Latest news with #renaming
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. Navy ship renamed to honor Oscar V. Peterson
The U.S. Naval ship previously named after Harvey Milk will be renamed Oscar V. Peterson, a World War II hero, as announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
New York Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
No, Not That Lee. Pentagon Finds Black Hero to Rechristen Base Long Named for Robert E.
In its latest move to undo diversity efforts, the Army announced this week that it had found ways to restore the names of seven installations that long venerated Confederate heroes. But in the case of Fort Lee in Prince George County, Va., the Pentagon did it with a curious twist. Rather than restore the name of Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Confederate commander who defended slavery, the Army found Pvt. Fitz Lee, who was Black and fought in the Spanish-American War. Private Lee, who had kidney disease, died in 1899 within months of being awarded a Medal of Honor. The Army announced the plans for Fort Lee in a list of the seven installations it intended to soon rebrand. The move would cancel changes adopted during the Biden administration at the recommendation of a commission created by Congress to find worthy replacements for base names with ties to the Confederacy. The base was named for General Lee from 1917 until 2023. But for the past two years, it was named Fort Gregg-Adams for Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg, the first Black man to reach the rank of an Army three-star general, and Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley, the highest-ranking Black woman to serve as an Army officer in World War II. The renaming effort is just the most recent by President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to dismantle their predecessors' diversity inclusion measures. In March, the administration stopped calling the large military base in North Carolina 'Fort Liberty,' reverting it to its previous name, Fort Bragg. 'We're not interested in your woke garbage or your political correctness,' Mr. Hegseth said in a speech there on Tuesday, to the cheers of an audience of soldiers in battle dress uniforms and red berets. Like General Robert E., Private Fitz was born in Virginia. He was one of four Buffalo Soldiers who received a Medal of Honor for valor on June 30, 1898, halfway into the war with Spain in Cuba. They went ashore from the U.S.S. Florida, a steamer, to rescue wounded Cuban and American soldiers from a beach near Tunas de Zaza, after a losing skirmish with Spanish forces. 'This after several previous attempts at rescue had been frustrated,' said their Medal of Honor citation, recounting their valor after what American historians have called the Battle of Tayabacoa. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wetin be ICC and why Nigerians dey para say goment rename am
Nigerians dey para afta di kontri present goment rename di Abuja International Conference Centre wey former President Ibrahim Babangida build to President Bola Tinubu name. On Tuesday, di Nigeria Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, announcement during one unveiling ceremony afta di goment rehabilitate di centre, say dem don change di name to Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Centre. Wike also name halls inside di centre afta some politicians. Im name halls afta Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chief Justice of Nigeria Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas. According to di FCT Minister, dis n aim way to say thank you to dem for supporting im FCT Administration and for how di Judiciary and Legislative arms of goment dey collabo wit executive. But Nigerians dey para say di whole tin be like dem dey enjoy anoda man sweat. Isaac Fayose, di younger brother of one former Nigerian govnor, Ayodele Fayose, para say: "IBB, di man wey build am, no name am afta imsef. Tinubu renovate am, change im name. e say a lot. Nigerians dey suffer, but dem dey focus on keeping dia name forever." Former Nigeria Senator, Shehu Sani sef follow provoke for social media as im advise di president say: "Na IBB build di International Conference Centre Abuja. Make di President reject renaming di place wit im name". Abuja International Conference Center [ICC] Former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida bin build di Abuja International Conference Centre for 1991. According to Wike, Babangida bin build to ICC to host one Organization of African Unity meeting. Di meeting bin suppose happun for Ethiopia but dem gatz relocate am sake of security threat. Nigeria step in come begin urgent construction of di ICC through one oil swap arrangement wey e do to take raise di money. Di centre bin popular wella sake of na dia President Babagida constitution review committee bin dey examine and revise di Nigerian Constitution. Architecturally, di centre na mixture of modern design and Nigerian cultural decorations. E get spacious hall and beautiful gardens surround am to give am very cool atmosphere. Dis centre na one of Nigeria most iconic venues for high-level events, both local and international. E don host all kains of events from world summits to trade exhibitions and cultural showcases. Tinubu goment bin recently do one major renovation wey dem say cost ₦39 billion, and come commission an again for on Tuesday. Di renovation bin happu afta President Visit di place for 2024 begin complain about how di facility dey spoil. Inside eight months, Wike renovate an im to wetin im call "world-class" venue. Now di facility go dey bear di name of di president wey renovate am, no be di one wey build am. Oda goment buildings wey Tinubu name afta imsef Less dan two years wey di Nigeria president enta office, President Bola Tinubu don commission more dan three goment properties afta im name. Inside di first 19 months of im goment Tinubu commission one multibillion-naira army barrack wey dem bin start to construct for 2023. Di barracks project na intervention wey goment bin fund to provide more accommodation to military workers. E also commission one immigration complex as well as one new federal polytechnic, All of dem for Abuja.
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Harvey Milk was just the start, Navy to rename other ships named for liberal heroes
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 's decision to strip the name of trailblazing LGBT+ activist Harvey Milk from a U.S. Navy vessel will be followed by the renaming of many more ships, according to reports. Documents obtained by CBS News indicate that other vessels could be renamed as part of Hegseth's purge of ' woke ' ideology from the military in addition to the USNS Harvey Milk, including the USNS Thurgood Marshall, the USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the USNS Harriet Tubman, the USNS Dolores Huerta, the USNS Lucy Stone, the USNS Cesar Chavez, and the USNS Medgar Evers. The vessels placed on the Navy's 'recommended list' for renaming are all named for liberal icons. The task of renaming the ships will fall to Navy Secretary John Phelan. 'Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all Department of Defense installations and assets are reflective of the commander-in-chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos,' the Pentagon said in a statement. Since being confirmed by the Senate in January, Hegseth has ordered the U.S. military to stamp out diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices in accordance with an executive order from President Donald Trump. The order extends to ending associations with minority awareness events such as Pride Month, Black History Month, and Women's History Month. These moves caused uproar in March when pages paying tribute to the service of American icons Jackie Robinson, the Navajo Code Talkers and Ira Hayes were removed from the Pentagon website, with his then-spokesperson John Ullyot issuing a statement declaring: 'DEI is dead at the Department of Defense.' Responding to the decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a replenishment oiler given its name in 2021, California LGBT+ activist Nicole Murray-Ramirez told NBC San Diego: 'The truth is this administration has made it clear they want to erase the LGBTQ community and its history. It wants to erase a lot of history.' 'This does nothing to help crew members prepare for war. It's nothing but a distraction,' added James Seddon, a Navy veteran of 20 years experience, who pointed to the logistical problems likely to arise from the name change. 'Thousands of things will have to be reprinted or embroidered, from [the] ship's ball caps (which are part of the official uniform) to many other uniform parts that contain the ship's name. 'Not to mention that the ship's name isn't simply painted on the hull. There's raised steel that spells the name. The hull will have to be grinded down to rename the ship.' Seddon also warned of 'unnecessary controversy between members of the crew' arising from potential clashes of views that could undermine 'unit cohesion and training.' Milk became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he became a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in January 1978, having won a historic election the previous year. He was assassinated the following November after the passage of a bill prohibiting housing and employment discrimination because of sexual orientation. As a young man, Milk joined the Navy in 1951 and served as an operations and diving officer on the submarines USS Kittiwake and USS Chanticleer. But, in 1954, he was court-martialed after being accused of taking part in a 'homosexual act,' ultimately choosing to resign his commission and accept an 'Other Than Honorable' discharge rather than face trial. His story was told in Gus Van Sant's 2008 biopic Milk starring Sean Penn.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hegseth Orders Navy to Strip Name of Gay Rights Icon Harvey Milk from Ship
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to take the rare step of renaming a ship, one that bears the name of a gay rights icon, documents and sources show. reviewed a memorandum from the Office of the Secretary of the Navy -- the official who holds the power to name Navy ships -- that showed the sea service had come up with rollout plans for the renaming of the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk. A defense official confirmed that the Navy was making preparations to strip the ship of its name but noted that Navy Secretary John Phelan was ordered to do so by Hegseth. The official also said that the timing of the announcement -- occurring during Pride month -- was intentional. Read Next: Overhauled Army Caisson Unit Conducts First Funeral Service at Arlington Following Suspension reached out to Hegseth's office for comment on the move but did not immediately receive a response. However, the memo reviewed by noted that the renaming was being done so that there is "alignment with president and SECDEF objectives and SECNAV priorities of reestablishing the warrior culture," apparently referencing President Donald Trump, Hegseth and Phelan. Milk became one of the first openly gay elected officials in U.S. history during the 1970s, making him an icon of the nascent gay civil rights movement, and was killed while serving on the board of supervisors in San Francisco. The renaming news was slated to become public June 13, according to the memo. A new name for the Harvey Milk was not given but, according to the memo, Hegseth and Phelan are planning to announce the new name aboard the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned Navy ship. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the former House Speaker who represents much of San Francisco, in a statement Tuesday called the decision to rename the ship "a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country." The Harvey Milk is a John Lewis-class oiler, a group of ships that are to be named after prominent civil rights leaders and activists. CBS reported Tuesday that the Navy is also considering renaming other John Lewis-class oilers including the USNS Thurgood Marshall, USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and USNS Harriet Tubman. Both Marshall and Ginsburg were Supreme Court justices, and Tubman was a Black abolitionist who helped slaves escape the South via the Underground Railroad. Unlike the Milk, though, some of the ships being considered for renaming have yet to be completed. Pelosi called that possibility "a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream." "Our military is the most powerful in the world -- but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the 'warrior' ethos," she added. While there are some rare examples of Navy ships being renamed following construction and christening, those instances are outliers and, broadly, Navy traditions consider renaming a ship to be taboo. The most recent renaming occurred in 2023 when the Navy decided to rename the cruiser USS Chancellorsville and research ship USNS Maury -- two names with ties to the Confederacy -- to USS Robert Smalls and USNS Marie Tharp, respectively. Unlike the decision to rename the Harvey Milk, which was done on the orders of Hegseth, the recommendation to rename the two ships came from a commission that was created by Congress to study names with ties to the Confederacy across the entire military. The oiler was first named after Milk in 2016 by then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. Milk came from a family that had a history of naval service and he was commissioned as an officer in 1951, according to USNI News. Milk then served as a diving officer on the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake during the Korean War. He left the service as a lieutenant junior grade in 1955 with a "less than honorable" discharge "after being officially questioned about his sexual orientation," according to his official biography. Milk then went on to run for political office in California, winning a seat on the San Francisco board of supervisors in 1977. He was killed in office in 1978 shortly after passing a bill banning housing and employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. His death transformed Milk into an icon in San Francisco and a martyr in the LGBTQ community. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The USNS Harvey Milk is currently completing maintenance and refit work at a shipyard in Alabama that is expected to wrap up by the end of June. Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Rep. Nancy Pelosi, as well as additional reporting by CBS News. The nature of Milk's discharge from the Navy was also corrected. Related: Hegseth Restricts Press Access at Pentagon, Says Journalists Will Be Required to Sign Pledge
