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FLEET FACTS

THE GREAT WHITE FLEET

Reference books
on the
Great White Fleet

Ships of the Great White Fleet

The composition of the Great White Fleet is best remembered for the "16 battleships" of white hulls that circumnavigated the globe. They were divided into two squadrons of two divisions in each squadron and led by four Admirals. The composition of the particular units did change when the ships departed for the second leg of the cruise with the changing of two of the units. Additionally, the battleships were escored by a "Torpedo Flotilla" during the first leg of the voyage, and through the journey a variety of fleet auxiliary ships including repair, stores, hospital and tenders. Below is a summary of the fleet composition.

First Leg of the Cruise: Rear Admiral Robbley D. Evans, Commanding

First Squadron

First Division Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, Commanding	Second Division Rear Admiral William H. Emory, Commanding
USS Connecticut, Flagship of the Commander in Chief. Captain Hugo Osterhaus	USS Georgia, Flagship of Divisional Commander Captain Henry McCrea
USS Kansas Captain Charrles E. Vreeland	USS New Jersey Captain William H. H. Southerland
USS Vermont Captain William P. Potter	USS Rhode Island Captain Joseph B. Murdock
USS Louisiana Captain Richard Wainwright	USS Virginia Captain Seaton Schroeder

Second Squadron

Third Division Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas, Commanding	Fourth Division Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry, Commanding
USS Minnesota, Flagship of Squadron Commander Captain John Hubbard	USS Alabama, Flagship of Squadron Commander Captain Ten Eyck DeW. Veeder
USS Maine Captain Giles B. Harber	USS Illinois Captain John M. Boyer
USS Missouri Captain Creenlief A. Merriam	USS Kearsarge Captain Hamilton Hutchins
USS Ohio Captain Charles W. Barlett	USS Kentucky Captain Walter C. Cowles

Fleet Auxilliaries

USS Culgoa (storeship, Hampton Roads to Manila) Lt. Commander John B. Patton	USS Glacier (storeship) Commander William S. Hogg
USS Panther (repair ship) Commander Valentine S. Nelson	USS Yankton (Tender) Lt. Walter R. Cherardi
USS Relief (Hospital Ship)

"Torpedo Flotilla" of Destroyers

USS Hopkins Lt. Alfred G. Howe	USS Stewart Lt. Julius F. Hellweg
USS Hull Lt. Frank McCommons	USS Truxton Lt. Charles S. Kerrick
USS Lawrence Lt. Ernest Friedrick	USS Whipple Lt. Hutch I. Cone
Arethusa (torpedo flotilla tender) Commander Albert W. Grant

Second Squadron

Other ships participated in this portion of the cruise included The Pathfinders, USS Washington and USS Tennessee we dispatched ahead of the fleet to California. They were met by other Armored Cruisers of the Pacific Fleet and visited ports in California and the Northwest with the Battleships. The Fleet's movement around South America also included six of the Navy's Torpedo Destroyers in a separate flotilla under the command of Lieutenant Hutchison I. Cone. These same Torpedo Destoryers would later be towed by Armored Cruisers to the Samoa Islands in August 1908. There were also numerous auxiliaries of the fleet, both American and British, that provide coal and supplies.

At San Francisco, Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry assumed command of the Fleet, owing to the poor health of Admiral Evans. At the same time, the USS Nebraska, Captain Reginald F. Nicholson, and the USS Wisconsin, Captain Frank E. Beatty, were substituted for the USS Maineand USS Alabama. Additionally several of the Admirals were changed, due to retirement age approaching, and several of the ship's captains were changed or promoted.

Second Leg of the Cruise: Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry, Commanding

First Squadron

First Division Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry, Commanding	Second Division Rear Admiral Richard Wainwright, Commanding
USS Connecticut, Flagship of the Commander in Chief. Captain Hugo Osterhaus	USS Georgia, Flagship of Divisional Commander Captain Edward F. Qualtrough
USS Kansas Captain Charrles E. Vreeland	USS Nebraska Captain Reginald F. Nicholson
USS Minnesota Captain Jjohn Hubbard	USS New Jersey Captain William H. H. Southerland
USS Vermont Captain William Potter	USS Rhode Island Captain Joseph B. Murdock

Second Squadron

Third Division Rear Admiral William H. Emory, Commanding	Fourth Division Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder, Commanding
USS Louisiana, Flagship of Squadron Commander Captain Kossuth Niles	USS Wisconsin, Flagship of Squadron Commander Captain Frank E. Beatty
USS Virginia Captain Alexander Sharp	USS Illinois Captain John M. Boyer
USS Missouri Captain Robert M. Doyle	USS Kearsarge Captain Hamilton Hutchins
USS Ohio Captain Thomas B. Howard	USS Kentucky Captain Walter C. Cowles

Fleet Auxilliaries

USS Culgoa (storeship, Hampton Roads to Manila) Lt. Commander John B. Patton	USS Glacier (storeship) Commander William S. Hogg
USS Panther (repair ship) Commander Valentine S. Nelson	USS Yankton (Tender) Lt. Command Charles B. McVay
USS Relief (Hospital Ship) Surgeon Charles F. Stokes

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