Filner Asks Navy for a USS Harvey Milk

Naming ship after Lt. Milk would promote military equality, Filner says

While many recognize Harvey Milk as an activist for gay rights, Congressman and mayoral candidate Bob Filner hopes people will also recognize him as Lieutenant Harvey Milk.

Filner announced Tuesday that he has asked the Navy to name a U.S. Navy Vessel after the country's first openly gay elected official.

"Naming a ship after the late civil rights activist and Navy Officer Harvey Milk would be a great tribute to Milk's support for equality and in keeping with effort to promote equality in our military after the recent repeal of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy," he said.

He will work with San Diego County's GLBT Historic Task force to convince Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to consider Milk's namesake for the next appropriate ship.

Milk served on a submarine rescue ship during the Korean War in and was also stationed in San Diego in 1954 as a Naval Dive Instructor.

San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez said the campaign to honor Milk with a ship will partner with the Harvey Milk Foundation and the International Court System.

"“We in San Diego are very proud that Harvey Milk was stationed in our city and fell in love with California here,” said Ramirez in an article in LGBT Weekly.

Milk was assassinated in 1978 by San Francisco supervisor Dan White.

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