Arlington National Cemetery Rededicates USS Maine Memorial

2/23/2018

Event culminates decade-long restoration project to repair historic mast

ARLINGTON, VA – Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and the Naval District Washington co-hosted a wreath-laying ceremony February 21 to rededicate the USS Maine Memorial after a decade-long restoration project to bring the memorial back to its original state.

Located in Section 24 and dedicated in 1915, the mast of the USS Maine is a towering memorial to the many lives lost over 100 years ago. Standing more than 62 feet tall, the mast of the USS Maine not only survived an explosion, sinking, and raising, but weathered over a century of outdoor elements and seasonal extremes to now be restored to its original appearance.

Keynote speakers during the dedication ceremony included Executive Director of Army National Military Cemeteries Karen Durham-Aguilera, Naval District Washington Commandant Rear Adm. Charles Rock and National Park Service Regional Director Robert Vogel.

“We are proud of everyone who worked so passionately and tirelessly restoring this monument so it could continue to shine for decades to come,” said Executive Director of Army National Military Cemeteries Karen Durham-Aguilera. “I would like to thank the National Park Service architects, engineers, conservators, contracting staff and contractors whose amazing work has restored this national treasure.”

The mast of the USS Maine has seen its share of problems over the years including a pool of water that routinely covered the memorial’s floor, corrosion that deformed the battleship’s mast and deteriorated rigging cables. In 2006, the United States Army Corps of Engineers and their partners, especially the National Park Service, began to examine the deterioration and develop a restoration plan.

After years of dedicated research and commitment to national preservation, the restoration plan was successfully completed. The rigging was meticulously wound and spirals up to the eagles nest as it did on the USS Maine; the granite roof panels were put back in place; water permeation corrected, and other structural and aesthetic features returned the mast to its original majesty.

There are 230 Maine causalities buried in Section 24 besides the Maine Memorial (62 known while the rest remain unknown). This conflict marked the first time the United States government repatriated remains of service members who died overseas. Many of those repatriated service members, including the crew of the USS Maine, were reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery.

“These reinterments caused the cemetery to expand for the first time since its creation in May of 1864, to meet the need for additional space; a challenge which has not gone away with time, and one the cemetery faces again today,” said Durham-Aguilera.

Photos of the ceremony are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/arlingtoncemetery/albums/72157688081741680

Additional photos of the mast of the USS Maine are available at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/arlingtoncemetery/albums/72157665989780318

B-roll of the cemetery is available at:
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/585912/