Mate First Class, Killed
• James W. Allen, Mess Attendant, Survived
• Holm August Andersen, Coal Passer, Killed
• Axel Christian Anderson, Seaman, Killed
• Charles Anderson, Landsman, Killed
• Gustaf Alfred Anderson, Seaman, Killed
• John Anderson, Seaman, Killed
• Oskar Anderson, Cockswain, Survived
• John Anderson, Boatswain's Mate, Killed
• Frank Andrews, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Abraham Anfindsen, Cockswain, Killed
• Bernhard Anglund, Blacksmith, Killed
• William Anthony, Marine Private, Survived
• Harry Auchenbach, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Firsanion Awo, Steerage Cook, Survived
• John Patrick Barry, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Louis Leaver Barry, Coal Passer, Killed
• Henry S. Baum, Landsman, Killed
• Jakob Becker, Chief Machinist, Killed
• John R. Bell, Cabin Steward, Killed
• John Bennett, Marine Private, Killed
• John Joseph Blandin, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Died of Wounds
• Fred Blomberg, Landsman, Killed
• John H. Bloomer, Landsman, Survived
• George Preston Blow, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Survived
• Friz Boll, Bayman, Killed
• Leon Bonner, Seaman, Killed
• John Bookbinder, Apprentice Second Class, Killed
• Vincent H. Botting, Marine Private, Killed
• Frederic C. Bowers, Passed Assistant Engineer, Not aboard when ship exploded
• David French Boyd, Jr., Naval Cadet, Survived
• James Boyle, Quartermaster First Class, Killed
• Heinrich Brinkman, Seaman, Killed
• Arthur Brofeldt, Chief Gunner's Mate, Killed
• Amon Bronson, Naval Cadet, Survived
• George Brosnan, Marine Private, Killed
• James Thomas Brown, Marine Sergeant, Killed
• Adolph Christian Bruns, Quartermaster Third Class, Killed
• Charles H. Bullock, Gunner's Mate Second Class, Survived
• Robert Burkhardt, Quartermaster Second Class, Killed
• Edward Burns, Coal Passer, Killed
• James R. Burns, Marine Private, Killed
• Frederick Francis Butler, Machinist Second Class, Killed
• Francis D. Cahill, Landsman, Survived
• Thomas Kane, aka Caine, Blacksmith, Killed
• Walter Cameron, Seaman, Killed
• Herbert Manderson Carr, Gunner's Mate Second Class, Killed
• Albertus W. Catlin, Marine First Lieutenant, Survived
• William R. B. Caulfield, Landsman, Killed
• John P. Chidwick, Chaplain, Survived
• Suke Chingi, Mess Attendant, Killed
• Charles A. Christiansen, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Karl Christiansen, Fireman First Class, Survived
• Thomas Clark, Coal Passer, Killed
• James C. Clarke, Shipwright, Killed
• Wat Tyler Cluverius, Naval Cadet, Survived
• Michael Cochrane, Fireman First Class, Killed
• John Coffey, Marine Private, Survived
• Thomas M. Cole, Bayman, Killed
• William Coleman, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• William Coleman, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Anthony Conroy, Coal Passer, Killed
• William Cosgrove, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Arthur Crenshaw, Naval Cadet, Engineering, Survived
• Daniel Cronin, Landsman, Survived
• Charles Curran, Cockswain, Killed
• Berger Dahlman, Seaman, Killed
• George David, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• Charles Dennig, Seaman, Killed
• John Henry Dierking, Marine Drummer, Killed
• John Dolan, Seaman, Survived
• William Donoughy, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Michael John Downing, Marine Private, Killed
• Gustav J. Dressler, Apprentice First Class, Survived
• James Drury, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Thomas J. Durckin, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• George Edler, Seaman, Killed
• Charles F. W. Eiermann, Gunner's Mate First Class, Killed
• Andrew V. Erikson, Seaman, Died of Wounds
• John P. Etts, Seaman, Killed
• Karl Evensen, Seaman, Killed
• Charles F. J. Fadde, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Rudolph Falk, Oiler, Killed
• George Deforest Faubel, Chief Machinist, Killed
• William J. Fewer, Boatswain's Mate Second Class, Killed
• Trubie Finch, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Alfred J. Fisher, Oiler, Killed
• Frank Fisher, Ordinary Seaman, Died of Wounds
• Michael Flaherty, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Lewis M. Fleishman, Seaman, Killed
• Michael Flynn, Seaman, Survived
• Patrick Flynn, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Patrick J. Foley, Apprentice First Class, Survived
• John Fougere, Coal Passer, Killed
• Bartley Fountain, Boatswain's Mate First Class, Killed
• George Fox, Landsman, Survived
• Charles Frank, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• James F. Furlong, Coal Passer, Killed
• Patrick Gaffney, Fireman First Class, Killed
• C. P. Galpin, Marine Private, Survived
• Frank Gardner, Coal Passer, Killed
• Thomas J. Gardner, Chief Yeoman, Killed
• William M. Gartrell, Fireman First Class, Survived
• Chester V. Germond, Marine Private, Survived
• Joseph F. Gordon, Fireman First Class, Killed
• William H. Gorman, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Patrick Grady, Coal Passer, Killed
• Edward P. Graham, Coal Passer, Killed
• James A. Graham, Chief Yeoman, Killed
• William A. Greer, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Michael Griffin, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Henry Gross, Landsman, Killed
• Reinhardt Grupp, Coal Passer, Killed
• Alfred Hallberg, Cockswain, Survived
• John A. Hallberg, Oiler, Killed
• Ambrose Ham, Apprentice First Class, Survived
• William Hamburger, Landsman, Killed
• Charles Hamilton, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• John Hamilton, Chief Carpenter's Mate, Killed
• William C. Hanrahan, Cockswain, Killed
• Daniel O'Connor Harley, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Edward Harris, Water Tender, Killed
• Millard F. Harris, Quartermaster Third Class, Killed
• Westmore Harris, Mess Attendant, Survived
• Thomas J. Harty, Coal Passer, Killed
• Charles F. Hassell, Gunner's Mate Third Class, Killed
• Charles Hauck, Landsman, Killed
• Howard B. Hawkins, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• John Heffron, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• George Helms, Carpenter, Survived
• Lucien G. Heneberger, Surgeon, Survived
• Albert B. Hennekes, Gunner's Mate Second Class, Killed
• John Herbert, Landsman, Survived
• Alfred B. Herness, Gunner's Mate Third Class, Survived
• Benjamin Herriman, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Joseph Hill, Gunner, Not aboard when ship exploded
• John H. Holden, Naval Cadet, Survived
• Alfred James Holland, Cockswain, Died of Wounds
• Gustavus A. Holm, Boatswain's Mate Second Class, Killed
• George F. W. Holman, Lieutenant, Survived
• Frederick C. Holzer, Ordinary Seaman, Died of Wounds
• John Hood, Lieutenant, Survived
• William J. Horn, Fireman First Class, Killed
• William L. Hough, Landsman, Killed
• Charles P. Howell, Chief Engineer, Survived
• Patrick Hughes, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Robert Hutchings, Landsman, Survived
• Otogiro Ishida, Steerage Cook, Killed
• Harry Jectson, Seaman, Died of Wounds
• Carlton Jencks, Gunner's Mate Third Class, Killed
• Friend W. Jenkins, Lieutenant, Killed
• Frederick L. Jernee, Coal Passer, Killed
• Peter C. Johansen, Seaman, Killed
• Alfred Johnson, Seaman, Survived
• Charles Johnson, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Charles E. Dorwart, alias Johnson, Marine Private, Killed
• George Johnson, Coal Passer, Killed
• John W. Johnson, Landsman, Killed
• Peter Johnsson, Oiler, Killed
• Thomas J. Jones, Coal Passer, Killed
• William Joseph Jordan, Marine Private, Killed
• Carl W. Jungen, Lieutenant, Survived
• Charles F. Just, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Joseph H. Kane, Landsman, Survived
• Michael Kane, Coal Passer, Killed
• John A. Kay, Machinist First Class, Killed
• Edward Francis Kean, Marine Private, Killed
• Frank Kelly, Marine Private, Killed
• Hugh Kelly, Coal Passer, Killed
• John Kelly, Coal Passer, Killed
• Alexander Keskull, Seaman, Killed
• Harry J. Keys, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Fritz Kihlstrom, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Thomas F. Kinsella, Machinist Second Class, Killed
• Frederick E. Kinsey, Machinist Second Class, Killed
• Yukichi Kitagata, Warrant Officer's Cook, Killed
• Frederick H. Kniese, Machinist First Class, Killed
• George W. Koebler, Apprentice First Class, Died of Wounds
• Charles Kranyak, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Hugo Kruse, Painter, Killed
• Katsusaburo Kushida, Warrant Officer's Steward, Survived
• Charles Laird, Master-At-Arms Third Class, Killed
• William Lambert, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Michael Lanahan, Landsman, Survived
• Luther Lancaster, Boatswain's Mate Second Class, Killed
• George Lapierre, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Francis E. Larkin, Boatswain, Survived
• Martin Larsen, Seaman, Survived
• Peder Larsen, Seaman, Survived
• George M. Lauriette, Marine Private, Killed
• Edward Lawler, Coal Passer, Killed
• James M. League, Chief Yeoman, Killed
• William J. Lee, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Daniel Leene, Coal Passer, Killed
• Samuel Lees, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Gustav Leupold, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Daniel Lewis, Oiler, Killed
• John B. Lewis, Water Tender, Killed
• George Lieber, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• John B. Load, Master-At-Arms Third Class, Survived
• Paul Loftus, Marine Private, Survived
• Charles A. Lohman, Coal Passer, Survived
• Jorgen J. Lorenzen, Oiler, Killed
• Peter Antoinio Losko, Marine Private, Killed
• James W. Louden, Apprentice Second Class, Killed
• Clarence E. Lowell, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• William Lund, Cockswain, Killed
• Joseph Lutz, Marine Private, Survived
• John T. Lydon, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Bernard Lynch, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Matthew Lynch, Coal Passer, Killed
• Thomas Mack, Landsman, Survived
• Michael Malone, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Benjamin H. Marsden, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• John E. Marshall, Landsman, Killed
• Johan Martensson, Gunner's Mate Second Class, Killed
• James H. Mason, Landsman, Killed
• Carl Matiasen, Seaman, Killed
• William Mattisen, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• Edward Mattsen, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• John Matza, Coal Passer, Killed
• Harry McCann, Seaman, Survived
• B. McCarty, Pay Clerk, Not aboard when ship exploded
• Hugh McConigle, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• John McDermott, Marine Private, Killed
• William McDevitt, Marine Private, Survived
• William McGuiness, Marine Private, Survived
• Edward McKay, Marine Private, Survived
• John J. McManus, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• William McNair, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• Francis J. McNiece, Coal Passer, Killed
• Michael Meehan, Marine Sergeant, Survived
• Elmer M. Meilstrup, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Thomas Melville, Coal Passer, Survived
• Eldon H. Mero, Chief Machinist, Killed
• Darwin R. Merritt, Assistant Engineer, Killed
• John Merz, Landsman, Killed
• Peter Mikkelsen, Seaman, Survived
• George Miller, Seaman, Killed
• William S. Miller, Apprentice Second Class, Killed
• George Mobles, Cockswain, Killed
• Joseph P. Monahan, Marine Private, Killed
• William Monfort, Landsman, Killed
• Edward H. Moore, Coal Passer, Killed
• Louis Moriniere, Seaman, Survived
• John R. Morris, Assistant Engineer, Survived
• Gerhard C. Moss, Machinist First Class, Killed
• John H. Moss, Landsman, Killed
• Noble T. Mudd, Seaman, Killed
• Cornelius Murphy, Oiler, Killed
• Tomekichi Nagamine, Mess Attendant, Killed
• John C. Neilsen, Seaman, Killed
• Frederick J. Newman, Marine Private, Killed
• Charles H. Newton, Marine Fifer, Killed
• Sophus Nielsen, Cockswain, Killed
• William Noble, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Charles M. Nolan, Gunner's Mate Third Class, Killed
• James O'Connor, Chief Boatswain's Mate, Killed
• Thomas J. O'Hagan, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Mas Ohye, Mess Attendant, Killed
• Patrick O'Neill, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Gustav C. Ording, Cockswain's Mate (?) Third Class, Killed
• Henry H. O'Regan, Water Tender, Killed
• Frederick Paige, Landsman, Killed
• John Palmgren, Seaman, Killed
• John H. Panck, Fireman First Class, Survived
• Robert Perry, Mess Attendant, Killed
• Francis C. Phillips, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Charles F. Pilcher, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• James Pinkney, Mess Attendant, Killed
• John Porter, Coal Passer, Killed
• John Powers, Oiler, Killed
• Daniel Breslin used the alias Daniel Price, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Thomas J. Quigley, Plumber and Fitter, Killed
• Charles P. Quinn, Oiler, Killed
• Arthur Rau, Seaman, Survived
• Charles M. Ray, Paymaster, Survived
• Martin Reden, Seaman, Survived
• Joseph Reilly, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Walter E. Richards, Apprentice Second Class, Survived
• Adolph H. Richter, Marine Corporal, Killed
• William A. Rieger, Gunner's Mate First Class, Killed
• Newell Rising, Coal Passer, Killed
• James Henry Roberts, Marine Private, Killed
• William Robinson, Landsman, Killed
• Peter Roos, Sailmaker, Killed
• James Rowe, Ship's Cook Fourth Class, Survived
• Frank Rusch, Ordinary Seaman, Survived
• William Rushworth, Chief Machinist, Killed
• Clarence E. Safford, Gunner's Mate First Class, Killed
• Michael E. Salmin, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Joseph Schoen, Marine Corporal, Killed
• August Schroeder, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• George Schwartz, Ship's Cook First Class, Survived
• Charles A. Scott, Cockswain's Mate Second Class, Killed
• Joseph Scully, Boiler Maker, Killed
• Joseph Seery, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Walter S. Sellers, Apothecary, Killed
• Jeremiah Shea, Coal Passer, Survived
• John J. Shea, Coal Passer, Killed
• Patrick J. Shea, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Thomas Shea, Landsman, Killed
• Owen Sheridan, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• John H. Shillington, Yeoman Third Class, Killed
• Charles Dwight Sigsbee, Captain, Survived
• Alfred Simmons, Coal Passer, Killed
• Carl A. Smith, Seaman, Died of Wounds
• Nicholas J. Smith, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Nicholas Stevenson, Seaman, Killed
• Henry E. Stock, Marine Private, Killed
• James Strongman, Marine Private, Killed
• Isa Sugisaki, Wardroom Steward, Killed
• Edward B. Suman, Marine Private, Killed
• Frank Sutton, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Kashitara Suzuki, Mess Attendant, Killed
• Frank Talbot, Landsman, Killed
• Harry Teackle, Seaman, Survived
• Daniel J. Tehan, Coal Passer, Killed
• George Thompson, Landsman, Killed
• Frank G. Thompson, Marine Corporal, Survived
• William H. Thompson, Landsman, Survived
• Frank B. Tigges, Coppersmith, Killed
• Edgell Timpany, Marine Private, Killed
• William H. Tinsman, Landsman, Killed
• Constantin Todoresco, Fireman First Class, Killed
• Daniel G. Toppin, Wardroom Cook, Survived
• Thomas Troy, Coal Passer, Killed
• Martin Tuohey, Coal Passer, Killed
• John H. Turpin, Mess Attendant, Survived
• Herman A. Van Horn, Marine Private, Killed
• Henry Wagner, Marine First Sergeant, Killed
• Richard Wainwright, Lieutenant Commander, Survived
• John Wallace, Ordinary Seaman, Killed
• Joseph F. Walsh, Cockswain, Killed
• Asa V. Warren, Marine Private, Killed
• John Warren, Fireman Second Class, Killed
• Pope Washington, Naval Cadet, Engineer, Not aboard when ship exploded
• Thomas J. Waters, Landsman, Survived
• Martin V. Webber, Landsman, Survived
• Charles O. White, Chief Master-at-Arms, Killed
• John E. White, Landsman, Survived
• Robert White, Mess Attendant, Killed
• George Whiten, Seaman, Killed
• Johan E. Wickstrom, Seaman, Killed
• Benjamin R. Wilbur, Cockswain, Survived
• George W. Wilbur, Apprentice First Class, Killed
• Henry Williams, Cabin Cook, Survived
• James Williams, Gunner's Mate Third Class, Survived
• Alonzo Willis, Apprentice Second Class, Survived
• Albert C. Wills or Willie, Marine Private, Killed
• Albert Wilson, Seaman, Killed
• Robert Wilson, Chief Quartermaster, Killed
• John H. Ziegler, Coal Passer, Killed

Sources

• Wikipedia article: USS Maine (ACR-1)

1. ↑ Annual Reports of the Navy Department for the Year 1898, by the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1898. https://books.google.com/books?id=UStHAQAAIAAJ
2. ↑ Annual Report of the Surgeon General of the United States Navy: Medical statistics, by the Navy Department Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. Harvard University: 1896. https://books.google.com/books?id=J9QEAAAAYAAJ
3. ↑ Fisher, Louis. "Destruction of the Maine (1898)" PDF. The Law Library of Congress. http://loc.gov/law/help/usconlaw/pdf/Maine.1898.pdf

• "Fifteen Buried Today," The Buffalo Enquirer, 17 Feb 1898, p. 2, col. 3. Digital images. Newspapers.com, (www.newspapers.com; accessed 9 Jul 2019), Historical newspapers. clipping.