Beginnings

On the late afternoon of August 9, 1919
Seven leviathans approached Long Beach California from the sea. These large gray warships of the United States Navy, in line ahead formation, slowly sailed past the San Pedro breakwater and dropped anchor. Commanded by Admiral Rodman, this force of dreadnought battleships was the beginning of the new United States Pacific Fleet.

In late 1918, soon after the end of World War I, President of The United States, Woodrow Wilson, ordered the navy to transfer 200 warships and naval auxiliaries to the pacific west coast. With the end of hostilities in the Atlantic and Europe, naval strategists and planners assumed the next potential threat to The United States was the growing Japanese Imperial Fleet. Although Japan was a loyal ally during World War I, the political situation there was unclear regarding Japan's future intentions. The transfer of the United States Fleet to the Pacific west coast was intended to counter that possible threat.