American War Heroes · 1898
A short war with a long reach — Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. This roll includes Dewey, Roosevelt, Hobson, Sampson, Funston, and Leonard Wood. The medal list is the official one; we will not invent decorations.
American War Heroes is a publisher-curated historical register. Notice Nearby writes these entries from documented public records. Checkout does not add a name to a war roll, and we do not issue Heroes badges, MIA labels, or a “verified veteran” mark.
A paid Community memorial may mention military service in the family’s own words. That mention stays on the obituary. It is not verification, and it does not enroll anyone on these lists. Claiming service that was not given is stolen valor. It is disrespectful to those who served.
6 on the roll
1837–1917 · Admiral of the Navy
George Dewey took the Asiatic Squadron into Manila Bay before dawn on May 1, 1898, and ended the Spanish Pacific squadron before the country had finished reading the war declaration. He was a commodore then, flying his f…
1858–1919 · Lieutenant Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy so he could take a volunteer regiment to Cuba. Leonard Wood commanded the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry. Roosevelt was the lieutenant colonel the newspapers alr…
1870–1937 · Naval Constructor (Lieutenant)
Richmond Pearson Hobson tried to cork Santiago harbor with a collier and a volunteer crew. On the night of June 3, 1898, he took USS Merrimac in under the Spanish batteries to sink her across the channel that held Pascua…
1840–1902 · Rear Admiral
William Thomas Sampson commanded the North Atlantic Squadron that locked Cervera into Santiago and then missed the hour the Spanish came out. He was ashore on July 3, 1898, conferring with General Shafter, when the Spani…
1865–1917 · Colonel (later Major General)
Frederick Funston grew up in Kansas, tried botany and filibustering before the war with Spain, then raised and led the 20th Kansas Volunteer Infantry when McKinley called for volunteers in 1898. The regiment shipped to t…
1860–1927 · Colonel (later Major General; Chief of Staff of the Army)
Leonard Wood was an Army contract surgeon who already held a Medal of Honor for Apache campaign service when the war with Spain began. In 1898 he took command of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry — the Rough Riders — with T…