List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Spanish–American War

This is a list of all 115 United States military personnel who received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Spanish-American War.

The Spanish-American War (Spanish: "Guerra Hispano-Estadounidense", "desastre del 98", "Guerra Hispano-Cubana-Norteamericana" or "Guerra de Cuba ") was a military conflict between Spain and the United States that began in April 1898. Hostilities halted in August of that year, and the Treaty of Paris was signed in December.

The war began after the American demand for Spain's peacefully resolving the Cuban fight for independence was rejected, though strong expansionist sentiment in the United States may have motivated the government to target Spain's remaining overseas territories: Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam and the Caroline Islands. [cite web
url=http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/printable/section.asp?id=7
title=The Price of Freedom: Americans at War — Spanish American War
publisher=National Museum of American History
year=2005]

Riots in Havana by pro-Spanish "Voluntarios" gave the United States a reason to send in the warship USS "Maine" to indicate high national interest. Tension among the American people was raised because of the explosion of the USS "Maine", and "yellow journalism" that accused Spain of extensive atrocities, agitating American public opinion. The war ended after decisive naval victories for the United States in the Philippines and Cuba.

Only 109 days after the outbreak of war, the Treaty of Paris, which ended the conflict, gave the United States ownership of the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam.

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government and is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself "…conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States…" Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously. [http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/med_of_honor.html Defense link Medal of Honor history] ]

List of recipients

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients

References

*cite web
accessdate=2008-07-24
url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who.htm
title=Who's Who list of Marines
work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History
publisher=History Division, United States Marine Corps
*cite web
accessdate=2008-07-24
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/moh.html
title = U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal of Honor Citations Archive
work =
publisher Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007
**cite web
accessdate=2008-07-25
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohstats.htm
title = U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal of Honor Citations Archive
work = Medal Of Honor statistics
publisher Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007
**cite web
accessdate=2008-07-25
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/warspain.html
title = U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal of Honor Citations Archive
work = Spanish-American War
publisher Army Medal of Honor website
date = July 16, 2007