US Navy Ship Renamed to Honor Medal of Honor Recipient

The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced that the US navy supply vessel named after Harvey Milk will be renamed after Oscar V Peterson, a chief petty officer and Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II. Hegseth stated that the renaming aims to remove politics from ship naming and honor a Medal of Honor recipient rather than a political activist. The decision comes amidst controversies surrounding LGBTQ+ rights in the US. The vessel was originally named after Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist and former navy officer. Peterson's heroic actions during the Battle of the Coral Sea saved his ship despite sustaining severe injuries.

In a move coinciding with the start of Pride month, Hegseth announced the renaming of the ship in early June, stripping Milk's name off the vessel. This decision sparked criticism from LGBTQ+ activists and supporters of Milk, who viewed it as an insult to the LGBTQ+ community. However, supporters of the renaming see it as a way to honor a Medal of Honor recipient and a call to remain vigilant in defending minority rights.

Elected officials, including Nancy Pelosi and Gavin Newsom, criticized the renaming as an attempt to erase LGBTQ+ contributions and an insult to American values. Newsom described the decision as a cowardly act to distract from leadership issues at the Pentagon.