In a significant shift in naval commemoration, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly announced the renaming of a Navy ship previously dedicated to Harvey Milk, a notable gay rights activist, to honor Oscar V. Peterson, a World War II hero.
The decision reflects a broader effort to reframe naval honors away from political symbolism and toward military valor.
The ship, formerly known as the USNS Harvey Milk, will now bear the name USNS Oscar V. Peterson. Hegseth emphasized that the renaming aims to restore a focus on military achievements rather than the political affiliations of past administrations.
“We are taking the politics out of ship naming,” he stated. “This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration.”
Oscar Peterson, a chief watertender in the Navy, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942.
Despite being severely wounded while leading a repair party aboard the USS Neosho, Peterson’s efforts helped keep the ship operational amid a devastating attack by Japanese forces. He succumbed to his injuries days later, a sacrifice that Hegseth highlighted as exemplary of naval tradition.
The renaming has drawn mixed reactions. Critics of the previous naming decision, which occurred during the Obama administration, argue that the choice to honor Milk was driven more by political correctness than by military significance.
Milk, a San Francisco city supervisor, was assassinated in 1978, but his naval service has been described as “utterly unremarkable.”
Supporters of the renaming see it as a necessary correction. Hegseth’s announcement comes at a time when discussions about representation and symbolism in the military are increasingly contentious.
The decision to honor a decorated war hero over a political figure signals a shift in how the Navy may approach such honors in the future.
As the USNS Oscar V. Peterson joins the Navy’s fleet, it stands not only as a tribute to a fallen hero but also as a reflection of the evolving discourse surrounding military commemoration and identity in contemporary America.
The change has sparked conversations about the balance between honoring diverse histories and maintaining a focus on military valor, a debate that is likely to continue as the Navy navigates its future.
[READ MORE: Supreme Court Reins In Lower Courts’ Use of Nationwide Injunctions Against Trump Policies]
