Navy to Rename Ship Previously Dedicated to Harvey Milk, Citing Move to “Depoliticize” Military Honors
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the United States Navy will officially rename a fleet replenishment oiler previously named after Harvey Milk, the trailblazing gay rights activist and former Navy veteran. This decision is part of a broader policy shift by the Trump administration aimed at removing what it deems to be political influences from military and federal institutions.
Hegseth, a vocal advocate for the change, first hinted at the renaming earlier in June. In Friday’s statement—posted to social media platform X—he stated that the goal of the decision is to “take the politics out of ship naming.” He added, “This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration. Instead, we’re renaming the ship after a United States Navy Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, as it should be.”
The ship will now be named after Oscar V. Peterson, a Navy chief machinist’s mate who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during World War II. Peterson was gravely injured while attempting to shut down fuel valves aboard the USS Neosho during the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942, ultimately succumbing to his wounds. His bravery has long been honored in Navy circles.
In contrast, Harvey Milk, who served in the Navy during the Korean War, became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. His legacy as a civil rights pioneer was recognized in 2016 when the Obama administration named the USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) in his honor—a landmark move for LGBTQ+ visibility within the armed forces.
The renaming marks a notable shift in the Department of Defense’s approach to commemorative ship naming. It comes amid a wider Trump administration initiative to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies, universities, and the military. These efforts have sparked both support and controversy, particularly in cases like this, where historic recognitions are being reconsidered or reversed.
GorgeousTrends previously reported that additional Navy ships named after civil rights figures and notable women may also be under review for potential renaming, though Hegseth did not address any specific vessels beyond the USNS Harvey Milk in his latest remarks.
