USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) is the second of the John Lewis-class of underway replenishment oilers, operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) to support ships of the United States Navy.
Harvey Milk in San Francisco Bay, 28 March 2024
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History | |
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Name | Harvey Milk |
Namesake | Harvey Milk |
Awarded | 30 June 2016 |
Builder | National Steel and Shipbuilding Company |
Laid down | 3 September 2020[2] |
Launched | 6 November 2021[1] |
Sponsored by | Paula Neira[1] |
Christened | 6 November 2021[1] |
In service | 11 July 2023[4] |
Identification |
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Motto | Courage and Conviction[3] |
Status | In active Military Sealift Command service |
Badge | ![]() |
General characteristics | |
Type | Oiler |
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.[5]
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.[6][7] 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 USS Von Steuben (ID-3017), commissioned in 1917 and named for a revolutionary war hero and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.[8]
Namesake
editMilk served in the US Navy during the Korean War aboard USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), a submarine rescue ship, and held the rank of lieutenant (junior grade).[5] In 1955, he was forced to resign and accept an "other than honorable" discharge, rather than face a court martial for his homosexuality.[9][10]
Construction
editConstruction for both Harvey Milk, and USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205), the lead ship of the class, was authorized on 30 June 2016.[11][12] Building got underway for John Lewis in 2018 at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego.[13]
The first cut of steel for Harvey Milk occurred on 13 December 2019, marking the beginning of construction of the vessel.[14] 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.[1][15]
On 11 July 2023, Harvey Milk entered non-commissioned U.S. Navy service under the control of the Military Sealift Command.[4]
Violence onboard the ship
editIn 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.[16]
See also
edit- Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler - predecessor class
References
edit- ^ a b c d "General Dynamics NASSCO christens and launches the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206)". National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Keel Authenticated for Future USNS Harvey Milk". United States Navy. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
- ^ "USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206)". tioh.army.mil. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206)" (Press release). United States Navy. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Navy to Name Ship After Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk". US Naval Institute. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ Blake, Andrew (17 August 2016). "Naval ceremony celebrates naming of USNS Harvey Milk". The Washington Times. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Staley, Oliver (17 August 2016). "The US Navy is naming a ship after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk". Quartz. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ Blakemore, Erin (14 June 2018). "The Revolutionary War Hero Who Was Openly Gay". History.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ Bajko, Matthew S. (12 February 2021). "Naval records indicate SF library's Milk discharge paperwork a fake". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ Shivaram, Deepa (7 November 2021). "The U.S. Navy has christened a ship named after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk". NPR. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "JOHN LEWIS (AO 205)". Naval Vessel Register. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "NO NAME (AO 206)". Naval Vessel Register. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "NASSCO starts construction of first John Lewis class oiler". marinelog.com. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "Construction of Navy ship 'Harvey Milk' begins at San Diego shipbuilder". sandiegouniontribune.com. 14 December 2019.
- ^ "Navy launches ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk". navytimes.com. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ Pehling, Dave (29 March 2024). "Pro-Palestinian demonstrators chain selves to gangway of USNS Harvey Milk in San Francisco - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 12 June 2024.