The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

Everything You Never Knew About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Everything You Never Knew About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

On Oct. 3, 1921, the protected cruiser USS Olympia put to sea for a final assignment. She left with a reputation already carved into naval history and with orders that carried more weight than any broadside. Her destination was Le Havre, France. Her charge was a single coffin bearing the United States' Unknown Soldier of World War I.  USS Olympia Prepares for a Historic Voyage Olympia had been a headline from the day she touched water. Launched in 1895, she was the largest ship yet built...

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Facts on the Spanish-American War (1898)

Facts on the Spanish-American War (1898)

On April 25, 1898, the United States declared war on Spain following the Battleship Maine's sinking in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898. As a result, Spain lost its control over the remains of its overseas empire - Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines Islands, Guam, and other islands. Background of the Spanish-American War Beginning in 1492, Spain was the first European nation to sail westward across the Atlantic...

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