Hot times in Tampico

US Battleships steam south
Photo: US Naval Historical Center via www.wikipedia.org

  An incident during the gunboat USS Dolphin to Tampico, Mexico in April 1914 either started or ended the whole affair at Tampico, Mexico.  She entered the harbor and sent 1 officer and 8 sailors to get fuel for the boat.  The men were interrupted by members of the Mexican Army and since none of them spoke the other language the sailors were taken prisoner.
  At the time U S President Woodrow Wilson had refused to recognize the Mexican President as legal holder of that office - times were already strained.  The prisoner/sailors were released but the Governor and President of Mexico refused to return the salute the Dolphin had given when entering the harbor and a near all out war ensued.  Battleships steamed south, the Marines were readied along with groups of Navy landing forces.
  Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampico_Affair  and find out tomorrow what got me interested in this story.