By Morgan Phillips | Fox News
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a Navy oil tanker named after gay rights leader Harvey Milk will be renamed after Medal of Honor recipient Oscar V. Peterson.
“We are taking the politics out of ship naming,” he wrote on X along with a video announcing the move.
Milk was California’s first openly gay politician, who was shot and killed inside San Francisco city hall by former San Francisco supervisor Dan White. The ship, a fleet replenishment oiler, was originally named after him in 2016 under President Barack Obama.
He served four years in the Navy in the Korean War but left due to his sexuality.
Peterson was awarded the Medal of Honor after his death, having died of his wounds during battle in World War II in an act of self-sacrifice that saved lives.
“People want to be proud of the ship they’re sailing in,” Hegseth said of the change.
“We’re not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration.”
Peterson, who spent 20 years in the Navy, was in charge of running the steam engine in the U.S.S. Neosho when it came under Japanese fire in the Philippines in 1942.
On May 7, 1942, the Neosho was severely damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Peterson and other members of his repair party were badly injured, but Peterson managed to close four bulkhead steam valves. He sustained third-degree burns in the process, but the move kept the ship afloat. On May 11, the U.S.S. Henley rescued 123 survivors from the Neosho, and Peterson died two days later from his wounds.
The renaming comes amid a push from Hegseth to remove DEI and “woke” policies from the Department of Defense.
When the move was first reported earlier this month, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the move a “shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream.”
“As the rest of us are celebrating the joy of Pride Month, it is my hope that the Navy will reconsider this egregious decision,” Pelosi said in a statement.
I am pleased to announce that the United States Navy is renaming the USNS Harvey Milk to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.
We are taking the politics out of ship naming. pic.twitter.com/2ypwAQGdAl
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) June 27, 2025
This tweet has nearly 7 MILLION views:
What People Are Saying
Comments on the article (5.2K so far)
“As a retired naval officer, I 100% support this action. Thanks SecDef Hegseth for honoring a Navy hero who served honorably!!”
“It is so nice and such a breath of fresh air to have a country that I’m proud to be a part of again. We have been the world’s punching bag for four years and it’s so great that it’s ending. Look out World, we are back.”
“This was clearly the right thing to do. Naming a military vessel after a political activist regardless of his politics is just wrong, they knew that in 2016 but did it anyway to rub everyone’s nose in their politics. Good job Pete.”
“As a gay person, I have no issue with this. In my opinion war ships should be named after warriors, or any name that would strike fear in the enemy. Harvey Milk is a left wing political figure. The left should stop trying to speak for all of us.”
“We’re not all celebrating Pride Month, Nancy. Some of us are celebrating the return of President Trump and his accomplishments. In fact, according to ballots and polls, most of us are.”
“Wow! Oscar V Peterson! What a brave man! Gave his life to burns to save his ship and all the lives aboard! Now that’s a military hero to commemorate, honor and remember! Hegseth you’re absolutely right when you said “People want to be proud of the ship they’re sailing in.” I’m not even sailing in it and I’m proud of it too! Thank you Peterson for your selfless valor and ultimate sacrifice and Hegseth for returning America’s Navy to the right values!”
“Yes, it’s Pride Month. I’m proud too, proud to be “straight”, proud to be conservative, and proud to stand by my values without needing a flag or a hashtag. There’s honest pride and there’s performative pride. Pick a side. I already have.”
“Hegseth restored dignity to the ship. Nancy has no concept of dignity.”
“I’m gay and I approve of the name change. Peterson gave his life to save a ship load of people.”
“Why does someone get a ship named after them for being gay? Who wants to serve on a ship named after a gay guy? This was stupid from the start.”
“We in the military are too busy defending and rebuilding all the wrongs that were imposed in the military by and picked yes men and woman Generals who never even saw combat but disgrace the uniform and flag with cross dressing attire and adjective’s. My last trip to the U.S. embassy in Canada there was an American flag and right next to it was a Pride Rainbow flag. I positioned myself to hear the reactions many languages I could not understand but the laughter finger pointing and head shaking spoke loud and clear.”
“Kudos to Mr. Pete. Ships should be named after presidents, states and war heros. Like a breath of fresh air under this administration.”
“The Navy is also celebrating the joy of pride month. The joy of eliminating DEI from governmental affairs. Milk did nothing for his fellow countryman or service members. Peterson did.”
“Naming it after Milk in the first place was the egregious, shameful act. It is now being named after someone deserving of the honor.”
“Well done Mr. Hegseth. Native San Franciscan here who experienced the city during the Harvey Milk era. Nothing to be proud of there.”
“I exist in no small measure because of Oscar Peterson’s heroism. My father was a young ensign on the USS Neosho – an oiler that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on Battleship Row but wasn’t so fortunate in the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Neosho lost over 60% of her crew, and my father was one of the survivors – Oscar Peterson saved the ship, and my dad along with it. I came along 13 years later, long after the war and after Dad served in the Korean War. He had a very distinguished career in the Navy (he retired as a Rear Admiral) and a distinguished career in business and philanthropy. I can’t think of anything more appropriate than renaming this ship after this hero.”
“Finally, a name that sailors can be proud of.”
“It’s very simple: a ship should never be named for a political activist. The military is not political so a ship’s name should also be non-political. Case closed.”
“Thank you Secretary Hegseth for bringing common sense back and focusing on the cited mission. DEI is dead!”
“SecDef Hegseth was without a doubt exactly the type of leadership our military needed. He’ll go down as one of the best. Our military respects this man, period!”
“Thank you, Pete, for bringing common sense and dignity back to the military! So proud of you.”
“Military ships have always been named after Commanders in Chief or war hero’s not for political/social activists.”
“I would be proud to serve on a Navy ship named after a Medal of Honor recipient. This will be a good precedent for the naming of new naval vessels in the future.”
“I’m not a fan of everything Hegseth does, but righting the military’s culture will have a lasting positive impact.”
“Not a hard choice . A person of questionable morals or a true hero who saved many lives giving his own . Bless our country and the people with sanity and morals leading us now.”
“Thank you for preserving the memory of an actual MOH recipient who gave his life for his shipmates.”
“Harvey Milk was a pedophile and a disgrace. Thank you Sec Hegseth!!”
“I’m so glad to see a return to meritocracy and honor rather than politicization in our military. President Trump definitely chose the right man for this job in choosing you. Thank you for standing strong!”
“My grandfather was an Admiral of the Navy. He would have loved this. Thank you Pete!!!”
“Thank you Mr. Secretary! As a Navy veteran I am thankful to see our military under President Trump and your leadership return to traditional American and US Navy values.”
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