Hammann-Costin WWI Medal of Honor Memorial (Baltimore, MD)
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Location
Howard Street & Preston Street (Street View)
GPS: 39° 18′ 16.45″ N 76° 37′ 15.49″ W
History
This monument is dedicated to two Maryland winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor during service in World War I: Charles Hazeltine Hammann, an ensign in the Air Service of the US Navy, and Henry Gilbert Costin, a private in the Army. During an aerial engagement off the coast of Italy on the 21st of August in 1918, Ensign Hammann landed his seaplane to rescue a downed pilot, Ensign George M. Ludlow, though his plane was not designed to carry the double load and there was imminent danger of attack by Austrian planes. The pair flew to safety. Two ships were named the USS Hammann in his honor and served during WWII. Private Costin, a member of Company H, 115th Infantry, was slain in battle during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive near Bois-de-Consenvoye. His platoon was being held up by an enemy machine gun entrenchment. Costin was first to volunteer to storm the nest against heavy artillery, mortar and machine gun fire and he “continued the attack by himself after all his comrades had become casualties and he himself had been seriously wounded, firing until he collapsed.” He died shortly after the successful attack which resulted in the capture of over 100 enemy soldiers and several machine guns.
Notes
This monument is located in a small park between Preston St and Park Ave, where it loops around to intersect with Howard St, across from Sutton Place apartments and the Light Rail which runs nearby. At the top of the memorial is a sculpture of a flame and on either side rests a mortar.
Nearby
- Francis Scott Key Fountain
- Maryland Line Monument
- Confederate Soldiers & Sailors
- To the Glory of Maryland Monument
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