Navy Considers Renaming USS Doris Miller
PHOTO CAPTION: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin R. Pacheco.
The Navy is considering changing the name of a future aircraft carrier currently designated USS Doris Miller, with President Donald Trump discussed internally as a possible namesake, according to three people familiar with the deliberations cited by CNN.
No final decision has been announced. Two of the sources told CNN that naming the Ford-class carrier for Trump has been discussed, but it remains unclear what name Navy leadership ultimately may choose. The Pentagon said it had “nothing to announce at this time.”
The carrier, CVN-81, was named for World War II sailor Doris “Dorie” Miller in January 2020 during Trump's first administration. If completed under that name, it would become the first U.S. aircraft carrier named for an African American and the first carrier named for a sailor based on actions performed while serving in the enlisted ranks.
According to CNN, efforts to reconsider the carrier's name have been underway since earlier this year. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and his office have also been examining Navy ship-naming guidance, including rules governing ships named for presidents.
One source said the Navy has increasingly referred to the vessel internally simply as CVN-81 rather than USS Doris Miller. A White House shipbuilding memorandum issued Aug. 13 also referred to the carrier as CVN-81 while directing the Pentagon to develop plans for replacing its electromagnetic aircraft launch system and advanced weapons elevators with steam and hydraulic systems. The memorandum itself did not announce or address a name change.
CNN reported that the Navy is considering naming another warship for Miller instead. The service is also recommending Miller for the Medal of Honor, according to one source, although no such award has been announced.
Miller's great-nephew, Thomas Bledsoe, told CNN that the family had not been notified about either the potential carrier name change or the renewed Medal of Honor effort. Bledsoe said the family has sought the Medal of Honor for Miller for years and described the Navy's reported recommendation as a positive development.
Miller became one of the Navy's most recognized heroes of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Serving aboard USS West Virginia as a mess attendant, Miller helped move his mortally wounded commanding officer before manning a .50-caliber machine gun against attacking Japanese aircraft despite having no training on the weapon.
Adm. Chester W. Nimitz presented Miller with the Navy Cross in May 1942 for his actions during the attack. Miller later returned to sea and was killed Nov. 24, 1943, when the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine during operations near the Gilbert Islands.
Then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly announced the USS Doris Miller name at Pearl Harbor on Jan. 20, 2020. At the time, the Navy emphasized that the selection represented both Miller's individual heroism and recognition of enlisted sailors who had historically received less attention in major ship-naming decisions.
Aircraft carriers in the current fleet frequently carry the names of former presidents, including USS Abraham Lincoln, USS George Washington, USS Ronald Reagan and USS George H.W. Bush. The convention is not absolute: USS Nimitz honors Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz, while USS Carl Vinson honors the longtime Georgia congressman known for his influence on U.S. naval expansion.
Naming a carrier for a sitting president would be unprecedented, according to CNN. The carrier is still under construction and is not expected to be delivered until 2034, while its keel-laying ceremony is expected later this year.
For now, USS Doris Miller remains the carrier's publicly established name. The Pentagon has not announced a replacement, and reports that Trump could become the namesake reflect internal discussions rather than a final Navy decision.
(Source: OAF Nation)
