US Navy Ship Renamed in Honor of WWII Hero

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses has announced that the US Navy ship Harvey Milk will be renamed to honor Oscar V. Peterson, a Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. This decision was first disclosed in early June.

During a recent announcement, Hegses confirmed that the ship, originally named after the gay civil rights activist Harvey Milk, will now be called “USNS Oscar V. Peterson.”

“We’re removing politics from the naming of ships,” Hegses stated. “We have not renamed the ship to anything political. Unlike the previous administration, this is not about political activists. Instead, we have renamed the ship after the recipient of the US Navy Congress’ Medal of Honor.”

In detailing Peterson’s heroism, Hegses mentioned that in 1942, Peterson was the chief watertender aboard the USS Neosho when it was attacked by a Japanese dive bomber. This attack resulted in significant damage to the ship and casualties among the repair crew.

“Peterson himself was seriously injured, but he was able to close the bulkhead stop valve on his own, which helped maintain the ship’s operation,” Hegses noted. “In carrying out his historical and heroic actions, Peterson suffered additional injuries and burns, which tragically led to his death.”

According to Hegses, Peterson’s bravery aligns with the traditions of the Navy, meriting the Medal of Honor.

Harvey Milk, who died in 1978, was the first openly gay person to hold elected office in California. The ship was named in his honor in 2016 during the Obama administration. Milk served in the Navy during the Korean War but was discharged instead of facing court for his sexual orientation. After his military service, he became a significant figure in civil rights and politics before his assassination in San Francisco in 1978.