Navy to Rename Ship Honoring Gay Rights Icon Harvey Milk
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the U.S. Navy to rename a ship named after Navy veteran and early gay rights leader Harvey Milk. He framed the directive as part of a broader effort to reshape military culture.
The USNS Harvey Milk launched in 2021 to honor Milk’s military service during the Korean War and his role as one of the first openly gay elected officials. In 1955, the Navy forced Milk to resign due to his sexual orientation and issued him an “other than honorable” discharge.
The announcement, made during Pride Month, drew strong criticism from public officials and advocacy groups.
- Ship named in 2021
- Tribute to Milk’s military service and activism
- Discharged in 1955 for being gay
- Order follows effort to remove DEI programs
- New ship name not yet shared
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said, “This is a shameful, vindictive erasure of the contributions of LGBTQ+ Americans.” Similarly, Governor Gavin Newsom called the move an action that “reveals Trump’s contempt for the very values our veterans fight to protect.”
The Navy may also rename other ships that honor civil rights figures, including those named for Thurgood Marshall and Cesar Chavez. Hegseth described the initiative as a step toward building a stronger “warrior culture” in the armed forces.
More…
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/navy-new-name-usns-harvey-milk-ships-named-for-civil-rights-leaders/Â
- https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/trump-reportedly-strip-harvey-milk-name-naval-20359355.php
- https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/03/hegseth-orders-navy-strip-name-of-gay-rights-icon-harvey-milk-ship.html
- https://www.overheresf.com/lgbtq-travel-in-san-francisco/
