USS Maine 

The history:

• Was first launched November 18, 1889.
• 319 feet long
• Did East Coast patrols until 1897.
• Then was moved to patrolling the Florida Keys because of the Spanish struggles in Cuba.
• Ship sailed for Havanna, Cuba January of 1898 and anchored in the center of Havanna port
• February 15 an explosion ripped apart the front end of the ship.
• Out of 350 men on board, 252 were burned, drowned, or missing.
• Even though there was never any evidence of Spanish sabotage, the Americans were very upset and angry.
• War was declared on Spain on April 21, 1898. The destruction of the Maine was one of the causes given for entering the war. 

Later:

• In August, 1910 Congress directed the Army Engineers to raise the wreck of the Maine.
• Examination of the wreck showed an explosion set off the forward ammunition storage.
• It was not determined how the explosion was started, but it looks like there was spontaneous combustion in the coal stored nearby.
• The ship was then floated out to sea and sunk in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico.