February 16, 2018 - VFW Post 8904 & Ladies Auxiliary held a ceremony on Thursday, February 15, 2018 in remembrance of the sinking of the USS Maine and its crew in Havana Harbor 120 years ago.
Following a prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, Larry Hume, Post Quartermaster, spoke about the USS Maine and its crew.
"120 years ago today, February 15, 1898 the USS Maine exploded in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. Of the 600 crewmen, 266 crewmen and marines were killed that day. Spain was blamed for that explosion and the Spanish-American War began as a result. Less than four months later, on August 12th, 1898 the United States won a decisive victory. This was the first war the United States had ever fought beyond its shores. 3,000 American military were lost, but mostly they were lost from yellow fever, and typhoid fever from the fighting in the jungle that followed."
Hume quoted Teddy Roosevelt who said to his troops as they mustered out, "Enjoy the next 15 days because after that you will be forgotten."
"Because they were, the United States Government refusal for proper [medical] care of these veterans, they banded together in organizations that would eventually become the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States," said Hume.
In memory of those whose lives were lost so long ago in the explosion of the USS Maine and the Spanish-American War that followed, Auxiliary President Sandy Risinger hung a memorial wreath from the Shelby County Memorial.
Hume stated Shelby County has three veterans that can be connected to the Spanish-American War. The first, Elijah Webb, was born in 1866 in Shelby County and he voluntarily enlisted at the beginning of the Spanish-American War. He was sent to Cuba and then the Philippines after that. He served in Company H, 44th U.S. Volunteer Infantry.
As the Spanish-American War ended in 1898, the first Philippine Republic objected to the terms under which the United States took possession of the Philippines from Spain, and the fighting continued until July 2, 1902. During fighting in the Philippines is when Webb was killed on June 16, 1900, following which his body was returned to Shelby County for burial in August 1901.
Hume referenced a Presidential Executive Order issued on June 13, 1918 which ordered that all veterans of the Spanish-American war who were in the service of the government of the United States and desired to attend the 20th annual encampment of the United Spanish War Veterans to be held in Baltimore, Maryland September 3-5, 1918 were to be granted leave of absence with pay and be granted as many more days additional leave with pay as necessary for the journey to and from Baltimore.
Taps was then played as presented by Gene Hutto, Post Commander.
At the end of the program, Hume informed everyone present that the Memorial Day program hosted by VFW Post 8904 would return to the Historical Courthouse this year where the elevator is now in working order. He stated Past State Commander Dan West has agreed to be the guest speaker on that day.
Hume also shared Veterans Day on November 11, 2018, would be the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, and that program would also be held at the Historic Courthouse. More information will be provided as each event approaches.
