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Navy Reviews Renaming CVN-81 After Doris Miller

8/24/2026

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Doris Miller Renaming

The U.S. Navy is reportedly considering renaming the Ford-class carrier CVN-81, designated USS Doris Miller.
Civil-rights groups say the proposal erases a Black World War II hero’s honor, sparking outrage.
Thomas Bledsoe said his family learned of the rename from news, not the Navy.
The Navy is reviewing recommendation to award Miller Medal of Honor, needing congressional approval.
Sources told CNN Navy is discussing naming carrier after President Donald Trump, unprecedented.

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Navy Considers Rename

The U.S. Navy is reportedly weighing a rename of the under-construction Ford-class carrier CVN-81, presently designated USS Doris Miller.
Officials say naming a carrier for a sitting president would break Navy tradition, prompting Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to review the naming policy.
Two unnamed officials said the Navy now calls the vessel only CVN-81 in internal talks.
The family welcomed the Medal of Honor recommendation.

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Navy Weighs Rename

The U.S. Navy is reportedly weighing a name change for the Ford-class carrier CVN-81, presently designated USS Doris Miller.
Center notes the Navy has not announced a name change; internal talks have continued for months, with officials using hull number CVN-81.
USS Doris Miller, named in January 2020, became the first carrier to honor a Black enlisted sailor.
The Navy also recommends Miller for the Medal of Honor, which requires congressional approval.

History

Historical Context

In 1945, the U.S. Navy awarded Doris Miller the Navy Cross, making him the first Black sailor to earn the service’s second-highest combat decoration. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal approved the honor, citing Miller’s bravery aboard USS West Virginia during the December 7, 1941 attack, which had 2,403 crew. Today, the Navy’s debate over renaming CVN-81, currently USS Doris Miller, echoes the 1945 struggle to recognize Black service members amid institutional resistance. The precedent set in 1945 pressures policymakers to uphold inclusive naming practices, lest future carriers repeat past omissions and provoke congressional and public backlash.

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Doris Miller Renaming

The U.S. Navy is reportedly considering renaming the Ford-class carrier CVN-81, designated USS Doris Miller.
Civil-rights groups say the proposal erases a Black World War II hero’s honor, sparking outrage.
Thomas Bledsoe said his family learned of the rename from news, not the Navy.
The Navy is reviewing recommendation to award Miller Medal of Honor, needing congressional approval.
Sources told CNN Navy is discussing naming carrier after President Donald Trump, unprecedented.

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