In a move that has ignited both controversy and conversation, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the renaming of a US Navy supply vessel previously dedicated to the iconic gay rights activist Harvey Milk. The vessel will now bear the name of Oscar V. Peterson, a chief petty officer and Medal of Honor recipient celebrated for his valor during the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II. Hegseth, in a statement released on the social media platform X, declared, 'We are taking the politics out of ship naming.' His accompanying video message emphasized, 'This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration. Instead, we are renaming the ship after a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.' Hegseth further asserted, 'People want to be proud of the ship they are sailing in.'

This decision comes amidst a broader cultural and political pushback against LGBTQ+ rights in the United States, a movement that has seen actions ranging from the banning of books associated with LGBTQ+ themes to the curtailment of transgender rights. The vessel had originally been named in 2016 by then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus as part of the John Lewis-class of oilers, intended to honor leaders who championed civil and human rights. Harvey Milk, who was tragically murdered in 1978 after serving as a San Francisco city supervisor, was a prominent figure in the gay rights movement. Known as the 'Mayor of Castro Street,' Milk served in the Navy as a diving officer on a submarine rescue ship but resigned with an "other than honorable" discharge due to his homosexuality.

The new namesake, Oscar V. Peterson, served on the USS Neosho, a vessel critically damaged by Japanese dive bombers on May 7, 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Despite sustaining severe injuries in a bombing raid, Peterson heroically closed four steam line valves, suffering third-degree burns to his face, shoulders, arms, and hands. His actions isolated the steam to the engine room, thereby maintaining the ship's operational status.

The timing of the announcement, coinciding with the onset of Pride Month, has not gone unnoticed. The decision to strip Milk's name from the ship has sparked a backlash from his friends and supporters. Cleve Jones, a close confidant of Milk and a fellow LGBTQ+ activist, expressed his dismay to the Associated Press, stating, 'Yes, this is cruel and petty and stupid, and yes, it’s an insult to my community.' He further remarked, 'I would be willing to wager a considerable sum that American families sitting around that proverbial kitchen table this evening are not going to be talking about how much safer they feel now that Harvey’s name is going to be taken off that ship.'

Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk's nephew, voiced his concerns that the renaming would serve as 'a rallying cry not just for our community but for all minority communities.' He added, 'I don’t think he’d be surprised, but he’d be calling on us to remain vigilant, to stay active.' Prominent political figures, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have condemned the change as an attempt to erase the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals and as an affront to core American values of honoring veterans. Newsom criticized Hegseth on X, stating, 'The right’s cancel culture is at it again. A cowardly act from a man desperate to distract us from his inability to lead the Pentagon.' The debate over the ship's name reflects broader societal tensions and the ongoing struggle for recognition and equality for marginalized communities.