\ The U.S. Navy is preparing to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a fleet replenishment oiler named after the slain gay rights leader and Navy veteran, according to documents obtained by CBS News. This move, coming during Pride Month and amid WorldPride celebrations in Washington, signals a broader reassessment of how the Navy names ships that honor civil rights figures.
The documents show that the Navy’s internal proposal includes a timeline for rolling out the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk to the public. While the documents don’t specify what the new name will be, they indicate that Navy Secretary John Phelan is set to approve the change within days, with senior Navy officials expected to receive the announcement following legal review.
Beyond the USNS Harvey Milk, other ships named for influential civil rights leaders—including the USNS Thurgood Marshall, USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, USNS Harriet Tubman, USNS Dolores Huerta, USNS Lucy Stone, USNS Cesar Chavez, and USNS Medgar Evers—are also on a recommended list for potential renaming, reflecting a broader review under the current administration.
This decision is part of a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued in January, instructing the Pentagon and all military branches to halt official events tied to heritage and awareness months—including Pride Month, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month—citing concerns that such observances could undermine unity within the ranks. That policy, known internally as “Identity Months Dead at DoD,” has faced swift backlash from lawmakers and civil rights advocates.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the potential name changes, calling them “a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream.” She emphasized that the move does not enhance national security or military readiness but instead weakens core American values of inclusivity.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the effort as “an utter abomination in terms of the extreme MAGA Republican effort to continue to erase American history,” and vowed to oppose it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also expressed his disapproval, urging Hegseth to reverse the decision immediately.
The USNS Harvey Milk, commissioned in 2021, is part of the John Lewis-class of replenishment oilers—ships originally named to honor Congressman John Lewis, the civil rights leader who died in 2020. Milk himself was an icon of LGBTQ+ political empowerment, becoming one of America’s first openly gay elected officials when he joined the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. His life was cut short in 1978 when he was assassinated in City Hall.
Milk’s legacy is closely tied to his Navy service from 1952 to 1954, when he served aboard submarine rescue ships during the Korean War. His career ended with an “Other Than Honorable” discharge after he faced a court-martial for a homosexual act, a common fate for LGBTQ+ service members in that era. In 2021, the Navy reached out to Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, to offer to upgrade his uncle’s discharge, but he declined, saying it was an important reminder of historic injustice.
Renaming a ship after it enters service is unusual but not without precedent. The Navy recently renamed the USNS Maury, originally named for a Confederate sailor, to the USNS Marie Tharp, after the pioneering female oceanographer. Likewise, the guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, named after a Confederate victory, was recommended to be renamed for Robert Smalls, the enslaved man who famously captured a Confederate vessel and delivered it to Union forces.
In the documents reviewed by CBS News, the Navy stated that renaming ships is part of a broader effort to “reestablish the warrior culture” in line with the Trump administration’s priorities. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that Secretary Hegseth’s focus is to ensure that names on military installations and ships align with the Commander-in-Chief’s vision of American history and military readiness.
The final decision on the USNS Harvey Milk’s name is expected to be announced this week after legal review. As this process unfolds, it will likely fuel debate over how the military honors its heroes and how the nation balances history, inclusivity, and unity.
