U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor, 1898

In late January 1898, President William McKinley ordered the armored cruiser USS Maine to Havana Harbor to protect US economic interests and "show the flag" after some street demonstrations threatened to spread.

Soon after "Taps" finished on Wednesday evening February 15th, the Maine exploded violently, destroying herself with the loss of almost 270 American lives.

The remains of the Maine remained in Havana Harbor until after the war. Deemed a threat to navigation, she was eventually raised, repaired, and towed out to deeper waters, where she was sunk and remains a memorial to sailors and officers who lost their lives in one of the key events in the lead up to the Spanish-American War (or the War of 1898).