The United Spanish War Veterans (USWV) was a voluntary organization made up of
American military veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898), the
Philippine-American War (1898-1902) and the Chinese Relief Expedition (1900-1901).
The USWV was formed when three smaller veterans’ groups – the National Army and Navy
Spanish War Veterans, the National Association of Spanish-American War Veterans and
the Service Men of the Spanish War – united in April 1904. Later several other
groups joined the USWV, including the Legion of Spanish War Veterans in 1906 and the
Veteran Army of the Philippines in 1908. Veterans of the Chinese Relief Expedition
(commonly known as the Boxer Rebellion) were able to join the USWV in the early
1920s.
Each state formed its own Department, which was further divided into several camps.
The Wisconsin Department of the USWV was formed in April 1904, one of the earliest
states to do so. The Wisconsin Department had 48 camps, including 6 in Milwaukee
County: Charles G. Juneau (Camp #48) in Wauwatosa; Hugh J. McGrath (Camp #4) in
Milwaukee; Richard J. Dawson (Camp #5) in Milwaukee; Robley D. Evans (Camp #33) in
Milwaukee; and Col. Charles Young (Camp #47) at the Soldier’s Home. The USWV held
annual encampments at both the Department and national level. These events included
social and memorial events. The national encampment of the USWV was held in
Milwaukee four times, in 1905, 1932, 1946, and 1960.
The goals of the USWV included uniting veterans; memorializing those fallen during
war; assisting widows, orphans, and other relatives of soldiers; and promoting
patriotism among Americans. In order to gain membership in the USWV, individuals
were required to be certifiable veterans of the Spanish-American War,
Philippine-American War or Chinese Relief Expedition. Membership was not passed down
to children or relatives; thus, the organization ceased to exist when the final
veteran passed away. When the final Philippine-American War veteran died in 1992,
the USWV officially ended. (Source: Wisconsin in the
Spanish-American War: The United Spanish War Veterans, Wisconsin
Veterans Museum.)
