From Black War Hero to Trump? US Navy Considers Renaming Aircraft Carrier

CNN: "Navy Pushes to Revise Name of Carrier Under Construction"

Internal Discussions Suggest 'Trump' as a Possible Name... An Unprecedented Move

The US Navy is reportedly considering renaming its latest aircraft carrier, which had been previously named the "USS Doris Miller" in honor of a Black war hero.

US aircraft carrier. Photo by AFP News Agency

On August 20 (local time), CNN reported that during the first term of President Donald Trump, then-Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly announced at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony held at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in January 2020 that the name of the US Navy's newest, fourth Ford-class aircraft carrier would be the "USS Doris Miller." However, according to three sources familiar with internal Navy discussions, the US Navy has been considering renaming this carrier since earlier this year.

It is still unclear what the new name will be, but two sources mentioned that discussions have taken place regarding renaming the vessel to honor President Trump. If such a plan proceeds, it would be the first time that an active president's name is given to a US Navy aircraft carrier. Another source noted that, instead of renaming the carrier, the Navy is also considering naming a different warship after Miller, as well as awarding him the military’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor. However, Thomas Bledsoe, Miller’s great-grandnephew, told CNN that the family had not been notified about any name change or posthumous Medal of Honor consideration.

Sources added that Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and his office are working to revise the official guidelines for naming US Navy vessels. Furthermore, it was reported that inside the Navy, people have effectively stopped calling the carrier "USS Doris Miller" and are referring to it only by its hull number, "CVN-81."

The carrier's keel-laying ceremony is scheduled for the end of this year, making it necessary for the official name to be confirmed promptly.

Meanwhile, Doris Miller, who was African American, enlisted in the US Navy in 1939 and served as a mess attendant during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which triggered the Pacific War. When Japanese shells began to hit, he fired anti-aircraft guns at incoming Japanese planes and later focused on evacuating fellow sailors as the ship began to sink. For his actions, he was awarded the Navy Cross in 1942 and was dispatched for war bond promotion activities; however, he was killed in action when his ship was struck by a torpedo fired from a Japanese submarine. Miller's story was also featured in the 2001 film "Pearl Harbor."

This was the first time a US aircraft carrier had been named after a Navy servicemember who rose from the ranks, as well as the first time one had been named after an African American. CNN noted that last year, the US Navy established a "Naming Commission," led by former Navy Secretary John Payton, to review the naming of ships and military assets. This initiative was part of broader efforts within the Department of Defense, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to eliminate names associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.