When I was a young kid in the 1950's, the small town I grew up in, had an old guy, that claimed to be a CW veteran, but it was well known that he was not (not even born, according to my father). In fact, though he was of the right age, it was doubted that he even served in the Spanish American War.
All veterans were held in very high regard, in that era. We actually had the town honor roll in our front yard and I recall marveling at our veterans and the wards they fought in. We had a town cemetery and I recall as a Boy Scout how we cut brush and cleaned. Cemetery was on a hill, with the oldest graves way up on the hill. That was where we had a few CW veterans buried and it was also the part of the cemetery that had lessening care through the years. The town I live in now, also has a town cemetery and there is a GAR circle in the center, with two Columbiads guarding.