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NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia (WTKR) — The family of World War II hero Doris Miller is shocked after reports his name may be taken off an aircraft carrier being built at Newport News Shipbuilding.
“It was quite a shock to hear,” Miller’s great-nephew, Thomas Bledsoe, said in an interview with CNN.
Miller was on a ship hit during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
“One of the things about Doris Miller’s story is not only about him being the hero that he was on that day at Pearl Harbor but it was also about an individual stepping beyond the means of what they were assigned to do and going above and beyond,” Bledsoe said.
During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Miller stopped what he was doing, helped his wounded commanding officer, and then, despite having no training, took control of an anti-aircraft gun and started shooting at Japanese planes.
As his ship was sinking, he helped sailors to safety before getting to shore himself.
“That ‘why not me’ moment was very significant, not only for the African American community but for Americans overall,” Bledsoe pointed out.
CNN first reported discussion was happening about possibly renaming the aircraft carrier, citing “three sources familiar with internal discussions.” The sources also told CNN there was discussion about changing how ships are named and who they can be named after.
News 3 reached out to the Navy for comment and was told “The Navy has nothing to announce at this time.”
As of Friday, the future USS Doris Miller was the latest Ford-Class aircraft carrier scheduled to be built. News 3 was at Newport News Shipbuilding for the ceremonial first cutting of steel for the ship.
As of Friday, the ship’s keel-laying was scheduled to happen by the end of 2026.
Sources told CNN the ship could be renamed to honor President Donald Trump. At a ceremony announcing the naming of the carrier in 2020, Trump pointed out that he doesn’t have a ship named after him.
News 3 reached out to Hampton Roads’ Congressional representatives for comments.
In a statement, Sen. Mark Warner called the potential renaming unbecoming.
“Doris Miller was a Navy hero and the first black recipient of the Navy Cross. He helped get wounded sailors to safety during the attack on Pearl Harbor and successfully used an anti-aircraft gun despite having no training. USS Doris Miller would be the first aircraft carrier named after a black person and it would be unbecoming of the president to even suggest taking that away for his own vanity,” Warner said.
Rep. Bobby Scott also sent News 3 a statement, calling the potential renaming outrageous and a diversion.
“The suggestion that the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) will be renamed is outrageous and should be dismissed outright by every Member of Congress. Doris Miller is a hero and the aircraft carrier holds the distinction of being the first to be named after an African American or an enlisted sailor,” said Scott. “The statement is designed, as so many statements by this President, to divert attention from the many other pressing issues. In this case, this simple minded idea only serves divert attention from the scandalous way that the sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) have been treated. We should not lose focus on the real work of supporting our sailors.”
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