US Navy Considers Dropping Plans To Name Aircraft Carrier After Black Hero — And Naming It After Trump Instead

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

A U.S. aircraft carrier slated to be named after a Black Pearl Harbor hero may be named to honor President Donald Trump instead, according to a new report.

During Trump’s first term, the Navy announced that a new Ford-class carrier being built would be called the USS Doris Miller to honor an enlisted sailor who helped defend the U.S. against Japan’s attack on Dec. 7, 1941.

But two anonymous sources told CNN that those plans had been scrapped, and that the Navy was considering naming the newly constructed ship to honor Trump.

“The effort to rename the USS Doris Miller has been underway since earlier this year,” the sources told CNN.

“The Navy is looking instead to rename another warship after Miller, according to one of the sources, and is recommending him for the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration for military valor,” the report said. “The final authorization for the award is up to Congress and approval from Trump.”

Although it would be “an unprecedented move” to name an aircraft carrier after a sitting president, CNN reported that Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao has been researching how to update “the official guidance for how ships should be named and specifying who they can be named after, including presidents.”

Doris “Dorie” Miller, from Waco, Texas, was a Mess Attendant Third Class at the time of Japan’s attack, according to the report. Instead of retrieving laundry as scheduled on that day, “Miller proceeded to aid his wounded commanding officer, and then, despite having received no training on the system, took control of an anti-aircraft gun and opened fire on the Japanese aircraft.”

Miller’s great-nephew told CNN that the family had not been informed of the change in naming, but called the effort to award Miller the Medal of Honor “very positive.”

A Defense Department spokesperson told CNN, “They had nothing to announce at this time.”

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