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Who was Doris Miller? Is Trump behind US Navy's effort to rename aircraft carrier named after Pearl Harbor hero?
US Navy may rename an aircraft carrier honoring Black WWII hero Doris Miller after Donald Trump, sparking controversy over the Pearl Harbor hero’s legacy.
The US Navy has reportedly considering renaming an upcoming aircraft carrier to be named after Doris Miller, the first Black sailor of the US Navy to receive a Navy Cross.
According to an exclusive CNN report Thursday, the aircraft carrier was initially planned to be named USS Doris Miller. The report cited three sources familiar with the discussion and reported that the Navy is potentially considering naming it after Donald Trump, i.e. USS Donald Trump.
The Ford-class aircraft carrier was commissioned in 2020 during Donald Trump's first term as President. The decision to name the ship after Miller was also made then. It is unclear why the US Navy is now considering renaming it.
One of the sources cited added that the US Navy is planning instead to rename another upcoming warship after Doris Miller. There are also talks of recommending Miller for the Medal of Honor posthumously.
The report has sparked a controversy, with allegations that the US Navy is sidelining a Black hero who played such a crucial role in the Pearl Harbor attack in World War II. CNN also contacted Miller's family who said that they have not been informed of the decision to rename the upcoming aircraft carrier.
In this article, we will take a look at who Doris Miller was and what is known about the push to rename the upcoming aircraft carrier.
Who Was Doris Miller?
Miller served in the US Navy at a time when Black sailors were largely restricted to mess attendant jobs. Miller was serving as a mess attendant aboard the USS West Virginia when the Pearl Harbor attack took place (December 7, 1941).
As soon as the Japanese started bombing Pearl Harbor, Miller participated in rescue operations. He first helped move wounded soldiers from the deck, then he was ordered to the bridge, where he moved late Captain Mervyn Bennion to safety.
As the Japanese attacks continued, Miller was ordered to fire a .50 caliber machine gun at approaching Japanese aircrafts. Despite having no prior training in using a machine gun, Miller continued firing for 15 minutes till he ran out of bullets.
Why Does US Navy Want To Rename USS Doris Miller?
CNN does not mention why the US Navy is trying to rename the upcoming aircraft carrier. It is unclear if the pressure to do so came from the Trump administration. None of the sources cited in the report mentioned the White House's involvement in the process.
The report states that the US Navy is "under a time crunch to finalize the name" as the keel laying ceremony is scheduled to take place later this year. But the renaming is likely happening, as the report claimed that the US Navy has stopped referring to the ship as USS Dorris Miller in internal conversation.
The ship was also referred to as CVN-81 in a recent White House executive order on shipbuilding, indicating even official documents have dropped the name, USS Doris Miller.
