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EspañolGREAT WHITE FLEET
The 'Great White Fleet' was a United States Navy force that completed a circumnavigation of the world from December 16, 1907, to February 22, 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of four squadrons of four battleships each, with their escorts. Roosevelt sought to demonstrate growing American military power and blue-water navy capability.
The fleet was put to sea on the voyage of more than 43,000 miles by order of President Theodore Roosevelt, who wished to demonstrate to his country and the world that the U.S. Navy was capable of operating globally, particularly in the Pacific. This was extraordinarily important at a time when Japanese-American relations were becoming more tense. The Japanese Imperial Navy had recently shown its competence in defeating the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War, while at the same time the U.S. Navy fleet in the Pacific was relatively small.
In the twilight of Roosevelt's administration, the president dispatched a fleet consisting of four U.S. Navy battleship squadrons and their escorts, on a world-wide voyage of circumnavigation from December 16, 1907, to February 22, 1909. With their hulls painted white except for the gilded scrollwork with a red, white, and blue banner on their bows, these ships would come to be known as the Great White Fleet. The Atlantic Fleet battleships only later came to be known as the "Great White Fleet."
The journey was not without risk. As the Panama Canal was not yet complete, the fleet would pass through the Straits of Magellan. The scope of such an operation was unprecedented in U.S. history, as ships had to sail from all points of the compass to rendezvous points and proceed according to a carefully-orchestrated, well-thought out plan. It would involve almost the entire operational capability of the Navy. Unlike the badly coordinated moves of the Russian fleet from the Baltic to the Pacific that led to its destruction by the Japanese, the U.S. effort would be well coordinated, and would eventually set world records in almost all aspects of the voyage.
The fleet was greeted with excitement around the world. In port after port, citizens in the thousands turned out to see and greet the fleet. In Sicily, the sailors helped in recovery operations after a serious earthquake. When the fleet sailed into Yokohama, the Japanese went to extraordinary lengths to show that their country desired peace with the U.S.; thousands of Japanese schoolchildren waved American flags to greet Navy officials as they came ashore.
In February 1909, Roosevelt was in Hampton Roads, Virginia, to witness the triumphant return of the fleet and indicating that he saw the fleet's long voyage as a fitting finish for his administration. To the officers and men of the fleet Roosevelt said, "Other nations may do what you have done, but they'll have to follow you." This parting act of Grand Strategy by Roosevelt greatly expanded the respect for as well as the role of the United States in the international arena.
The fourteen-month long voyage was a grand pageant of American seapower. The squadrons were manned by 14,000 sailors. They covered some 43,000 miles and made twenty port calls on six continents. The fleet was impressive, but technically outdated, as the first few dreadnought battleships had already entered service, and the U.S. Navy's first dreadnought, ''South Carolina'', was fitting out. The two oldest ships in the fleet, USS ''Kearsarge'' and USS ''Kentucky'', were obsolete and unfit for battle; and two others, USS ''Maine'' and USS ''Alabama'', had to be detached at San Francisco, California because of mechanical troubles.
The battleships were accompanied during the first leg of their voyage by a "Torpedo Flotilla" of six early destroyers, as well as by several auxiliary ships. The destroyers and their tender did not actually steam in company with the battleships, but followed their own itinerary from Hampton Roads, Virginia to San Francisco, California. Two battleships were detached from the fleet at San Francisco, and two others substituted.
When the fleet left Hampton Roads there were four senior officers who had served during the Civil War. While, in modern times, only such men as Admiral Hyman Rickover have been allowed to serve more than 40 years on active duty, in 1908 the mandatory retirement age was 62. For the fleet this meant Admiral Robley D. Evans, Rear Admiral Thomas, and Rear Admiral Emory needed to retire before the cruise would end. Admiral Sperry started his naval training in 1862 and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1866. Admiral "Fighting Bob" Evans, was wounded four times on January 15, 1865, when, as a leader of company of Marines, he landed from Admiral David G. Farragut's squadron attacking Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Evans continued to fight even after his fourth wound, drawing his pistol and threatened to kill any man who attempted to amputate his leg in surgery when he was evacuated.
With the USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18) as flagship under the command of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, the fleet sailed from Hampton Roads on December 16, 1907, for Trinidad, British West Indies, thence to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Punta Arenas, Chile; Callao, Peru; Magdalena Bay, Mexico, and up the West Coast, arriving at San Francisco, May 6, 1908.
After the arrival of the fleet off the west coast, the USS ''Glacier'' was detached and later became the supply ship of the Pacific Fleet. At this time also, the USS ''Nebraska'', Captain Reginald F. Nicholson, and the USS ''Wisconsin'', Captain Frank E. Beatty, were substituted for the USS ''Maine'' and USS ''Alabama''. In San Francisco, USS ''Minnesota'' was brought forward into First Squadron, First Division and USS ''Louisiana'' took her place as flagship, Second Squadron.
At San Francisco, Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry assumed command of the Fleet, owing to the poor health of Admiral Evans. Also at San Francisco, the squadrons were slightly rearranged, bringing the newest and best ships in the fleet up to the First Squadron. Leaving that port on July 7, 1908, the U.S. Atlantic Fleet visited Honolulu; Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Manila, Philippines; Yokohama, Japan; Colombo, Ceylon; arriving at Suez, Egypt, on January 3, 1909.
As mentioned earlier, in Egypt, word was received of an earthquake in Sicily, thus affording an opportunity for the United States to show its friendship to Italy by offering aid to the sufferers. ''Connecticut'', ''Illinois'', ''Culgoa'', and ''Yankton'' were dispatched to Messina, Italy at once. The crew of ''Illinois'' recovered the bodies of the American consul and his wife, entombed in the ruins.
USS ''Scorpion'', the Fleet's station ship at Constantinople, and USS ''Celtic'', a refrigerator ship fitted out in New York, were hurried to Messina, relieving ''Connecticut'' and ''Illinois'', so that they could continue on the cruise.
Leaving Messina on January 9, 1909, the Fleet stopped at Naples, Italy, thence to Gibraltar, arriving at
Hampton Roads on February 22, 1909.
There President Roosevelt reviewed the Fleet as it passed into the roadstead.
from Hampton Roads to San Francisco, 14,556 miles
The Fleet, First Squadron and First Division, were commanded by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans.
First Division consisted of
USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18), the Fleet's flagship,
Captain Hugo Osterhaus,
USS ''Kansas'' (BB-21),
Captain Charles E. Vreeland,
USS ''Vermont'' (BB-20),
Captain William P. Potter, and
USS ''Louisiana'' (BB-19),
Captain Richard Wainwright.
Second Division was commanded by Rear Admiral William H. Emory.
Second Division consisted of
USS ''Georgia'' (BB-15), the Division flagship,
Captain Henry McCrea,
USS ''New Jersey'' (BB-16),
Captain William H. H. Southerland,
USS ''Rhode Island'' (BB-17),
Captain Joseph B. Murdock, and
USS ''Virginia'' (BB-13),
Captain Seaton Schroeder.
Second Squadron and Third Division were commanded by Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas.
Third Division consisted of
USS ''Minnesota'' (BB-22), the Squadron flagship,
Captain John Hubbard,
USS ''Maine'' (BB-10),
Captain Giles B. Harber,
USS ''Missouri'' (BB-11),
Captain Greenlief A. Merriam, and
USS ''Ohio'' (BB-12),
Captain Charles W. Bartlett.
Fourth Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry.
Fourth Division consisted of
USS ''Alabama'' (BB-8), the Division flagship,
Captain Ten Eyck De Witt Veeder,
USS ''Illinois'' (BB-7),
Captain John M. Bowyer,
USS ''Kearsarge'' (BB-5),
Captain Hamilton Hutchins, and
USS ''Kentucky'' (BB-6),
Captain Walter C. Cowles.
The Fleet Auxiliaries consisted of
USS ''Culgoa'' (a storeship),
Lieutenant Commander John B. Patton,
USS ''Glacier'' (a storeship),
Commander William S. Hogg,
USS ''Panther'' (a repair ship),
Commander Valentine S. Nelson,
USS ''Yankton'' (a tender),
Lieutenant Walter R. Gherardi, and
USS ''Relief'' (a hospital ship).
The "Torpedo Flotilla" of destroyers consisted of
USS ''Hopkins'',
Lieutenant Alfred G. Howe,
USS ''Stewart'',
Lieutenant Julius F. Hellweg,
USS ''Hull'',
Lieutenant Frank McCommon,
USS ''Truxton'',
Lieutenant Charles S. Kerrick,
USS ''Lawrence'',
Lieutenant Ernest Friedrick,
USS ''Whipple'',
Lieutenant Hutch I. Cone, and
USS ''Arethusa'' (a tender),
Commander Albert W. Grant.
The second leg of the voyage was from San Francisco to Puget Sound and back
The Fleet, First Squadron, and First Division were commanded by Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry.
First Division consisted of
USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18), the Fleet's flagship,
Captain Hugo Osterhaus
USS ''Kansas'' (BB-21),
Captain Charles E. Vreeland
USS ''Minnesota'' (BB-22),
Captain John Hubbard
USS ''Vermont'' (BB-20),
Captain William P. Potter
Second Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Richard Wainwright.
Second Division consisted of
USS ''Georgia'' (BB-15), the Division flagship,
Captain Edward F. Qualtrough,
USS ''Nebraska'' (BB-14),
Captain Reginald F. Nicholson,
USS ''New Jersey'' (BB-16),
Captain William H.H. Southerland, and
USS ''Rhode Island'' (BB-17),
Captain Joseph B. Murdock.
Second Squadron and Third Division were commanded by Rear Admiral William H. Emory.
Third Division consisted of
USS ''Louisiana'' (BB-19), the Squadron's flagship,
Captain Kossuth Niles,
USS ''Virginia'' (BB-13),
Captain Alexander Sharp,
USS ''Missouri'' (BB-11),
Captain Robert M. Doyle, and
USS ''Ohio'' (BB-12),
Captain Thomas B. Howard.
Fourth Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder.
Fourth Division consisted of
USS ''Wisconsin'' (BB-9), the Division flagship,
Captain Frank E. Beatty,
USS ''Illinois'' (BB-7),
Captain John M. Bowyer,
USS ''Kearsarge'' (BB-5),
Captain Hamilton Hutchins, and
USS ''Kentucky'' (BB-6),
Captain Walter C. Cowles.
The Fleet Auxiliaries were
USS ''Culgoa'' (a storeship),
Lieutenant Commander John B. Patton,
USS ''Yankton'' (a tender),
Lieutenant Commander Charles B. McVay,
USS ''Glacier'' (a storeship),
Commander William S. Hogg,
USS ''Relief'' (a hospital ship),
Surgeon Charles F. Stokes, and
USS ''Panther'' (a repair ship),
Commander Valentine S. Nelson.
from San Francisco to Manila, 16,336 miles
The Fleet, First Squadron, and First Division were commanded by Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry.
First Division consisted of
USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18), the Fleet's flagship,
Captain Hugo Osterhaus,
USS ''Kansas'' (BB-21),
Captain Charles E. Vreeland,
USS ''Minnesota'' (BB-22),
Captain John Hubbard, and
USS ''Vermont'' (BB-20),
Captain William P. Potter.
Second Division consisted of
USS ''Georgia'' (BB-15), the Division flagship,
Captain Edward F. Qualtrough,
USS ''Nebraska'' (BB-14),
Captain Reginald F. Nicholson,
USS ''New Jersey'' (BB-16),
Captain William H.H. Southerland, and
USS ''Rhode Island'' (BB-17),
Captain Joseph B. Murdock.
The Second Squadron and Third Division were commanded by Rear Admiral William H. Emory.
Third Division consisted of
USS ''Louisiana'' (BB-19), the Squadron flagship,
Captain Kossuth Niles,
USS ''Virginia'' (BB-13),
Captain Alexander Sharp,
USS ''Missouri'' (BB-11),
Captain Robert M. Doyle, and
USS ''Ohio'' (BB-12),
Captain Thomas B. Howard.
Fourth Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder.
Fourth Division consisted of
USS ''Wisconsin'' (BB-9), the Division flagship,
Captain Frank E. Beatty,
USS ''Illinois'' (BB-7),
Captain John M. Bowyer,
USS ''Kearsarge'' (BB-5),
Captain Hamilton Hutchins, and
USS ''Kentucky'' (BB-6),
Captain Walter C. Cowles.
The Fleet Auxiliaries were
USS ''Culgoa'' (a storeship),
Lieutenant Commander John B. Patton,
USS ''Yankton'' (a tender),
Lieutenant Commander Charles B. McVay,
USS ''Glacier'' (a storeship),
Commander William S. Hogg,
USS ''Relief'' (a hospital ship),
Surgeon Charles F. Stokes, and
USS ''Panther'' (a repair ship),
Commander Valentine S. Nelson.
from Manila to Hampton Roads, 12,455 miles
.
★ Theodore Roosevelt
★ http://www.greatwhitefleet.info/history6.html Great White Fleet Website
★ http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/gwf_cruise.htm US Navy Historical Center Site
Background
''USS Kansas'' sails ahead of the ''USS Vermont'' as the fleet leaves Hampton Roads, Virginia on December 16, 1907.
The fleet was put to sea on the voyage of more than 43,000 miles by order of President Theodore Roosevelt, who wished to demonstrate to his country and the world that the U.S. Navy was capable of operating globally, particularly in the Pacific. This was extraordinarily important at a time when Japanese-American relations were becoming more tense. The Japanese Imperial Navy had recently shown its competence in defeating the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War, while at the same time the U.S. Navy fleet in the Pacific was relatively small.
In the twilight of Roosevelt's administration, the president dispatched a fleet consisting of four U.S. Navy battleship squadrons and their escorts, on a world-wide voyage of circumnavigation from December 16, 1907, to February 22, 1909. With their hulls painted white except for the gilded scrollwork with a red, white, and blue banner on their bows, these ships would come to be known as the Great White Fleet. The Atlantic Fleet battleships only later came to be known as the "Great White Fleet."
The voyage
The journey was not without risk. As the Panama Canal was not yet complete, the fleet would pass through the Straits of Magellan. The scope of such an operation was unprecedented in U.S. history, as ships had to sail from all points of the compass to rendezvous points and proceed according to a carefully-orchestrated, well-thought out plan. It would involve almost the entire operational capability of the Navy. Unlike the badly coordinated moves of the Russian fleet from the Baltic to the Pacific that led to its destruction by the Japanese, the U.S. effort would be well coordinated, and would eventually set world records in almost all aspects of the voyage.
The fleet was greeted with excitement around the world. In port after port, citizens in the thousands turned out to see and greet the fleet. In Sicily, the sailors helped in recovery operations after a serious earthquake. When the fleet sailed into Yokohama, the Japanese went to extraordinary lengths to show that their country desired peace with the U.S.; thousands of Japanese schoolchildren waved American flags to greet Navy officials as they came ashore.
In February 1909, Roosevelt was in Hampton Roads, Virginia, to witness the triumphant return of the fleet and indicating that he saw the fleet's long voyage as a fitting finish for his administration. To the officers and men of the fleet Roosevelt said, "Other nations may do what you have done, but they'll have to follow you." This parting act of Grand Strategy by Roosevelt greatly expanded the respect for as well as the role of the United States in the international arena.
Fleet composition
The fourteen-month long voyage was a grand pageant of American seapower. The squadrons were manned by 14,000 sailors. They covered some 43,000 miles and made twenty port calls on six continents. The fleet was impressive, but technically outdated, as the first few dreadnought battleships had already entered service, and the U.S. Navy's first dreadnought, ''South Carolina'', was fitting out. The two oldest ships in the fleet, USS ''Kearsarge'' and USS ''Kentucky'', were obsolete and unfit for battle; and two others, USS ''Maine'' and USS ''Alabama'', had to be detached at San Francisco, California because of mechanical troubles.
The battleships were accompanied during the first leg of their voyage by a "Torpedo Flotilla" of six early destroyers, as well as by several auxiliary ships. The destroyers and their tender did not actually steam in company with the battleships, but followed their own itinerary from Hampton Roads, Virginia to San Francisco, California. Two battleships were detached from the fleet at San Francisco, and two others substituted.
Fleet's leaders were Civil War era sailors
When the fleet left Hampton Roads there were four senior officers who had served during the Civil War. While, in modern times, only such men as Admiral Hyman Rickover have been allowed to serve more than 40 years on active duty, in 1908 the mandatory retirement age was 62. For the fleet this meant Admiral Robley D. Evans, Rear Admiral Thomas, and Rear Admiral Emory needed to retire before the cruise would end. Admiral Sperry started his naval training in 1862 and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1866. Admiral "Fighting Bob" Evans, was wounded four times on January 15, 1865, when, as a leader of company of Marines, he landed from Admiral David G. Farragut's squadron attacking Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Evans continued to fight even after his fourth wound, drawing his pistol and threatened to kill any man who attempted to amputate his leg in surgery when he was evacuated.
General fleet itinerary
With the USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18) as flagship under the command of Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, the fleet sailed from Hampton Roads on December 16, 1907, for Trinidad, British West Indies, thence to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Punta Arenas, Chile; Callao, Peru; Magdalena Bay, Mexico, and up the West Coast, arriving at San Francisco, May 6, 1908.
The Great White Fleet arriving to a crowd at the Port of Los Angeles, 1908
After the arrival of the fleet off the west coast, the USS ''Glacier'' was detached and later became the supply ship of the Pacific Fleet. At this time also, the USS ''Nebraska'', Captain Reginald F. Nicholson, and the USS ''Wisconsin'', Captain Frank E. Beatty, were substituted for the USS ''Maine'' and USS ''Alabama''. In San Francisco, USS ''Minnesota'' was brought forward into First Squadron, First Division and USS ''Louisiana'' took her place as flagship, Second Squadron.
At San Francisco, Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry assumed command of the Fleet, owing to the poor health of Admiral Evans. Also at San Francisco, the squadrons were slightly rearranged, bringing the newest and best ships in the fleet up to the First Squadron. Leaving that port on July 7, 1908, the U.S. Atlantic Fleet visited Honolulu; Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Manila, Philippines; Yokohama, Japan; Colombo, Ceylon; arriving at Suez, Egypt, on January 3, 1909.
As mentioned earlier, in Egypt, word was received of an earthquake in Sicily, thus affording an opportunity for the United States to show its friendship to Italy by offering aid to the sufferers. ''Connecticut'', ''Illinois'', ''Culgoa'', and ''Yankton'' were dispatched to Messina, Italy at once. The crew of ''Illinois'' recovered the bodies of the American consul and his wife, entombed in the ruins.
USS ''Scorpion'', the Fleet's station ship at Constantinople, and USS ''Celtic'', a refrigerator ship fitted out in New York, were hurried to Messina, relieving ''Connecticut'' and ''Illinois'', so that they could continue on the cruise.
Leaving Messina on January 9, 1909, the Fleet stopped at Naples, Italy, thence to Gibraltar, arriving at
Hampton Roads on February 22, 1909.
There President Roosevelt reviewed the Fleet as it passed into the roadstead.
The First Leg
from Hampton Roads to San Francisco, 14,556 miles
Itinerary
| Port | Arrival | Departure | Distance to Next Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton Roads, Virginia | 1907-12-16 | 1803 miles | |
| Port of Spain, Trinidad | 1907-12-23 | 1907-12-29 | 3399 miles |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1908-01-12 | 1908-01-21 | 2374 miles |
| Punta Arenas, Chile | 1908-02-01 | 1908-02-07 | 2838 miles |
| Callao, Peru | 1908-02-20 | 1908-02-29 | 3010 miles |
| Magdalena Bay, Mexico | 1908-03-12 | 1908-04-11 | 1132 miles |
| San Francisco, California | 1908-05-06 |
Ships
The Fleet, First Squadron and First Division, were commanded by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans.
First Division consisted of
USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18), the Fleet's flagship,
Captain Hugo Osterhaus,
USS ''Kansas'' (BB-21),
Captain Charles E. Vreeland,
USS ''Vermont'' (BB-20),
Captain William P. Potter, and
USS ''Louisiana'' (BB-19),
Captain Richard Wainwright.
Second Division was commanded by Rear Admiral William H. Emory.
Second Division consisted of
USS ''Georgia'' (BB-15), the Division flagship,
Captain Henry McCrea,
USS ''New Jersey'' (BB-16),
Captain William H. H. Southerland,
USS ''Rhode Island'' (BB-17),
Captain Joseph B. Murdock, and
USS ''Virginia'' (BB-13),
Captain Seaton Schroeder.
Second Squadron and Third Division were commanded by Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas.
Third Division consisted of
USS ''Minnesota'' (BB-22), the Squadron flagship,
Captain John Hubbard,
USS ''Maine'' (BB-10),
Captain Giles B. Harber,
USS ''Missouri'' (BB-11),
Captain Greenlief A. Merriam, and
USS ''Ohio'' (BB-12),
Captain Charles W. Bartlett.
Fourth Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry.
Fourth Division consisted of
USS ''Alabama'' (BB-8), the Division flagship,
Captain Ten Eyck De Witt Veeder,
USS ''Illinois'' (BB-7),
Captain John M. Bowyer,
USS ''Kearsarge'' (BB-5),
Captain Hamilton Hutchins, and
USS ''Kentucky'' (BB-6),
Captain Walter C. Cowles.
The Fleet Auxiliaries consisted of
USS ''Culgoa'' (a storeship),
Lieutenant Commander John B. Patton,
USS ''Glacier'' (a storeship),
Commander William S. Hogg,
USS ''Panther'' (a repair ship),
Commander Valentine S. Nelson,
USS ''Yankton'' (a tender),
Lieutenant Walter R. Gherardi, and
USS ''Relief'' (a hospital ship).
The "Torpedo Flotilla" of destroyers consisted of
USS ''Hopkins'',
Lieutenant Alfred G. Howe,
USS ''Stewart'',
Lieutenant Julius F. Hellweg,
USS ''Hull'',
Lieutenant Frank McCommon,
USS ''Truxton'',
Lieutenant Charles S. Kerrick,
USS ''Lawrence'',
Lieutenant Ernest Friedrick,
USS ''Whipple'',
Lieutenant Hutch I. Cone, and
USS ''Arethusa'' (a tender),
Commander Albert W. Grant.
Second Leg
The second leg of the voyage was from San Francisco to Puget Sound and back
The Fleet, First Squadron, and First Division were commanded by Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry.
First Division consisted of
USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18), the Fleet's flagship,
Captain Hugo Osterhaus
USS ''Kansas'' (BB-21),
Captain Charles E. Vreeland
USS ''Minnesota'' (BB-22),
Captain John Hubbard
USS ''Vermont'' (BB-20),
Captain William P. Potter
Second Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Richard Wainwright.
Second Division consisted of
USS ''Georgia'' (BB-15), the Division flagship,
Captain Edward F. Qualtrough,
USS ''Nebraska'' (BB-14),
Captain Reginald F. Nicholson,
USS ''New Jersey'' (BB-16),
Captain William H.H. Southerland, and
USS ''Rhode Island'' (BB-17),
Captain Joseph B. Murdock.
Second Squadron and Third Division were commanded by Rear Admiral William H. Emory.
Third Division consisted of
USS ''Louisiana'' (BB-19), the Squadron's flagship,
Captain Kossuth Niles,
USS ''Virginia'' (BB-13),
Captain Alexander Sharp,
USS ''Missouri'' (BB-11),
Captain Robert M. Doyle, and
USS ''Ohio'' (BB-12),
Captain Thomas B. Howard.
Fourth Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder.
Fourth Division consisted of
USS ''Wisconsin'' (BB-9), the Division flagship,
Captain Frank E. Beatty,
USS ''Illinois'' (BB-7),
Captain John M. Bowyer,
USS ''Kearsarge'' (BB-5),
Captain Hamilton Hutchins, and
USS ''Kentucky'' (BB-6),
Captain Walter C. Cowles.
The Fleet Auxiliaries were
USS ''Culgoa'' (a storeship),
Lieutenant Commander John B. Patton,
USS ''Yankton'' (a tender),
Lieutenant Commander Charles B. McVay,
USS ''Glacier'' (a storeship),
Commander William S. Hogg,
USS ''Relief'' (a hospital ship),
Surgeon Charles F. Stokes, and
USS ''Panther'' (a repair ship),
Commander Valentine S. Nelson.
Third Leg
from San Francisco to Manila, 16,336 miles
Itinerary
| Port | Arrival | Departure | Distance to Next Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, California | 1908-07-07 | 2126 miles | |
| Honolulu, Hawaii | 1908-07-16 | 1908-07-22 | 3870 miles |
| Auckland, New Zealand | 1908-08-09 | 1908-08-15 | 1307 miles |
| Sydney, Australia | 1908-08-20 | 1908-08-28 | 601 miles |
| Melbourne, Australia | 1908-08-29 | 1908-09-05 | 1368 miles |
| Albany, Australia | 1908-09-11 | 1908-09-18 | 3458 miles |
| Manilla, Philippine Islands | 1908-10-02 | 1908-10-09 | 1795 miles |
| Yokohama, Japan | 1908-10-18 | 1908-10-25 | 1811 miles |
| Amoy, China (Second Squadron) | 1908-10-29 | 1908-11-05 | |
| Manila, Philippine Islands (First Squadron) | 1908-10-31 | ||
| Manila, Philippine Islands (Second Squadron) | 1908-11-07 |
Ships
The Fleet, First Squadron, and First Division were commanded by Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry.
First Division consisted of
USS ''Connecticut'' (BB-18), the Fleet's flagship,
Captain Hugo Osterhaus,
USS ''Kansas'' (BB-21),
Captain Charles E. Vreeland,
USS ''Minnesota'' (BB-22),
Captain John Hubbard, and
USS ''Vermont'' (BB-20),
Captain William P. Potter.
Second Division consisted of
USS ''Georgia'' (BB-15), the Division flagship,
Captain Edward F. Qualtrough,
USS ''Nebraska'' (BB-14),
Captain Reginald F. Nicholson,
USS ''New Jersey'' (BB-16),
Captain William H.H. Southerland, and
USS ''Rhode Island'' (BB-17),
Captain Joseph B. Murdock.
The Second Squadron and Third Division were commanded by Rear Admiral William H. Emory.
Third Division consisted of
USS ''Louisiana'' (BB-19), the Squadron flagship,
Captain Kossuth Niles,
USS ''Virginia'' (BB-13),
Captain Alexander Sharp,
USS ''Missouri'' (BB-11),
Captain Robert M. Doyle, and
USS ''Ohio'' (BB-12),
Captain Thomas B. Howard.
Fourth Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder.
Fourth Division consisted of
USS ''Wisconsin'' (BB-9), the Division flagship,
Captain Frank E. Beatty,
USS ''Illinois'' (BB-7),
Captain John M. Bowyer,
USS ''Kearsarge'' (BB-5),
Captain Hamilton Hutchins, and
USS ''Kentucky'' (BB-6),
Captain Walter C. Cowles.
The Fleet Auxiliaries were
USS ''Culgoa'' (a storeship),
Lieutenant Commander John B. Patton,
USS ''Yankton'' (a tender),
Lieutenant Commander Charles B. McVay,
USS ''Glacier'' (a storeship),
Commander William S. Hogg,
USS ''Relief'' (a hospital ship),
Surgeon Charles F. Stokes, and
USS ''Panther'' (a repair ship),
Commander Valentine S. Nelson.
Final Leg
from Manila to Hampton Roads, 12,455 miles
Itinerary
| Port | Arrival | Departure | Distance to Next Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manila, Philippine Islands | 1908-12-01 | 2985 miles | |
| Colombo, Ceylon | 1908-12-13 | 1908-12-20 | 3448 miles |
| Suez, Egypt | 1909-01-03 | 1909-01-04 – 1909-01-06 | 2443 miles |
| Gibraltar | 1909-01-31 – 1909-02-01 | 1909-02-06 | 3579 miles |
| Hampton Roads, Virginia | 1909-02-22 |
.
See also
★ Theodore Roosevelt
External links
★ http://www.greatwhitefleet.info/history6.html Great White Fleet Website
★ http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/gwf_cruise.htm US Navy Historical Center Site
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