Germany’s Guns Go Glam for US Welcome

Fort Monroe, Virginia – June 1, 1912 – The presidential welcome of the visiting German warship, Kaiser’s Three Big Fighting Machines, marked the beginning of a whirlwind of festivities and official functions. But as the German warships docked in the port, the real story was one of meticulous preparation and a dash of diplomacy. The trio of German behemoths, led by the mighty Mayflower, slipped into Hampton Roads from Lynnhaven Bay early that morning, escorted by the ships of Admiral Winship’s Third Division of the US fleet. Both squadrons fired a 21-gun salute as the Mayflower tied up, with President Taft and German Ambassador Count von Bernstorff on hand to greet the visitors.