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The Independent
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Pete Hegseth reveals new name for USNS Harvey Milk as part of mission to take ‘politics out of ship naming'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that the U.S. Navy is officially renaming the ship formerly known as the USNS Harvey Milk to the USNS Oscar V Peterson. 'We are taking the politics out of ship naming,' Hegseth said in a social media video announcing the decision. 'We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration… People want to be proud of the ship they're sailing in.' Without addressing why Americans should not be proud of Harvey Milk, a naval veteran who became the country's first openly gay elected politician before being assassinated in 1978, Hegseth went on to recount the story of the Pentagon 's choice of replacement honoree, Oscar Vernel Peterson (1899-1942). Chief Watertender Peterson is famed for his actions in the Battle of the Coral Sea during the Second World War, in which he was gravely wounded when Japanese dive bombers targeted the USS Neosho in the Pacific, but nevertheless managed to single-handedly close the ship's bulkhead stop valves to keep it operational. Peterson subsequently died from the injuries he sustained during the onslaught and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. 'His spirit of self-sacrifice and concern for his fellow crewmates was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy,' Hegseth said. The Independent asked the Department of Defense for more information about the rationale behind the renaming and was told by a U.S. official: 'Based on typical Navy maintenance cycles, the complexities of repainting, updating official symbols, and procuring branded materials, it is estimated that the collective updates would be completed within a period of no longer than six months after funding. 'There was a review of all installations and assets conducted to ensure all installations and assets are reflective of the commander-in-chief's priorities, the nation's history and the warrior ethos. There are no plans to rename any other ships in this class.' The initial announcement of the decision earlier this month was met with dismay by LGBT+ rights activists, who accused Donald Trump 's administration of wanting to 'erase a lot of history' by dropping Milk's name from the fleet replenishment oiler. Not all Navy veterans were on board either, with one telling NBC News that the renaming 'does nothing to help crew members prepare for war,' amounts to 'nothing but a distraction.' It was subsequently reported that other ships were under consideration for renaming as part of Hegseth's purge of 'woke' ideology from the military, including the USNS Thurgood Marshall, the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the USNS Harriet Tubman, the USNS Dolores Huerta, the USNS Lucy Stone, the USNS Cesar Chavez, and the USNS Medgar Evers. 'Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all Department of Defense installations and assets are reflective of the commander-in-chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos,' the Pentagon said in a statement at the time.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Private Fitz Lee: Dinwiddie native, Medal of Honor recipient and new namesake for Fort Lee
Fort Lee is officially back. The general order from the Department of Defense redesignating Fort Gregg-Adams has been signed, sealed and delivered. The next step is changing signs and other references both on and off post. Amid all the discussions on the name change, one question likely on the minds of citizens is, just for whom is the post being named? While he may not be as well-known as the original namesake, Fitz Lee does have ties to this community that Robert E. Lee did not. For example, Fitz Lee was born in Dinwiddie County in central Virginia, while Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, part of Virginia's Northern Neck and more than 100 miles from Dinwiddie. Fitz Lee never achieved an Army rank higher than private, while Robert E. Lee was a colonel in the United State Army before resigning his commission and becoming general and the commanding officer of Confederate forces in the Civil War. Fitz Lee was also born one year after Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, ending the Civil War. Fitz Lee was a member of the famous 'Buffalo Soldiers' regiments consisting of all-Black soldiers in the U.S. Army who served west of the Mississippi River following the Civil War. He is one of 30 Buffalo Soldiers to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. To be clear, Fitz Lee has no familial connections to Robert E. Lee, so in restoring the name Lee to the Prince George County post, the change does not violate Section 1749 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, which renamed Fort Lee and two others in Virginia to represent diversity in the Army. More: What students, officials say about VSU appearance as only HBCU in prestigious NASA event While the two men are not related, there was in fact a 'Fitz Lee' within the Confederate general's family. Fitzhugh 'Fitz' Lee served as a general in the Confederate army under his uncle, Robert E. Lee, and later was Virginia governor from 1886-90. He had been indicted for treason for his Confederate role but was later pardoned and was one of four former Confederate generals to be brought back to U.S. military service during the Spanish-American War – even though he saw no action. Ironically, Fitzhugh Lee was a major general in the same war in which Private Fitz Lee served and received the Medal of Honor. Fitzhugh Lee retired from military service in 1901 and died four years later at the age of 69. More: Former Sycamore Grove developer reacts to Petersburg pulling contract: 'City simply walked away' A National Park Service online biography states that Fitz Lee was born in June 1866 in Dinwiddie County. In 1889 in Philadelphia, he enlisted in the Tenth Cavalry M Troop. As the U.S. mobilized for war with Spain in 1898, Lee was among 50 Buffalo soldiers chosen to go behind enemy lines in Cuba and reinforce freedom fighters supporting Cuban independence from Spain. Following an unsuccessful attempt to rescue wounded soldiers at Tayabacoa, Cuba, Lee and four comrades volunteered to try again. This time, they surprised the Spanish soldiers holding the wounded Americans and were able to get them aboard the USS Florida safely. The mission took its toll on Lee's health, though. He returned to the U.S. and was bedridden in the hospital at Fort Bliss, Texas, with severe abdominal pain, swollen limbs and fading eyesight. He received the Medal of Honor while in the hospital and was honorably discharged from the Army several days later. Lee went to Leavenworth, Kansas, to live with other former Buffalo Soldiers, but his health continued to deteriorate. He died Sept. 14, 1899, at a friend's home and was buried with full military honors in Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. 'Fitz Lee's legacy is one of bravery, humility, and unshakable dedication to his fellow soldiers,' Major Gen. Donahue said in a June 16 statement from the post. 'By bearing his name, this installation deepens its connection to our local heritage and our Army's enduring values.' Fort Lee's former name that was issued in April 2023 honored the late Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and the late Lt. Col. Charity Adams. Gregg was a logistics expert who served at Fort Lee on several occasions and was the highest-ranking officer of color when he retired. Adams led a group of Black women soldiers who delivered mail to the battlegrounds of the European Theater in World War II. More: More changes ahead for Fort Gregg-Adams. What's the future for U.S. Army Women's Museum? The renaming order, signed by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, is simple and straightforward in its wording. The name change became effective June 11 and states that Fort Gregg-Adams is 'redesignated as Fort Lee in honor of Private Fitz Lee.' It was issued on the same day as orders renaming Fort Barfoot in Nottoway County as Fort Pickett and Fort Walker in Caroline County as Fort Anderson-Pinn-Hill, shortened to 'A.P. Hill.' Fort Pickett is named for First Lt. Vernon Pickett, who received the Distinguished Service Cross for World War II service. Originally named for Confederal Gen. George Pickett, the now-headquarters of the Virginia National Guard was changed to Fort Barfoot in 2023 in memory of Col. Van Barfoot, a World War II hero of Native American heritage who received the Medal of Honor. Fort A.P. Hill is named for Private Bruce Anderson, First Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Lt. Col. Edward Hill. All three received the Medal of Honor for their bravery in Virginia and North Carolina campaigns. It was originally named for Confederate Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill Jr. but was changed to Fort Walker in memory of Dr. Mary Walker, a Civil War surgeon and the only woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor. While the general order has been issued, an Army spokesperson told The Progress-Index that the 'implementation order' – setting the schedule and logistics for the new name and its signage – has not been issued. Asked when that will take place, the spokesperson replied, 'Soon.' A Fort Lee spokesperson told The Progress-Index that the post was already working on sign changes and other materials, and plans to launch an educational campaign highlighting the life of its new namesake. More: More changes ahead for Fort Gregg-Adams. What's the future for U.S. Army Women's Museum? Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@ or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Fort Lee's new namesake is a Medal of Honor winner from Dinwiddie County
