The United States Navy is currently evaluating plans to rename an aircraft carrier that was previously designated to honor Doris Miller, a Black sailor celebrated for his heroic actions during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Three individuals familiar with internal discussions confirmed that the service is reconsidering the naming of the vessel, which is currently under construction.
While the Navy has not officially announced a new name, two sources indicated that internal conversations have included the possibility of naming the carrier after President Donald Trump. Such a move would be unprecedented, as aircraft carriers have traditionally been named after presidents, naval admirals, or significant military engagements. To address the potential change, the Navy is reportedly exploring the option of naming a different warship after Miller and is simultaneously recommending him for the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest decoration for valor.
Thomas Bledsoe, Miller’s great-nephew, stated that the family had not been informed of the potential name change. However, he noted that the family has been advocating for the Medal of Honor “for years” and described the Navy’s current recommendation for the award as “very positive.” The final approval for such an honor rests with Congress and the President.
The initiative to rename the vessel, currently identified in internal documents and a recent White House executive order only by its hull number, CVN-81, has been ongoing for several months. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and his office are reportedly reviewing official naming guidance to clarify criteria for future vessels. This review occurs alongside broader Pentagon efforts under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to re-evaluate military assets, including a 2025 directive that led to the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk.
The Navy faces a tight schedule to finalize the carrier’s name, as the keel-laying ceremony is anticipated by the end of this year. Despite this, the ship is not projected for delivery until 2034 due to ongoing construction constraints. The original decision to name the ship the USS Doris Miller was announced in January 2020 by then-Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly during a ceremony in Pearl Harbor, where he honored Miller’s legacy as a sailor who served regardless of racial barriers.
Doris “Dorie” Miller, a native of Waco, Texas, enlisted in the Navy in 1939. During the Pearl Harbor attack, while serving as a Mess Attendant Third Class, he moved beyond his assigned duties to aid his wounded commanding officer and operated an anti-aircraft gun despite having no prior training on the system. He continued to assist fellow sailors until his ship began to sink. Miller was later awarded the Navy Cross by Admiral Chester Nimitz in 1942 and was subsequently killed in action during the 1943 Battle of Makin.
A Department of Defense spokesperson stated that there are currently no official announcements regarding the carrier’s name. The ongoing deliberations reflect a wider shift in Pentagon policy under the current administration, which has prioritized aligning military nomenclature with the Commander-in-Chief’s objectives and a specific interpretation of national history and the warrior ethos. The report also notes that a Department of Defense spokesperson said they had nothing to announce at this time. The report also notes that tasking the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy to report back with a plan to replace the ship’s electromagnetic aircraft launch system with steam and hydraulic systems, a recent White House executive order on shipbuilding also referred to the ship only as CVN-81. The report also notes that the ceremony is a public event marking an important step in a ship’s construction. The report also notes that the ship is not expected to be delivered until 2034, USNI News first reported, due to shipbuilder constraints. The report also notes that “Dorie Miller was the son of a sharecropper,” Modly, a Trump nominee who had Navy leadership positions from 2017 to 2020, said at the ceremony, according to a Navy release. The report also notes that “And, he was an American sailor – so designated by the uniform that he wore — the same uniform all sailors wore, and still wear, regardless of race, ethnic background, or political persuasion.”.