CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Sheridan Armory discovered a 10-inch naval artillery shell that may have been used on the USS Maine during the Spanish-American War. The Wyoming Military Department Property Management Branch is seeking help from the community to corroborate this claim. The department believes this shell was sent to Wyoming for use in a Veterans Memorial Park possibly around 1917.
The USS Maine was a United States Navy battleship that sank in Havana Harbor in 1898, leading to the Spanish-American War. The Armory believes that the shell they have found was once a part of the USS Maine’s arsenal. Maine was equipped with four Mark II guns, each measuring 10 inches (254 mm) in diameter and 30 calibers in length.
The department and armory are asking if anyone has information about the USS Maine or its artillery to come forward and share any knowledge they may have. Any documentation, photographs, or other evidence that can help to confirm the authenticity of the shell.
“We believe that this shell is an important piece of history, and we are committed to verifying its origins,” said Mr. Douglas Taylor, Property Management Branch, Wyoming
National Guard. “We are asking for the community’s help in our efforts to authenticate this artifact.”
If you have any information that may help to confirm the origins of this naval artillery shell, please contact Douglas Taylor at 307-772-5906 or via email at douglas.g.taylor1.civ@army.mil.
