USNS Harvey Milk

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.

Artist's rendering Harvey Milk
History
United States
NameHarvey Milk
NamesakeHarvey Milk
Awarded30 June 2016
BuilderNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company
Laid down3 September 2020[1]
Launched6 November 2021[2]
Sponsored byPaula Neira[2]
Christened6 November 2021[2]
In service11 July 2023[3]
Identification
MottoCourage and Conviction[4]
StatusIn active Military Sealift Command service
BadgeUSNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) Coat of Arms
General characteristics
TypeOiler

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 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

Milk 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

Construction 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]

Harvey Milk at her christening and launch ceremony, November 2021

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.[2][15]

On 11 July 2023, Harvey Milk entered non-commissioned U.S. Navy service under the control of the Military Sealift Command.[3]

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to IMO 9838773.

References
  1. "Keel Authenticated for Future USNS Harvey Milk". United States Navy. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  2. "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.
  3. "Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206)" (Press release). United States Navy. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  4. "USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206)". tioh.army.mil. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. "Navy to Name Ship After Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk". US Naval Institute. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  6. Blake, Andrew (17 August 2016). "Naval ceremony celebrates naming of USNS Harvey Milk". The Washington Times. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  7. Staley, Oliver (17 August 2016). "The US Navy is naming a ship after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk". Quartz. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. "JOHN LEWIS (AO 205)". Naval Vessel Register. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  12. "NO NAME (AO 206)". Naval Vessel Register. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  13. "NASSCO starts construction of first John Lewis class oiler". marinelog.com. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  14. "Construction of Navy ship 'Harvey Milk' begins at San Diego shipbuilder". sandiegouniontribune.com. 14 December 2019.
  15. "Navy launches ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk". navytimes.com. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
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