In a move being called both political and deeply painful, the U.S. Department of Defense will strip Harvey Milk’s name from a Navy ship during Pride Month. According to Military.com, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, the first military ship named after an openly gay person.
A department official confirmed the timing is no accident, saying it aligns with efforts to restore what Hegseth calls “warrior culture.” The official announcement is expected on June 13. Launched in 2021 under President Biden, the USNS Harvey Milk honors a Navy veteran, gay rights icon, and trailblazing politician. Milk, elected to San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in 1977, was assassinated the following year. His legacy, especially among LGBTQ veterans and activists, is profound.
This renaming is part of a broader effort. CBS News reports that ships honoring civil rights heroes like Harriet Tubman, Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Medgar Evers, Cesar Chavez, Harvey Milk, and other prominent Americans are also under review. Queer leaders are calling this a direct attack.
Gay California State Senator Scott Weiner said,
“This is absolutely shameful. Harvey Milk was a hero. He was a veteran who served our country. He died for our community…Now Trump & Hegseth are wiping it away due to straight up bigotry.”
Stuart Milk, Harvey’s nephew, said the family is heartbroken. He spent time aboard the ship recently and recalled the pride of every sailor, regardless of background. He said,
“Harvey Milk’s legacy is certainly enhanced and celebrated by a US Naval Ship, however, his legacy will not be silenced or diminished by the renaming of that Naval ship.”
