USNS Harvey Milk
{{Short description|John Lewis-class oiler of the United States Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = {{Not a typo|USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) underway in San Francisco Bay, California (USA), 28 March 2024 (240328-N-IM823-1076).JPG}} | Ship caption = USNS Harvey Milk in San Francisco Bay, 28 March 2024. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = United States | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United States|naval}} | Ship name = Harvey Milk | Ship namesake = Harvey Milk | Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = 30 June 2016 | Ship builder = National Steel and Shipbuilding Company | Ship original cost = | Ship laid down = 3 September 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/display-news/Article/2336686/keel-authenticated-for-future-usns-harvey-milk/|title=Keel Authenticated for Future USNS Harvey Milk|publisher=United States Navy|date=3 September 2020|access-date=3 September 2020}} | Ship christened = 6 November 2021 | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = 11 July 2023{{cite press release|url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3455125/navy-accepts-delivery-of-usns-harvey-milk-t-ao-206/|title=Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206)|publisher=United States Navy|date=12 July 2023|access-date=12 July 2023}} | Ship out of service = | Ship struck = | Ship renamed = 2025: Oscar V. Peterson | Ship homeport = | Ship identification = *Hull number: T-AO-206
| Ship motto = Courage and Conviction{{cite web |url=https://tioh.army.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=19263&CategoryId=10996&grp=5&menu=Uniformed%20Services |title=USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206) |publisher= tioh.army.mil|date=21 January 2022|access-date=22 January 2022}} | Ship nickname = | Ship honors = | Ship fate = | Ship status = In active service | Ship badge = File:USNS Harvey Milk Coat of Arms.png | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = {{sclass|John Lewis|replenishment oiler}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = | Ship beam = | Ship draft = | Ship depth = | Ship hold depth = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship sail plan = | Ship speed = | Ship range = | Ship complement = | Ship armament = | Ship armor = | Ship notes = }} |
USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206), currently known as Oscar V. Peterson, is the second of the {{sclass|John Lewis|replenishment oiler|4}} of underway replenishment oilers, operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) to support ships of the United States Navy.
In July 2016, Ray Mabus, then United States Secretary of the Navy, advised Congress that he intended to name the John Lewis-class oilers after prominent civil rights leaders, with this ship to be named in honor of gay rights activist Harvey Milk.{{cite web|url = https://news.usni.org/2016/07/28/navy-name-ship-gay-rights-activist-harvey-milk|title = Navy to Name Ship After Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk|publisher = US Naval Institute|date = 28 July 2016|access-date = 30 July 2016}} It was officially named at a ceremony in San Francisco on 16 August 2016. On 27 June 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that Harvey Milk will be renamed in honor of Oscar V. Peterson, a Medal of Honor recipient who died after the attack on {{USS|Neosho|AO-23|6}} during the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II.
Development
Like the rest of her sister ships, the John Lewis class is intended to replace the older Henry J Kaiser-class oilers and is heavily based on the former's design. As replenishment oilers, the vessels transport fuel and cargo to other ships at sea to extend their range and capabilities.{{Cite web |title=John Lewis-Class Replenishment Oiler Ships, USA |url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/john-lewis-class-tao-205/ |access-date=2025-06-07 |website=Naval Technology |language=en-US}}
Namesakes
Milk served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War aboard {{USS|Kittiwake|ASR-13|6}}, a submarine rescue ship, and held the rank of lieutenant (junior grade). In 1955, he was forced to resign and accept an "other than honorable" discharge, rather than face a court-martial for his homosexuality.{{cite web |last1=Bajko |first1=Matthew S. |title=Naval records indicate SF library's Milk discharge paperwork a fake |url=https://ebar.com/news/news/288094 |website=The Bay Area Reporter |access-date=8 November 2021 |language=en |date=12 February 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Shivaram |first1=Deepa |title=The U.S. Navy has christened a ship named after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/11/07/1053330774/navy-ship-harvey-milk |website=NPR |access-date=8 November 2021 |language=en |date=7 November 2021}}
On 3 June 2025, it was reported that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had ordered the renaming of Harvey Milk in order to "reestablish the warrior culture."{{Cite news |last=Baldor |first=Lolita C. |title=Hegseth orders the name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk scrubbed from Navy ship |url=https://apnews.com/article/harvey-milk-navy-ship-renamed-pride-month-d6cda5df15ee5bc066092d54c591c6f2 |publisher=AP News |date=3 June 2025 |access-date=3 June 2025}} A defense official indicated that the announcement was intentionally timed to take place during Pride Month.{{Cite news |last=Toropin |first=Konstantin |date=3 June 2025 |title=Hegseth Orders Navy to Strip Name of Gay Rights Icon Harvey Milk from Ship |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/03/hegseth-orders-navy-strip-name-of-gay-rights-icon-harvey-milk-ship.html |website=Military.com |access-date=3 June 2025}} On 27 June 2025, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth announced that Harvey Milk would be renamed USNS Oscar V. Peterson, in honor of Oscar V. Peterson, a Medal of Honor recipient who died after the attack on {{USS|Neosho|AO-23|6}} during the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II.{{Cite web |date=27 June 2025 |title=Pete Hegseth reveals new name for USNS Harvey Milk |url=https://www.newsweek.com/hegseth-harvey-milk-ship-name-oscar-v-peterson-navy-2091579 |access-date=2025-06-28 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}
Construction
Construction for both Harvey Milk, and {{USNS|John Lewis||2}}, the lead ship of the class, was authorized on 30 June 2016.{{cite web|url = http://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/DETAILS/AO205.HTM|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161011012400/http://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/DETAILS/AO205.HTM|url-status = dead|archive-date = 11 October 2016|title = JOHN LEWIS (AO 205)|publisher = Naval Vessel Register|date = 7 July 2016|access-date = 30 July 2016}}{{cite web|url = http://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/DETAILS/AO206.HTM|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161011004758/http://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/DETAILS/AO206.HTM|url-status = dead|archive-date = 11 October 2016|title = NO NAME (AO 206)|publisher = Naval Vessel Register|date = 7 July 2016|access-date = 30 July 2016}} Building got underway for John Lewis in 2018 at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego.{{cite web | url= https://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=30517:nassco-starts-construction-of-first-john-lewis-class-oiler&Itemid=223 |title=NASSCO starts construction of first John Lewis class oiler | publisher=marinelog.com |date=21 September 2018 |access-date=21 September 2018}}
The first cut of steel for Harvey Milk occurred on 13 December 2019, marking the beginning of construction of the vessel.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2019-12-13/construction-of-navy-ship-harvey-milk-kicks-off-with-ceremony-at-san-diego-shipbuilder|title=Construction of Navy ship 'Harvey Milk' begins at San Diego shipbuilder |work=sandiegouniontribune.com|date=14 December 2019}} The ship had her christening ceremony and was then launched on 6 November 2021, with Milk's nephew Stuart Milk, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, and the ship's sponsor, prominent LBGTQ activist Paula Neira, in attendance.{{cite web|url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2021/11/07/navy-launches-ship-named-for-gay-rights-leader-harvey-milk/|title=Navy launches ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk|publisher=navytimes.com|date= 7 November 2021|access-date= 9 November 2021}}
On 11 July 2023, she entered non-commissioned U.S. Navy service under the control of the Military Sealift Command.
Career
In March 2024, during the Gaza war, nine pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to board the ship and create a disturbance. They were stopped at the gangway before they could board; however, they managed to chain themselves to the gangway until San Francisco Police removed them. The protest was organized by, amongst others, the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, which claimed that the oiler was carrying weapons to Israel.{{Cite web |last=Pehling |first=Dave |date=29 March 2024 |title=Pro-Palestinian demonstrators chain selves to gangway of USNS Harvey Milk in San Francisco - CBS San Francisco |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/san-francisco-pro-palestinian-demonstrators-chain-selves-gangway-usns-harvey-milk-piers-30-32/ |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}}
Harvey Milk was scheduled for a $24 million post-shakedown availability shipyard period at Alabama Shipyard in Mobile from January to June 2025.{{cite web | last=Gunther | first=Brad | title=Alabama Shipyard awarded $24M Navy contract | website=WPMI | date=1 November 2024 | url=https://mynbc15.com/news/local/alabama-shipyard-awarded-24-million-navy-contract | access-date=29 June 2025}}{{cite web | last=Thornton | first=William | title=Navy ship once named for slain gay rights activist in Mobile port | website=al | date=28 June 2025 | url=https://www.al.com/news/2025/06/navy-ship-once-named-for-slain-gay-rights-activist-in-mobile-port.html | access-date=29 June 2025}}
References
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External links
- {{Commonscatinline}}
{{John Lewis-class oiler}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harvey Milk (T-AO-206)}}
Category:John Lewis-class oilers