USNS Harvey Milk explained

USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) is the second of the 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.^[1]

The ship's Captain is openly gay USN officer Nic Gruesen. The ship was officially named at a ceremony in San Francisco on 16 August 2016.^{[2] [3]} Though Milk was gay, this ship is not the first US Navy ship named for an openly gay person, as that would be the WWI troopship, commissioned in 1917 and named for a revolutionary war hero and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.^[4]

Namesake

Milk served in the US Navy during the Korean War aboard, 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.^{[5] [6]}

Construction

Construction for both Harvey Milk, and, the lead ship of the class, was authorized on 30 June 2016.^{[7] [8]} Building got underway for John Lewis in 2018 at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego.^[9]

The first cut of steel for Harvey Milk occurred on 13 December 2019, marking the beginning of construction of the vessel.^[10] 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.^[11]

On 11 July 2023, Harvey Milk entered non-commissioned U.S. Navy service under the control of the Military Sealift Command.

Violence onboard the ship

In March 2024, 9 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 peacefully. The protesters thought that the cargo fuel ship was carrying weapons to Israel.^[12]

See also

• - predecessor class

Notes and References

1. Web site: Navy to Name Ship After Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk. US Naval Institute. 28 July 2016. 30 July 2016.
2. News: Blake. Andrew. Naval ceremony celebrates naming of USNS Harvey Milk. 21 October 2016. The Washington Times. 17 August 2016.
3. News: Staley. Oliver. The US Navy is naming a ship after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk. October 21, 2016. Quartz. 17 August 2016.
4. Web site: Blakemore. Erin. The Revolutionary War Hero Who Was Openly Gay. History.com. 14 June 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180803141151/https://www.history.com/news/openly-gay-revolutionary-war-hero-friedrich-von-steuben. 3 August 2018. 3 May 2023.
5. Web site: Bajko . Matthew S. . Naval records indicate SF library's Milk discharge paperwork a fake . The Bay Area Reporter . 8 November 2021 . en . 12 February 2021.
6. Web site: Shivaram . Deepa . The U.S. Navy has christened a ship named after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk . NPR . 8 November 2021 . en . 7 November 2021.
7. Web site: JOHN LEWIS (AO 205). Naval Vessel Register. 7 July 2016. 30 July 2016.
8. Web site: NO NAME (AO 206). Naval Vessel Register. 7 July 2016. 30 July 2016.
9. Web site: NASSCO starts construction of first John Lewis class oiler . marinelog.com . 21 September 2018 . 21 September 2018.
10. Web site: Construction of Navy ship 'Harvey Milk' begins at San Diego shipbuilder . sandiegouniontribune.com. 14 December 2019.
11. Web site: Navy launches ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk. navytimes.com. 7 November 2021. 9 November 2021.
12. Web site: Pehling . Dave . 2024-03-29 . Pro-Palestinian demonstrators chain selves to gangway of USNS Harvey Milk in San Francisco - CBS San Francisco . 2024-06-12 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.