Minooka's Involvement in the Spanish-American War

Minooka Boys in Navy

The Little Town has Quite a Large Percentage

April 28, 1898 – Scranton Republican

“Minooka has probably a larger representation in the navy than the city of Scranton, having at least 11 young men now in Uncle Sam’s active service on the seas.

Minooka’s Prize

Scranton’s Small Suburb Claims Peculiar Honor

From Its Place in the Army and Navy

July 27, 1898 – Scranton Tribune

“Minooka, Scranton’s southern suburb, claims the proud record of furnishing to the defense of the nation in the present war more soldiers than any town of its size in the United States. It has a population of not over 1,500, and yet thirty-five of its sons are now at the front.

“Some enlisted in the volunteers, but the most of them went with the regulars. There are more young men gone from Minooka who are suspected of having joined the service, but it is not known for certain. There are also quite a few who wanted to go, but were not of age and could not get the consent of their parents; and still others who wanted to go but could not pass the physical examination. There were very few, however, of this description. The Minookaites are as a rule not very delicate in building.”

Spanish American War – Minooka Volunteers

John Barrett

Thomas Barrett – “The only Minooka boy who figured in the historic scrimmage at El Caney, Santiago, Cuba. He was a member of a regiment quartered at Montauk Point.”

The U.S.S. Raleigh

Patrick Carey – Serving on the USS Raleigh in Admiral Dewey’s feet. “Met at Scranton – April 20, 1899 – Scranton Republican – “Mr. Carey arrived in this city on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western train from New York at 8:45 last night. John J. Coyne, the committee from the Minooka Young Men’s Institute appointed to go to New York to meet the sailor, accompanied him.

“Mr. Carey said: ‘You see I belong to the Raleigh. You’ve heard of the Raleigh and so has everyone in the civilized world. Well, in the battle of Manila Bay, our ship took a prominent part. I ain’s an officer. I am only a common sailor. You can wager we felt a bit shaky for that was the first time most of us were ever under fire, but after a while we became used to the noise and excitement and we didn’t mind it much. Oh, the men and officers acted fine to a man. No cowards on the Raleigh.”

Thomas Casey

Patrick Conaboy

John Coyne

Michael Coyne – Serving on the USS Terror

Thomas L. Coyne

James Duddy

John Duddy

Frank Fahey

Thomas Fitzhenry – A sergeant “who is stationed at Fort Thomas, Kentucky, writes home that he expects orders for a hurried transfer to Key West and says that the war feeling in that section is very strong.”

Regular army:

John Flannery

Martin Flynn

James Gallagher

Joseph Gallagher

Martin Gallagher

James Hart

Patrick Healey

John Higgins

Michael Joyce

William Joyce – Regular army

Thomas Judge

Thomas King

Patrick Luddon

Timothy Lydon

Benjamin Lynn – Serving on the USS Minneapolis

William Lynn

Michael McNally

James Merrick – Regular army

Michael Mongan

Patrick Moran

John Padden

Edward Philbin “is a seaman on the Oregon and took part in the famous run of 16,000 miles made by the great battleship around the cape. – 6/27/1898 – Scranton Tribune

William Sommers – Regular army

Gilbert Toole

James Thornton – Regular army

Patrick Waters – Regular army

Patrick White