United States. Four United Spanish War Veterans Awards

4th National Encampment at Cedar Point, Ohio 1907 Medal (in bronze gilt, obverse illustrating René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle's ship, The Griffon, the ship used in his quest to find the Northwest Passage to China and Japan, two canoes in the foreground, each with two natives, inscribed ""THE GRIFFON"" below, surrounded by the inscription ""4th NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT U.S.W.V. CEDAR POINT, O. 1907."", the scene framed by branches of laurel leaves, reverse maker marked ""THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO NEWARK, N.J."", measuring 41.8 mm (w) x 39 mm (h), suspended by chain links from a 38.5 mm (w) x 13 mm (h) pinback hanger inscribed ""DELEGATE"" and maker marked ""THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO NEWARK, N.J."", scattered gilt wear); 5th National Encampment at Boston, Massachusetts 1908 Medal (in bronze, obverse illustrating the United Spanish War Veterans insignia backed by emanating rays, within a full-wreath of oak leaves, ribboned at four points on the wreath, inscribed on the four protruding arms ""5th NATIONAL / ENCAMPMENT / UNITED SPANISH / WAR VETERANS"", reverse maker marked ""THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO NEWARK, N.J."", measuring 46 mm, suspension bar inscribed ""DELEGATE"" and maker marked ""THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO NEWARK, N.J."", original ribbon suspended from a 45 mm (w) x 24.3 mm (h) pinback hanger bearing crossed cannons, crossed swords and a fouled anchor, with a ribbon banner inscribed ""BOSTON"" at the left and ""1908"" at the right, an oval in the center illustrating Faneuil Hall in Boston and inscribed ""FANEUIL HALL / CRADLE OF LIBERTY"", green oxidation evident on the obverse of the medal); Encampment at Utica, New York 1921 Medal (in bronze gilt, obverse illustrating the United Spanish War Veterans insignia flanked by American flags on either side, framed by laurel branches, reverse maker marked ""BASTIAN BROS. CO. ROCHESTER. N.Y."" surrounding the union made mark, measuring 37 mm (w) x 40.7 mm (h), original ribbon suspended from a 40 mm (w) x 36 mm (h) pinback hanger illustrating a spread-winged eagle above the City of Utica Seal, with two ribbon banners, the top one inscribed ""UTICA, N.Y. / JULY 17, 18, 19, 20 1921"", the bottom one inscribed ""DELEGATE"", with a shield bearing the stars and stripes below, scattered gilt wear); and Membership Badge (in bronze, unmarked, measuring 14.2 mm (w) x 14.5 mm (h), button hole attachment). Near extremely fine.

Footnote: The United Spanish War Veterans was an American veterans organization which consisted of veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War and the China Relief Expedition. Soon after the Spanish-American War ended, in early 1899, discharged veterans formed fraternal societies to keep in touch with their former comrades. These included the Spanish War Veterans, the Spanish-American War Veterans, the Servicemen of the Spanish War, American Veterans of Foreign Service, the Army of the Philippines, the Veteran Army of the Philippines, the Legion of Spanish War Veterans and other smaller organizations. At the start of the 20th Century, these groups began to merge. In 1904, the three largest groups, the Spanish War Veterans, the Spanish-American War Veterans and the Servicemen of the Spanish War joined to form the United Spanish War Veterans. They became the largest and most influential of the Spanish-American War societies. In 1906, the Legion of Spanish War Veterans would merge with the United Spanish War Veterans. The Legion existed in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In 1908, the Veteran Army of the Philippines, composed of soldiers, sailors and Marines who had served in the Philippine Islands, also merged with the United Spanish War Veterans. The membership of United Spanish War Veterans thus consisted of veterans of three distinct wars: the Spanish-American War (April 1898 to February 1899, the fighting having ended by July 1898, but the Treaty of Peace was not signed until February 6, 1899), the Philippine-American War (February 1899 to July 1902, a conflict with Filipinos who refused to accept the annexation of the islands by the United States, President Theodore Roosevelt declaring the conflict at an end on July 4, 1902, though violence by Moro tribesmen continued until 1913) and the Chinese Relief Expedition (1900 to 1901, commonly referred to as ""The Boxer Rebellion,"" the veterans who had served in it were placed with the Spanish War and Philippine Insurrection veterans on the federal government pension bills, The “Boxer Rebellion” veterans accepted into the USWV in the early 1920s). The United Spanish War Veterans existed until 1992, when the last member, Nathan E. Cook, died one month before his 107th birthday at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He is often incorrectly called the last surviving veteran of the Spanish-American War. In fact, Cook was a veteran of the Philippine-American War of 1899-1902. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1901 at the age of sixteen. 

This offering is a part of the "Dr. Albert Goodwin Collection", a preeminent assemblage of world Orders, Medals, and Decorations composed solely by Dr.Goodwin between 1946-1967. Dr. Goodwin had a successful career as an educator and prominent physician in New York as well as actively serving in both World Wars with the United States Medical Corps. He acted as both President and Vice-President of the Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) and is responsible for organizing their first convention in 1960. He maintained further membership with the American Society of Military Collectors, the International Orders Research Society, and the American Numismatic Society. His knowledge and passion for history and awards is evident in this meticulously compiled collection that is now available in its entirety for the first time exclusively on eMedals.com.