On November 18, 1889, the battleship USS Maine (ACR

On November 18, 1889, the battleship USS Maine (ACR 1) is launched at the New York Navy Yard. She was commissioned in 1895, and was the first US Navy warship to be named after the state of Maine. She gains national attention when she exploded suddenly on February 15, 1898 while in Havana Harbor, Cuba. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum contains a detailed model of the USS Maine in their gallery. Behind the model is the Naval Jack from the Maine. Divers investigating the explosion on the battleship recovered the jack from the Maine. On the reverse, it reads “Union No. 3 Navy Yard New York 1892.” The Maine was launched in 1892. (US Navy Photo by Max Lonzanida/Released)