KEEP THE NAME  -  USS Doris Miller on CVN-81

Doris “Dorie” Miller was a Navy mess attendant from Waco, Texas, who became a hero at Pearl Harbor when he helped wounded sailors and manned an anti-aircraft gun despite having no formal training on the weapon. He later became one of the first Black Americans awarded the Navy Cross and was killed in action in 1943 at age 24.

In 2020, the Navy honored his courage and legacy by naming the future aircraft carrier CVN-81 the USS Doris Miller.

Now, the Navy is considering major changes to CVN-81, including a possible return to steam catapults, and reporting has raised concern that the ship’s identity and name could be revisited. No final decision to remove Doris Miller’s name has been announced.

That is exactly why this matters now.

Technical decisions may change. Politics may change. The honor should not.

We call on the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense to keep the name USS Doris Miller on CVN-81.

Don’t Sink Dorie. Anchor the Name.