Fact Check: The U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk was the first Navy ship named after an openly gay person.

Fact Check: "The U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk was the first Navy ship named after an openly gay person."

What We Know

The U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) was officially named on August 16, 2016, during a ceremony in San Francisco. It was named in honor of Harvey Milk, a Navy veteran and a prominent civil rights leader known for his advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Milk was notably the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors before his assassination in 1978 (source-1, source-2). The ship was part of the John Lewis-class oilers, which were named after civil rights leaders as part of a broader initiative to honor figures who contributed to civil rights (source-3).

Analysis

The claim that the U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk was the first Navy ship named after an openly gay person is supported by the historical context of its naming. Harvey Milk's legacy as a civil rights activist and his status as an openly gay elected official make this naming significant. The ship's christening was part of a deliberate effort by the Navy to honor civil rights leaders, as articulated by then-Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in 2016 (source-2).

However, it is important to note that the ship was later renamed the U.S.N.S. Oscar V. Peterson in June 2025, amid broader political efforts to remove names associated with "woke" ideology from military vessels (source-1, source-5). This renaming does not negate the fact that it was named after an openly gay person during its operational period.

The sources used in this analysis are credible, including major news outlets and official Navy documentation. They provide a well-rounded view of the significance of the ship's name and the implications of its renaming.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that the U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk was the first Navy ship named after an openly gay person is accurate. The ship was named in honor of Harvey Milk, a pivotal figure in LGBTQ+ rights and civil rights activism, making it a historic milestone for the U.S. Navy. Despite its subsequent renaming, the original designation stands as a significant acknowledgment of Milk's contributions and the visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals in the military.

Sources

1. USNS Harvey Milk renamed amid Trump administration ... NPR
2. USNS Harvey Milk Wikipedia
3. Pentagon Strips Harvey Milk's Name From Navy Vessel The New York Times
4. (Not applicable)
5. USNS Harvey Milk, ship honoring slain gay rights leader ... CBS News