Navy mulls new name for USNS Harvey Milk and ships named for civil rights leaders

[riversedge]

Last edited Tue Jun 3, 2025, 06:14 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: CBS news



Mary Walsh, Updated on: June 3, 2025 / 2:29 PM EDT



...............U.S. Navy documents obtained by CBS News and used to brief the secretary of the Navy and his chief of staff show proposed timelines for rolling out the name change of the USNS Harvey Milk to the public. While the documents do not say what the ship's new name would be, the proposal comes during Pride Month, the monthlong observance of the LGBTQ+ community that also coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising of 1969. WorldPride celebrations are being held in Washington, D.C., this year.

The documents obtained by CBS News also show other vessels named after prominent leaders are also on the Navy's renaming "recommended list."

..................

"The reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS Harvey Milk and other ships in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream," Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi told CBS News in statement.

She added, "Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the "warrior" ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country." .........................


Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/navy-new-name-usns-harvey-milk-ships-named-for-civil-rights-leaders/

---

I have no doubt that Trump and his pals are pushing this!!




@dave_brown24
Other ships being recommended for renaming are the USNS Thurgood Marshall, USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, USNS Harriet Tubman, USNS Dolores Huerta, USNS Lucy Stone, USNS Cesar Chavez and USNS Medgar Evers

Link to tweet

Norfolk Va., (Sept. 24, 2024) — Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARS) aboard Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206) completed their first replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with two Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessels. LaShawn Sykes

[patphil]

1. I would think Trump would want to sell ship names to the highest bidders.

Then we could have ships named:

USNS Peter Theil
USNS Elon Musk
USNS Justin Sun

and so on.

[Bayard]

2. Enough of this ridiculous crap!

They don't even care if they show how misogynistic and racist they are. trump will want the mostest big ship in the world with his name and picture on it--made of solid gold.

[EX500rider]

3. IMO they should all be named after Navy hero's & battles

ie:

Doris "Dorie" Miller (from Pearl Harbor)
Midway
Coral Sea etc

Or pick them all from this page: (USN Medal of Honor Winners)

https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/page/52?branches%5B0%5D=us-navy

[thought crime]

16. And submarines named after fish.

Last edited Wed Jun 4, 2025, 10:33 AM - Edit history (1)

Naming conventions are hopelessly corrupted by politicians.

Most aircraft carriers are now named after US presidents. George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are slated to have carriers named after them. Ironically, this began when an aircraft carrier was named after FDR when he died in office at the end of WW II, and was continued with one named after JFK.

Most Destroyers are named after deceased Navy or Marine service members. But a good number are named after Secretaries of the Navy and Senators.

It has become a partisan game and a political reward system. The "victims" are the crews who have to serve on ships with such uninspiring names.

[EX500rider]

20. Did you mean submarines named after fish?

But I agree it should be named after somebody who did something heroic while in this Navy service as an inspiration to those serving

[thought crime]

21. oops. Thanks

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. Maddow Blog-Pete Hegseth orders the Navy to rename the USNS Harvey Milk

Navy tradition and basic decency make clear the beleaguered defense secretary shouldn’t rename the ship. Hegseth is doing it anyway.

Navy traditions — and basic decency — make clear that Pete Hegseth shouldn't re-name the USNS Harvey Milk.

The beleaguered, scandal-plagued defense secretary is doing it anyway. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-06-03T19:36:06.567Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/pete-hegseth-orders-navy-rename-usns-harvey-milk-rcna210721

Soon after becoming the nation’s latest defense secretary, Pete Hegseth went right to work tackling one of his top priorities: He started renaming things.....

Evidently, he wasn’t kidding. Military.com reported:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to take the rare step of renaming a ship, one that bears the name of a gay rights icon, documents and sources show. Military.com reviewed a memorandum from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy — the official who holds the power to name Navy ships — that showed the sea service had come up with rollout plans for the renaming of the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk.

NBC News confirmed the reporting, adding that the change is likely to be implemented quickly.

When then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced nearly a decade ago that the service would name a fleet oiler after Milk, it wasn’t especially controversial. Milk came from a Navy family, served in the Navy stateside during the Korean War on a submarine rescue ship, and was honorably discharged after four years. He went on to become a celebrated civil rights pioneer in San Francisco and popular local elected official.

So why in the world would Hegseth want to name the ship? The defense secretary hasn’t publicly commented, but the fact that Milk was gay apparently mattered a great deal......

Hegseth, evidently, is prioritizing his culture war agenda over Navy traditions.

“

The reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS Harvey Milk and other ships in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream,”

House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said in a written statement. “Our military is the most powerful in the world — but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the ‘warrior’ ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country.”

The California Democrat added, “As the rest of us are celebrating the joy of Pride Month, it is my hope that the Navy will reconsider this egregious decision and continue to recognize the extraordinary contributions of Harvey Milk, a veteran himself, and all Americans who forged historic progress for our nation.”

[Emile]

5. How long before they name ships after the Draft Dodger Trump?

[Ilsa]

9. You know it's going to happen. Boat, bridge, highway, ship.

Some asshole in Congress wanted to rename Reagan National in DC for Trump. From what I hear from family, no one in Washington calls it Reagan - they still call it National.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

30. I was in air traffic control while in the military.

There is no way I’ll refer to Washington National Airport as “Reagan” after what he did to air traffic controllers.

[Ilsa]

33. I hear you! Renaming National was an obscenity. nt

[70sEraVet]

17. USS Bonespurs??

USS Taco?
USS Felon CT34?
USS Mushroomdick?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. Harriet Tubman is too "woke" for Pete Hegseth

Hegseth is a racist asshole

Link to tweet

[sakabatou]

7. *headdesk*

[manicdem]

8. Ships should be named after servicemembers

Ships should be named after military servicemembers, battles, or civilians with a major role in supporting the military. It's to honor their service and sacrifice.

There are many other things to name civil rights leaders. Buildings, monuments, streets, towns, etc.

[70sEraVet]

19. As a former sailor,

A ship's name should be one that instills pride and dedication in her crew.
I recall feeling sadness and anger during Trump's first term, when the crew of the USS John McCain were forced to hide the name of their ship. What an insult to those sailors!!
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48456742

[Ilsa]

10. Tell them we'll just change the names back in four years. nt

[Wonder Why]

11. How about : "USS Cowardly Admirals"?

[Colorado Liberal]

12. USS White Male Snowflakes

[TomSlick]

13. I'm a retired Army guy and don't know from boats but isn't it bad luck to change a ship's name?

[Hugin]

29. That's what I am thinking.

I am sure one up for renaming will be the McCain. However, they aren’t going to say that part out loud.

Small men… Save us from the acts of small men.

[riversedge]

14. ... US Navy to rename vessels named after Harriet Tubman, Thurgood Marshall, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Spunky0613 reposted
No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen
@NoLieWithBTC
The Trump administration is preparing to order the US Navy to rename vessels named after Harriet Tubman, Thurgood Marshall, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Link to tweet

[LudwigPastorius]

15. They are going to rename them for Confederate generals.

Count on it.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. VoteVets slams decision to strip Harvey Milk's name from Navy ship.

🚨NEW: VoteVets slams decision to strip Harvey Milk’s name from Navy ship.

“This isn’t just offensive—it’s a calculated act of disrespect.”

It's not about tradition. It’s about forcing out those who don’t fit Hegseth’s 1980s action figure fantasy of service.

FULL STATEMENT ⬇️

— VoteVets (@votevets.org) 2025-06-03T21:08:07.232Z

[republianmushroom]

22. Could name it 'Orange Turd Taco' for trump.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

23. Harvey Milk was also a Navy Veteran.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

24. I'm waiting for TANG to order the largest ever aircraft carrier and to name it after himself.

His acolytes in Congress already are pushing to rename Dulles to "President Donald J. Trump International Airport."

He'll probably push to rename the Atlantic Ocean the "Trump American Ocean."

IHDY? (Is he dead yet?)

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

25. How about "USNS Boatie McWarriorFace". Much badass, that name. nt

[Duncanpup]

26. They are all fucking bigots.

[BoRaGard]

27. US Stinkpot Krasnov (R-Felon/Rapist)

[JustAnotherGen]

28. Harriet Tubman - who lead multiple raids

On a foreign adversary and worked with the Mass 54th, spied for America . . .

And they want to erase this Patriot from America.

Culture. The maga Repub Culture does not define her, or any of the others as Americans.


Open your eyes folks. Shit is getting real in the Define Who Is An American in the Culture War.

[Bluestocking]

31. Some people say that

Trumps first choice is USS Putin

[doc03]

32. They could name them after the traitors and sunken ships of the Confederate Navy nt