Navy Weighs Renaming USS Doris Miller Carrier to Honor Trump Instead

The U.S. Navy is working to rename an aircraft carrier originally set to honor Doris Miller, a Black sailor who heroically manned an anti-aircraft gun during the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack. Navy officials have discussed naming the Ford-class carrier CVN-81 after President Trump instead, which would be an unprecedented move to name a carrier after a sitting president. The Navy has effectively stopped using Miller’s name internally and is only referring to the ship by its hull number.

Who is Doris Miller and why was he honored

Doris Miller was born in Waco, Texas, in 1919 and served as a mess attendant aboard the battleship USS West Virginia. During the December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, Miller helped carry wounded sailors to safety, then manned a .50-caliber anti-aircraft gun without formal training. He fired at attacking Japanese aircraft until ammunition ran out, credited with shooting down at least one Japanese plane. Miller became the first Black sailor awarded the Navy Cross, the Navy’s second-highest decoration for valor.

The planned carrier naming and the shift

During Trump’s first term in 2020, the Navy announced the Ford-class carrier CVN-81 would be named USS Doris Miller, marking the first aircraft carrier named after an enlisted sailor and a Black American. According to CNN, three sources familiar with internal discussions said the Navy is working to rename the carrier, with two sources indicating Trump is among names under consideration. The Navy has stopped referring to the ship as USS Doris Miller internally and now only uses its hull number, CVN-81.

What happens to Miller’s legacy under the proposal

The Navy is reportedly proposing to name a different warship after Miller while simultaneously recommending him for the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration. Final authorization for the Medal of Honor requires approval from Congress and President Trump. Miller’s great-nephew, Thomas Bledsoe, said the family had not been informed of the renaming effort but called the Medal of Honor recommendation “very positive.”

Timeline and precedent concerns

The Navy faces a tight deadline to finalize the carrier’s name ahead of its scheduled keel-laying ceremony at the end of 2026. The ship is still under construction and not expected to be completed until 2034. Naming an aircraft carrier after a sitting president would be unprecedented. Ship-naming authority rests with the Navy secretary, though defense secretaries are typically deeply involved in aircraft carrier decisions. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will make the final determination.

Final Thoughts

The Navy’s potential decision to rename the USS Doris Miller carrier raises questions about how military honors are assigned. If approved, it would mark the first time an active president received an aircraft carrier named after him, breaking decades of tradition.

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