US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Renames USNS Harvey Milk to USNS Oscar V. Peterson

In a move aimed at “removing politics from ship naming,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that the naval ship USNS Harvey Milk will now be renamed USNS Oscar V. Peterson. The announcement was made on Thursday, sparking immediate attention and debate.

The ship was originally named after Harvey Milk, California’s first openly gay elected official and a prominent civil rights advocate. The decision to name the ship after Milk was made during a previous administration as a tribute to LGBTQ+ service members.

However, Hegseth, who has vowed to eliminate what he calls the “woke agenda” from the military, defended the change. “We’re not renaming the ship to anything political,” he stated. “This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration.”

Oscar V. Peterson, the ship’s new namesake, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

“This is about honoring a true American hero,” Hegseth emphasized. “People want to be proud of the ship they’re sailing in.”

The ship, a fleet replenishment oiler, will continue its mission under its new name. The Pentagon has not yet released an official date for when the name change will take effect.

This remains a developing story, and further updates are expected.