USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206)

USNS Harvey Milk is the second of the John Lewis class of underway replenishment oilers, operated by the Military Sealift Command to support ships of the United States Navy.

USNS Harvey Milk slides into the water during its christening ceremony on 5 November 2021
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]
MottoCourage and Conviction[3]
StatusUnder construction
Badge
General characteristics
TypeOiler

Construction of the lead ship of the class, USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205), began in 2018 at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego.[4] According to the Naval Vessel Register, construction of both ships was authorized on 30 June 2016.[5][6]

In July 2016, United States Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus advised Congress that he intended to name the Military Sealift Command's John Lewis-class oilers after prominent civil rights leaders, with the second to be named for gay rights activist Harvey Milk.[7] Milk served in the US Navy during the Korean War aboard the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake (ASR-13) and held the rank of lieutenant (junior grade)[7] at the time that he was forced to accept an "other than honorable" discharge rather than face a court martial for his homosexuality.[8][9] The ship was officially named at a ceremony in San Francisco on 16 August 2016.[10] She is the first US Navy ship named for an openly gay person.[11] The first cut of steel occurred on 13 December 2019, marking the beginning of construction of the vessel.[12] The ship was launched on November 6, 2021, with Milk's nephew Stuart Milk and Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in attendance.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Keel Authenticated for Future USNS Harvey Milk" (Press release). 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)" (Press release). National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  3. "USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206)". The Institute of Heraldry. U.S. Army. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  4. "NASSCO starts construction of first John Lewis class oiler". Marine Log. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  5. NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office (7 July 2016). "JOHN LEWIS (AO 205)". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  6. NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office (7 July 2016). "NO NAME (AO 206)". Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  7. Sam LaGrone (28 July 2016). "Navy to Name Ship After Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk". US Naval Institute. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Blake, Andrew (17 August 2016). "Naval ceremony celebrates naming of USNS Harvey Milk". The Washington Times. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  11. Staley, Oliver (17 August 2016). "The US Navy is naming a ship after slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk". Quartz. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  12. "Construction of Navy ship 'Harvey Milk' begins at San Diego shipbuilder". San Diego Union-Tribune. 14 December 2019.
  13. "Navy launches ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk". Navy Times. Associated Press. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.


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