From: Major Pete Panzeri

We later visited the adjacent Menger Hotel and Bar where, after the US Battleship MAINE was blown up by *** terrorists in Cuba, *** Teddy Roosevelt recruited "The Rough Riders." We stood on the balcony where, 100 years ago, Roosevelt shouted "REMEMBER THE MAINE!"

(...and we remember the patriotism, and resolve that carried them to victory.)

From: Leonard R. Cleavelin

Are you truly serious about the emphasized passage? I was under the impression that it was pretty definitively proved, by none other than Admiral Hyman Rickover, that the Maine sank when a fire in a coal bunker which arose from spontaneous combustion spread to an adjacent ammunition magazine, after which the ammunition exploded, as ammunition is wont to do in such circumstances. Granted, the emphasized passage is an accurate description of what Americans thought at the time. But sometimes the passage of time reveals more mundane explanations.

Best regards, Len Cleavelin

Response

Hi Len, Yes I agree. Since the contemporary national furor and outrage were the operative points. I should have written: "after the US Battleship MAINE was reported blown up by terrorists in Cuba."

I'd have to dig for it now, but I remember reading some of the heated discussions after a more recent "accident theory" on the USS MAINE was published. [I wouldn't dare step into that debate though.]

Mostly I simply found it uncanny, at the time, that after the 11 September attacks, Jodie and I stood in the same spots where the Alamo fell, and Teddy Roosevelt roused the Rough riders.

... but also noteworthy, the disaster of the Maine and the "Splendid Little War" serve us as IMPORTANT examples of a very badly justified, resourced, planned, executed, and costly endeavors into War. Hopefully we can learn form those mistakes, and not repeat them. They were some of the most poorly executed but successful Campaigns in all of Military History.

I'm sure you know my emphasis on "REMEMBER THE MAINE!" was less on the incident itself, and more on the patriotism and resolve required to carried those boys to victory, in spite of dreadful circumstances.

Respectfully, Pete Panzeri