United Spanish War Veterans Holland Camp 28. Records, 1898-1948.

The United Spanish War Veterans Holland Camp No. 38 was founded in Holland, Michigan, in 1904 for veterans that had participated in that conflict to provide support and comradery to its members. The group was part of the national organization known as the United Spanish War Veterans, and also supported veterans of the Philippine American War - often called the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) and the Chinese Relief Expedition (1898-1901) - also called the Boxer Rebellion. As these three foreign wars came to an end in the early 20th century, the United States government never created new pension funds for the additional two wars, and instead categorized these three separate groups of veterans together with the title of "Spanish-American War Veterans" on all official paperwork and pension receipts. Because of this, when the United Spanish War Veterans group (USWV) was founded in 1904, the members of these various clubs encompassed three separate United States foreign conflicts.

After the war, veterans from across the country banded together to form the United Spanish War Veterans, a series of clubs that installed their presence across the country. These clubs provided forms of welfare and representation to their fellow men, as well as those in their respective communities, including assisting with hospital bills and pension receipts, organizing and participating in Memorial Day services, and even buying the occasional bag of groceries or a bouquet of flowers for a fellow comrade’s wife.

The group remained active until the death of the last remaining member, John Henry Van Lente, in 1975.