Combat· Spanish-American War
Puerto Rico Landings
After the fighting in Cuba, American forces moved against Puerto Rico, then a Spanish colony, in the summer of 1898.
The plan was to land troops and take control of the island. The campaign was mostly an Army operation under General Nelson Miles, and Spanish resistance was light. Marines from the ships' guards took part in the landings along the coast. The operation went smoothly, with little fighting, and the island was largely secured without heavy combat. The Puerto Rico landings are also remembered as an early test for young officers who would later become famous in the Corps. One lieutenant who saw service in this period, John A. Lejeune, went on to become the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps and one of its most respected leaders. The campaign ended soon after, as the war drew to a close.
Podcast episodes on Spanish-American War
Record no. 524