Latest news with #USNSOscarVPeterson
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Harvey Milk, US 'gay rights icon, snubbed by Pentagon from a Navy ship. Who was he?
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.' Hegseth said in a video message Friday that the Navy ship honoring gay rights icon Harvey Milk has a new name. It is now named after Medal of Honor recipient Oscar V. Peterson, a chief petty officer who posthumously received the nation's highest honor for military valor in action. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist Reveals: The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo ALSO READ: Oscar Verner Peterson: WWII legend, after whom naval ship USNS Harvey Milk has been renamed, takes the helm Who was Harvey Milk? According to NewsWeek, Harvey Milk was one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States and a pioneering figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. He served for four years in the Navy during the Korean War, before he was forced out for being gay. Live Events In 1977, Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He championed civil rights legislation and LGBTQ+ advocacy during his brief but impactful time in office. Milk was assassinated in November 1978, just 11 months into his term, aged 48. In recognition of his legacy, the U.S. Navy named a ship—the USNS Harvey Milk—in his honor in 2016. He was also posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by then-President Barack Obama for his contributions to equality and human rights. ALSO READ: New twist in Trump's immigration crackdown: Kristi Noem drops bombshell, names target countries accepting deported migrants "Harvey was born May 22, 1930, in Woodmere, New York. Harvey and his one sibling, Robert, worked in the family's department store, 'Milks'; his Lithuanian born father, William, served in the U.S. Navy and as did his spirited, independent mother Minerva, also of Lithuanian heritage, who was a Yeomanette during World War I," says Harvey Milk Foundation . The life and career of Harvey Milk have been the subjects of an opera, books, and films. These include the Shilt's biography, The Mayor of Castro Street (1982); the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk by Robert Epstein(1984); and the Gus Van Sant directed drama Milk (2008). The latter film received eight Academy Award nominations, winning in two categories: Sean Penn was named best actor for his performance in the title role, and Dustin Lance Black won an Oscar for his screenplay.
Washington Post
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Hegseth directs renaming of Navy ship honoring LGBT icon Harvey Milk
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that a Navy vessel that recognizes gay rights icon Harvey Milk has been renamed, saying that ships should not be named for activists. The vessel will instead be known as the USNS Oscar V. Peterson, recognizing a sailor who earned the Medal of Honor, the nation's top award for valor in combat, in the Battle of the Coral Sea, a World War II clash in which U.S. and Australian forces fought the Japanese navy.
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.
