Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the U.S. Navy would be ending its policy of politicizing ship naming, starting with re-branding the USNS Harvey Milk as the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.
Milk was a gay left-wing activist known for serving in local San Francisco government back in the 1970s and who was later assassinated.
(He was depicted by Sean Penn in the movie “Milk” and Hollywood gave him an academy award for it.)
Peterson on the other hand, was a Navy veteran and hero, who sacrificed his own life for fellow ship-mates earning him a posthumous Medal of Honor.
“I’m pleased to officially announce that the department of the Navy is renaming the fleet replenishment oiler, formerly known as the USNS Harvey Milk, to the USNS Oscar v. Peterson,” Hegseth said in a message posted to the social media site X.
“We are taking the politics out of ship naming,” he continued. “We’re not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration. Instead we’re renaming the ship after a United States Navy Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. As it should be. People want to be proud of the ship they’re sailing in.”
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
The Congressional Medal of Honor society highlighted Peterson’s story on its website, hailing him for displaying “extraordinary courage and conspicuous heroism above and beyond the call of duty while in charge of a repair party during an attack on the U.S.S. Neosho by enemy Japanese aerial forces.”
Is this a good move by Pete Hegseth?
It went on to outline how Peterson showed “no concern for his own life,” and was known for his “loyalty, characteristic of a fine seaman. . . keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.”
Hegseth added, “We’re renaming it after a chief. A navy chief, that during the battle of Coral Sea in May of 1942, Chief Watertender Peterson led a repair party on the USS Neosho. The ship was severely damaged by Japanese dive bombers, and the entire repair party was either killed or severely wounded. Peterson himself was gravely wounded. Yet he managed to single handedly close the bulkhead stop valves, thereby helping to keep the ship operational.”
“In performing his historic actions, and heroic actions, Peterson received additional injuries and burns which tragically resulted in his death,” the Defense Secretary explained. “But his spirit of self-sacrifice and concern for his crewmates was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy. And for his heroic actions, Oscar Peterson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. So I would like to officially welcome the USNS Oscar V. Peterson, to the Navy’s vessel register.”
What a breath of fresh air. Symbols are important. Especially historic ones.
They don’t just instill a sense of pride in Americans, but in the sailors and soldiers who fight to protect our citizenry.
By shining a light on Peterson’s amazing gallantry, it not only boosts morale, but puts the brakes on a campaign by far-left activists to rename — and reshape — a number of ships and landmarks with their own personal idols.
Whatever your opinion of Harvey Milk, Peterson actually served in the Navy. He gave his own life to save others, and did so under the enormous pressure of certain death.
It’s a decision that’s hard to argue with, and one that has been long overdue for nearly a decade.
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