**Navy Vessel USNS Harvey Milk to be Renamed**

The USNS Harvey Milk, a naval vessel named for the notable gay rights activist and Navy veteran, is set to undergo a name change, according to confirmation from the Navy. The decision to rename the fleet replenishment oiler comes without an official explanation from the Navy.

Commissioned in 2021, the USNS Harvey Milk is part of a class of ships dedicated to civil rights figures. This group, known as the John Lewis class, commemorates a variety of prominent activists and leaders. The class includes vessels named after Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Dolores Huerta, Harriet Tubman, Cesar Chavez, and Lucy Stone.

Each ship in the John Lewis class was intended to honor individuals who made significant contributions to civil rights and social justice. The class itself is named after Congressman John Lewis, a revered figure in the civil rights movement who passed away in 2020. The renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk raises questions and curiosity, given the symbolic importance of its namesake.

Harvey Milk, for whom the vessel was originally named, was a pioneering civil rights leader and an openly gay public official in California. His legacy continues to influence and inspire many within the LGBTQ+ community and beyond. The reason behind the Navy's decision to change the ship’s name remains undisclosed, leaving room for speculation and discussion among supporters of Milk's legacy.