The U.S. Navy is considering removing the name of World War II hero Doris “Dorie” Miller from a Ford-class aircraft carrier still under construction in Virginia and renaming the vessel for President Donald Trump, according to three sources familiar with internal discussions.
The move would mark the first time a Navy vessel has been named for a sitting president. CNN first reported the discussions, which sources said have been ongoing throughout the summer. The White House referred questions to the Pentagon, which did not respond. A Navy spokesperson said the service “has no announcement to share at this time.”
A Hero’s Legacy at Stake
Miller, a Mess Attendant aboard the USS West Virginia, helped carry the ship’s mortally wounded captain to safety during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He then manned a .50-caliber anti-aircraft gun despite having no formal training, shooting down at least one enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Navy Cross, the service’s second-highest decoration for combat valor.
Miller died in November 1943 when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the USS Liscome Bay during the Battle of Makin, killing 700 sailors. The carrier, originally named during Trump’s first administration, would have been the first aircraft carrier named for a Black American and the first to honor an enlisted service member.
Medal of Honor Upgrade Proposed
According to the sources, Miller is under strong consideration to have his Navy Cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest recognition for combat valor. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently sent a memo to Congress recommending Miller receive the Medal of Honor. The Navy is reportedly seeking to name a different ship after Miller if the carrier is renamed.
“Learning of this possibility of the name change comes as a shock to not only myself but my family as well, and we are hoping that this doesn’t come to fruition,” said Thomas Bledsoe, Miller’s great-nephew and family spokesperson.
Bledsoe added that the family would accept a different ship bearing Miller’s name but said the “best outcome” would be to retain the original naming. Aircraft carriers are mostly named for presidents, while Medal of Honor recipients are more commonly honored with destroyers.
A Pattern of Renaming
The potential renaming follows a broader pattern. Hegseth last year ordered the Navy to rename a ship honoring Harvey Milk, the Navy veteran and gay rights activist. Earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation renaming Palm Beach International Airport as the President Donald J. Trump International Airport. The State Department also renamed the U.S. Institute of Peace after Trump.
At a White House event in 2020, Trump appeared to lament that no carrier bore his name. “They won’t give me that honor,” he said. “That’s a big ship. One day, maybe.” The discussions come as the military continues to grapple with how it honors its diverse history of service members.
Sources: ABC News; CNN; Democracy Now!; Associated Press
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