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Here's a great article I found at www.northwestnavigator.com: -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Shoup (DDG 86) arrived in Albany, Australia Sept. 10 to commemorate the centennial of a landmark event in U.S. Navy history—the voyage of the Great White Fleet. One hundred years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt sent a portion of the Atlantic Fleet on a world tour to test naval readiness, establish global presence, and generate international goodwill. Sixteen battleships, plus auxiliary support ships and 14,000 Sailors and Marines embarked on a 14-month journey that covered some 43,000 miles and made 20 port calls on six continents. The participating ships, painted white except for gilded scrollwork on their bows, later became known as the “Great White Fleet.” This deployment demonstrated to the world that the United States had arrived as a significant, outward-looking world power and a naval force to be reckoned with. Albany, a small city of 30,000 on the southwest coast of Australia, was one of the Great White Fleet’s original ports of call in 1908. After stops in Sydney and Melbourne, the battleships pulled into Albany for several days to onload coal and enjoy liberty with the friendly local residents. Now, 100 years later, Shoup is commemorating this historic visit and renewing the ties of friendship between Australia and the U.S. Navy that were established by the Great White Fleet. “Australia and the United States have a great deal in common,” said Shoup Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Mike Lehman. “Long-standing partnerships with allies such as Australia are an important part of ensuring regional stability and security.” “This port visit is also a great chance for Shoup’s crew to enjoy some well-deserved liberty,” Lehman added.  The festivities began with a ceremonial parade of ships into Albany Harbor with Shoup following the Australian ships HMAS Darwin (FFG 04) and HMAS Sirius (OR 266) into port. The ships were honored with a seven-gun salute from 100-year old cannons at the Royal Princess Fort. Other events included a Sept. 11 commemoration ceremony, public tours of Shoup, a city parade and a joint sports day with the Royal Australian Navy and local sports clubs. The Everett home ported Shoup is on its way home from a seven-month deployment to the Middle East with the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group. http://www.northwestnavigator.com/index.php/navigator/regionalnews/shoup_commemorates_great_white_fleet_in_australia/