The USS Maine was the second battleship commissioned in the United States Navy. She was originally classified as Armored Cruiser #1 (ACR-1), however she was later classified along with the USS Texas as a second class battleship. Both, the Maine and Texas shared the unique design in which the turrets were mounted projecting off the sides of the ship. This greatly hindered their ability to fire broadside, and the ships were inferior to the later Indiana-class battleships, which were developed soon after. The ship was ordered by congress on August 3, 1886. Her keel was laid on October 17, 1888 and the hull was launched November 18, 1889. She was commissioned on September 17, 1895.
The Maine was assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron, and spent most of her career operating on the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the struggle between Spain and the Cuban revolutionaries, she was sent on January 24, 1898 to Havana in order to provide protection for American citizen in that city. The Maine had remained anchored in the center of the harbor for three weeks when, at 9:40 p.m. in the evening of February 15, an explosion tour apart the forward third of the ship. Out of 350 officers and men on board that night (4 officers were ashore), 252 were dead or missing. Eight more were to die in Havana hospitals during the next few days. The destruction of the Maine helped spur the U.S. closer to war with Spain and served to rally public opinion in America in favor of intervention in Cuba.
The Maine was assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron, and spent most of her career operating on the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the struggle between Spain and the Cuban revolutionaries, she was sent on January 24, 1898 to Havana in order to provide protection for American citizen in that city. The Maine had remained anchored in the center of the harbor for three weeks when, at 9:40 p.m. in the evening of February 15, an explosion tour apart the forward third of the ship. Out of 350 officers and men on board that night (4 officers were ashore), 252 were dead or missing. Eight more were to die in Havana hospitals during the next few days. The destruction of the Maine helped spur the U.S. closer to war with Spain and served to rally public opinion in America in favor of intervention in Cuba.
On March 28, the US Naval Court of Inquiry in Key West declared that a naval mine caused the explosion. However, it was inconclusive as to who was responsible for the destruction of the battleship. On 5 August 1910, Congress authorized the raising of Maine and a second board of inquiry inspected the wreck. This board reported that damage to the bottom of the ship was caused by an external explosion of low magnitude which ignited the forward magazine, destroying of the ship. It has never been determined who placed the explosive.
Technical experts at the time of both investigations disagreed with the findings, believing that spontaneous combustion of coal in the bunker adjacent to the reserve six-inch magazine was the most likely cause of the explosion on board the ship.
On February 2, 1912, the Maine’s hulk was finally floated and towed out to sea where, on March 16, it was sunk in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico with appropriate ceremony and military honors.
Technical experts at the time of both investigations disagreed with the findings, believing that spontaneous combustion of coal in the bunker adjacent to the reserve six-inch magazine was the most likely cause of the explosion on board the ship.
On February 2, 1912, the Maine’s hulk was finally floated and towed out to sea where, on March 16, it was sunk in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico with appropriate ceremony and military honors.
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