A U.S. navy ship named for slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk, who served four years in the navy before being forced out, was christened and launched in San Diego Bay on Saturday.
The replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk slid down the shipyard ways after a bottle of champagne was smashed on the bow by former U.S. navy officer Paula M. Neira, clinical program director for the John Hopkins Center for Transgender Health.
Del Toro said that, like many others, Milk had to "mask that very important part of his life" while he served in the navy. In 2016, then-navy Secretary Ray Mabus decided that six new oilers scheduled to be built would be named after civil and human rights leaders. In addition to Milk, they include Sojourner Truth, Chief Justice Earl Warren, Robert F. Kennedy, suffragist Lucy Stone and Rep. John Lewis of Georgia."Ship names are important because they express what we value as a navy and as a nation and communicate those values around the globe in every port of call," Del Toro said.
Although there is a process for reversing such discharges, he said it was important to not do that for his late uncle in order "to keep the memory of how we did not honour everyone in this very honorable service."
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How did a U.S. Navy submarine hit an undersea mountain?Some submariners call the USS Connecticut the luxury sports car of submarines. It's a US$3 billion piece of American military hardware that's fast and outfitted with the latest electronic gadgetry only available when price is not a consideration.
Read more »
Opinion: How to protect children from Big Tech's harmsAs of right now, Canada lacks any meaningful policies that specifically ensure children’s rights are protected
Read more »
Cargo ship off Victoria cleared to move to nearby port authorityCargo ship off Victoria cleared to move to Nanaimo or Vancouver Fraser port authority
Read more »
Cargo ship off Victoria cleared to move to nearby port authorityThe MV Zim Kingston is permitted to move to either the Nanaimo or Vancouver Fraser port authority
Read more »
Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton fired after recording one win in first 12 gamesBlackhawks fire coach Jeremy Colliton after rough start, Derek King named interim coach
Read more »
No. 8 Notre Dame Irish beat Navy - TSN.caJack Coan threw for 269 yards and a touchdown, Kyren Williams ran for two scores and No. 8 Notre Dame shut down Navy’s triple-option attack in a 34-6 victory Saturday.
Read more »