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Photo # NH 73318:  USS Connecticut, 1908, probably in San Diego harbor, California

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- The 1900s

World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Ships

INCOMPLETE working introductory text:

During the first leg of the voyage the Fleet included four divisions of four battleships each, six destroyers and five auxiliaries:
First Division (RAdm. R.D. Evans): Battleships Connecticut (Fleet and Division Flagship), Kansas, Vermont, Louisiana.
Second Division (RAdm. W.H. Emory): Battleships Georgia (Division Flagship), New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia.
Third Division (RAdm. C.M. Thomas): Battleships Minnesota (Division Flagship), Ohio, Missouri, Maine.
Fourth Division (RAdm. C.S. Sperry): Battleships Alabama (Division Flagship), Illinois, Kearsarge, Kentucky.
Torpedo Flotilla: Destroyers Whipple, Truxtun, Lawrence, Stewart, Hopkins, Hull, and the Auxiliary Arethusa.
Other Auxiliaries included: Store Ships Culgoa and Glacier; Repair Ship Panther and the dispatch vessel Yankton.

There were several changes after the Atlantic Fleet arrived on the U.S. West Coast. In addition to replacement of some of the commanders by other officers, two former Pacific Fleet battleships were substituted for the uneconomical steamers Maine and Alabama, the torpedo flotilla was detached, and a hospital ship added. The fleet's composition then became:
First Division (RAdm. C.S. Sperry): Battleships Connecticut (Fleet and Dvision Flagship), Kansas, Vermont, Minnesota.
Second Division (RAdm. R. Wainwright): Battleships Georgia (Division Flagship), Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island<.
Third Division (RAdm. W.H. Emory): Battleships Louisiana (Division Flagship), Virginia, Ohio, Missouri.
Fourth Division (RAdm. S. Schroeder): Battleships Wisconsin (Division Flagship), Illinois, Kearsarge, Kentucky
Auxiliaries: Store Ships Culgoa and Glacier; Repair Ship Panther, dispatch vessel Yankton and Hospital Ship Relief.

During the remainder of its Earth-circling voyage, Fleet organizational changes were relatively minor. Rear Admiral Schroeder replaced Rear Admiral Emory in command of the Third Division, and was in turn replaced by Rear Admiral W.P. Potter as commander of the Fourth Division. Store Ship Glacier was detached, as was the Hospital Ship Relief, whose ordeal in a western Pacific storm demonstrated her unseaworthiness. Battleships Maine and Alabama, whose excessive coal consumption had hindered the Fleet's movements during the Atlantic to Pacific phase of the cruise, steaed westward on an accelerated schedule, arriving back on the U.S. East Coast in October 1908.

On 17-21 February 1909, as the rest of the ships crossed the Atlantic en route home, they were rejoined by the Maine and several other warships, whose new-style grey paint contrasted with beautiful (but impractical) white and buff of the "Great White Fleet" battleships. The new arrivals included, in addition to Maine: battleships Mississippi, Idaho and New Hampshire; armored cruisers North Carolina and Montana; and scout cruisers Chester, Birmingham, and Salem. All of these ships had been completed 1n 1908.

This page features views of individual "Great White Fleet" ships, taken during the World cruise. It also has links to pictorial coverage of individual ships that participated in the cruise.

For additional images of ships taken during the World cruise, or probably taken at that time, see:

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet" -- Ships Steaming in Heavy Weather.

    For further pictorial coverage of the "Great White Fleet":

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 73318

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    Probably in San Diego harbor, California, in 1908.
    Photographed by Fred W. Kelsey.

    Courtesy of R.W. Cunningham, 1971.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 530 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41666

    USS Connecticut
    (Battleship # 18)

    Making a run at target practice, during the "Great White Fleet" World cruise, 1908.
    The ship's after twelve-inch gun turret is trained out to starboard.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 440 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 55344

    World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", 1907-1909


    USS Connecticut (Battleship # 18), the flagship of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, seen from astern while anchored in San Francisco Bay, circa May-July 1908.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 71KB; 590 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 63136

    USS Louisiana
    (Battleship # 19)

    Off Coronado, California, on 14 April 1908, during the "Great White Fleet's" visit to the west coast.
    Note lighted ship's name displayed on the bridge.

    Courtesy of the Historical Collection, Union Title Insurance Company, San Diego, California.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 585 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 63137

    USS Nebraska
    (Battleship # 14)

    Photographed in 1908, probably in a U.S. West Coast harbor.
    Note ship's name in large letters mounted on her bridge face.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 460 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 91752

    USS Georgia
    (Battleship # 15)

    Underway with other Atlantic Fleet battleships, during the "Great White Fleet" World cruise, circa 1907-1909.

    Collection of Rear Admiral Fred W. Conner.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106095-A

    "Great White Fleet" World Cruise
    ,
    December 1907 - February 1909

    Leading ship of a column of Atlantic Fleet battleships, photographed while steaming through the Golden Gate, en route to an anchorage in San Francisco Bay, May 1908.
    This ship is either USS New Jersey (Battleship # 16) or USS Rhode Island (Battleship # 17).
    This view is cropped from Photo # NH 106095.

    Collection of Chief Quartermaster John Harold.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 98KB; 545 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 63509

    USS Maine
    (Battleship # 10)

    In drydock at Hunter's Point, San Francisco, California, circa 1908.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 124KB; 590 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 70511

    USS Missouri (BB-11)


    At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, circa May-July 1908, during the World cruise of the "Great White Fleet".

    Courtesy of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1970.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 73315

    USS Alabama
    (Battleship # 8)

    Photographed by Fred W. Kelsey, probably off San Diego, California, in 1908.

    Courtesy of R.W. Cunningham, 1971.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 450 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 79107

    USS Kearsarge
    (Battleship # 5)

    In a Pacific Coast harbor during the first half of 1908, while participating in the first leg of the "Great White Fleet"'s cruise around the World.
    Photographed by the Romans Photo Company, copyrighted by Asahel Curtis.

    The original print was received from USS Kearsarge (CVS-33) in 1972.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 127KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 60250

    USS Kearsarge
    (Battleship # 5)

    In drydock at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 30 May 1908.
    Kearsarge was then preparing for the trans-Pacific leg of the "Great White Fleet"'s voyage around the World.
    Note her ram bow; figurehead; and anchors.
    Photographed by E.L. Meyer, Seattle, Washington.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 119KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 101488

    USS Hopkins
    (Destroyer # 6)

    Steams past Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, circa May-July 1908, during the "Great White Fleet"'s visit to the West Coast.

    Collection of Chief Quartermaster John Harold.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 58KB; 740 x 450 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 91753

    USS Truxtun
    (Destroyer # 14)

    Steaming abreast of USS Vermont (Battleship # 20), while coming into San Francisco Bay during the Atlantic Fleet's World cruise, May 1908.

    Collection of Rear Admiral Fred W. Conner.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 57KB; 740 x 595 pixels

     
    Photo #: 19-N-60-10-18

    Destroyers at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia
    , Autumn 1907

    These ships are (from left to right):
    USS Hull (Destroyer # 7);
    USS Lawrence (Destroyer # 8);
    USS Hopkins (Destroyer # 6);
    USS Whipple (Destroyer # 15) and
    USS Truxtun (Destroyer # 14).

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 595 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     


    For additional images of ships taken during the World cruise, or probably taken at that time, see:

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet" -- Ships Steaming in Heavy Weather.

    For further pictorial coverage of the "Great White Fleet":

  • World Cruise of the "Great White Fleet", December 1907 - February 1909 -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions.


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 11 September 2008