US Dock, Malta- Over 100 years ago history was made when the United States “Great White Fleet,” went on a 43,000 mile journey that consisted of 20 port calls on six different continents.
President Theodore Roosevelt dreamt up the journey, and it lasted from December 1907 until February of 1909. Back then, President Roosevelt was trying to demonstrate the good will of the United States around the world, as well as demonstrating the power of the U.S. Fleet, moving a large number of ships from their Atlantic patrol routes to the Pacific.
The Great White Fleet has a number of sailors and Marines, over 14,000 in all.
Recently a United States ship, the USS Barry struck port in Malta, one of the locations that the historic Great White Fleet visited, to commemorate the anniversary of this great historical event.
The USS Barry is named after John Barry, father of the U.S. Navy, and it will participate in a reception while in Malta. The reception will be hosted by Rear Admiral Joe Leidig, and U.S. Ambassador Molly Bordonaro.
The United States 6th fleet is planning two other European port celebrations in different ports visited long ago by the Great White Fleet. Celebrations in late January in Messina, Italy along with another in Marseilles, France sometimes next week.
