On This Day, Feb. 15: USS Maine explodes, sparks Spanish-American War

February 15, USS Maine explodes in Havana Harbor

Today is Saturday, Feb. 15, the 46th day of 2025. There are 319 days left in the year. Today in history: On Feb. 15, 1898, the battleship USS Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor, killing more than 260 crew members and bringing the United States closer to war with Spain. Also on this date: In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed a law allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1933, President-elect F…

On This Day, Feb. 15: USS Maine explodes, sparks Spanish-American War

On Feb. 15, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine exploded in Havana harbor, killing 260 crewmen and leading to a U.S. declaration of war against Spain.

On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine battleship sank into the port of Havana. With it, the last scraps of the ship disappeared.