United State Navy Petty Officer's uniform

Datec 1908

Object numberV00027584

NameUniform

MediumWool

DimensionsOverall: 1040 x 350 x 10 mm, 0.65 kg

ClassificationsClothing and personal items

Credit LineANMM Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds

Terms

United States

DescriptionThese blue bell bottomed trousers and jumper were the standard work uniform worn by United State's Navy Petty Officer G W Allen. Allen served on USS CONNECTICUT during its role as flagship for the American Great White Fleet tour in 1908. The tour was a major world press exercise and an expression of American military power.HistoryIn December 1907 United States President Theodore Roosevelt sent a US Atlantic Battle Fleet of 16 battleships on a 14 month goodwill cruise around the world. The fleet was a chance for the Navy to practice seamanship and express America's world power. Roosevelt was also concerned about rising Japanese aggression and their expansionist foreign policy. The cruise would be a political and public relations exercise to build domestic support for more naval construction. Led by the flagship, USS CONNECTICUT, the Great White Fleet as it became known, consisted of 16 battleships painted white, as was the practice of all US Navy ships in times of peace. The ships sailed in four divisions of four ships each. Early in the voyage the order of the ships was altered to allow the best-looking vessels to be at the front of the fleet. The cruise incorporated six continents, 26 countries and 32 ports with 614 officers and 13,504 crew. It consumed 435,000 tons of coal, more than any other naval expedition and was the largest fleet to ever accomplish a circumnavigation of the globe. Australia was not originally on the itinerary route of the Great White Fleet, who only decided to visit after receiving a direct invitation from the Prime Minister Alfred Deakin. One quarter of the Australian population, over one million people, saw the Great White Fleet during its three-week visit to Sydney, Melbourne and Albany. Public holidays were declared and enthusiastic crowds flocked to see the ships and parades. Vast arrays of souvenirs were produced for a population caught up in the euphoria. USS CONNECTICUT was the leading vessel of six Connecticut class battleships. Launched on 29 September 1904 it became flagship of the Atlantic Fleet and the Great White Fleet's world time peace tour between 1907 and 1909. During World War I CONNECTICUT was used for training and transport purposes. By the 1920s it was a training ship and had completed service in the Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific. On 1 March 1923 CONNECTICUT was decommissioned and sold for scrap to comply with the Washington Treaty. SignificanceThis uniform is representative of standard work wear worn by United States' navy officers during the early 20th century, specifically highlighting the visit of seamen G W Allen and the American Great White Fleet to Australia in 1908.