The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the group of United States Navy battleships that completed a journey around the globe from December 16, 1907, to February 22, 1909, by order of President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with various small escorts,The Great White Fleet by Department of the Navy – Naval History and Heritage Command Archived copy at the Library of Congress (4 February 2012). and earned its moniker for the stark white paint on its hulls.
