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Great White Fleet Anniversary Honored in Northwest

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080519-15
Release Date: 5/19/2008 3:56:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Christopher Gethings, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Det. Northwest

BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) Commanding Officer Cmdr. Ben Pearson commemorated the Great White Fleet by exchanging gifts with Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman just before the kick off of Bremerton's 60th Annual Armed Forces Day Parade on May 17.

Pearson presented Bozeman and the city of Bremerton with a plaque honoring the Great White Fleet's visit to the Puget Sound 100 years ago, including the battleship USS Kentucky's (BB 6) visit to Bremerton.

"Mr. Mayor, on behalf of the crew of USS Kentucky, past and present, I'd like to thank the city of Bremerton and yourself for all the great work that the city has done and the shipyard does," said Pearson. "We appreciate all the hard work you do for us."

In exchange, Bozeman handed over to Pearson and Kentucky the key to the city, which he said "will open any door to the city for the United States Navy, anytime."

Bozeman cited the Great White Fleet's influence as a key to the long-standing relationship between Bremerton and the Navy.

"One hundred years ago, I think the Great White Fleet, by coming into this port, established Bremerton and its shipyard as a place that was going to be in the Navy's future," Bozeman said. "And that's certainly the way it has turned out, and we're proud to be a part of the United States Navy."

The Navy League also presented Pearson and the crew of Kentucky with a plaque commemorating the visit by the Great White Fleet.

The Great White Fleet, comprised of 16 Atlantic fleet battleships, was sent around the world by President Theodore Roosevelt from 1907 to 1909 to show Japan how agile his Navy was. The unprecedented display of sea power traveled some 43,000 miles, was manned by 14,000 Sailors and made stops at 20 ports on six continents.

Battleship Kentucky, in need of maintenance, pulled directly into Bremerton's naval shipyard.

"You've mentioned a couple times that the Great White Fleet was here 100 years ago," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead said following the exchange of gifts. "That began a Navy that is the most dominant Navy in the world today -- a Navy that is global, that is ready to respond to whatever may be required."

Along with Kentucky and Bremerton's Great White Fleet commemoration, six other crews from submarines sharing names with ships of the Great White Fleet participated in celebrations at various Washington cities: USS Connecticut (SSN 22) in Bellingham, USS Ohio (SSGN 726) in Port Angeles, USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) in Port Townsend, USS Maine (SSBN 741) in Tacoma and USS Alabama (SSBN 731) in Seattle.

For more news from Commander, Navy Region Northwest, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnrnw/.