Thirty-three ships numbered in the AVG/ACV/CVE series were transferred to Great Britain under Lend-Lease, some after brief U.S. As such, they were similar in size and performance to the Navy's pioneer "flattop", USS Langley, which had started life as a big collier. CVE designs were derived from those of commercial freighters and tankers, either as conversions or as "built for the purpose" new construction. This was again changed on 15 July 1943 to the type's definitive classification: Escort Aircraft Carriers (CVE). Originally called Aircraft Escort Vessels (AVG), on 20 August 1942 the existing and planned ships of this type were reclassified as Auxiliary Aircraft Carriers (ACV). In addition to fleet type Aircraft Carriers (CV, CVB and CVL), the World War II emergency generated a separate hull number series for aircraft carriers intended for auxiliary purposes such as escorting convoys, transporting aircraft and other missions that did not require high speed. NAVY SHIPS - Listed by Hull Number CVE - Escort Aircraft Carriers.Īlso includes the earlier designations AVG and ACV. ReturnĭEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY - NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMANDĨ05 KIDDER BREESE SE - WASHINGTON NAVY YARD Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page. The first ship in the class, the John Lewis, was christened this summer.USN Ships - by Hull Number: CVE - Escort Aircraft Carriers General Dynamics NASSCO began construction of the six oilers in San Diego in 2018 under a $3.2 billion Navy contract. “When the Harvey Milk sails, she will send a very strong message both domestically and around the globe to everybody that believes in freedom and justice and liberty, that there is a place for you in this family,” said co-sponsor Neira.
The ship “will carry a rich legacy of civic leadership,” Feinstein said in a letter read at the ceremony.
Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who was unable to attend.įeinstein was in San Francisco City Hall when Milk and Moscone were shot and then made the stunning announcement of their deaths. The naval tradition of having ship “sponsors” went to Neira and U.S. He was forced to resign because he was gay,” Stuart Milk said, adding that “we have to teach our history to prevent ourselves from going backwards and repeating it.”Īlthough 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 honor everyone in this very honorable service.” Stuart Milk, co-founder and president of the Harvey Milk Foundation, thanked Mabus for providing the family details of his uncle’s discharge from the Navy. “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. John Lewis of Georgia.ĭel Toro told Mabus, who attended the christening, that it was a courageous decision. In addition to Milk, they include Sojourner Truth, Chief Justice Earl Warren, Robert F. 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. He was serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1978 when a former political colleague, Dan White, assassinated him and Mayor George Moscone at City Hall. Milk was one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office. “That injustice is part of our Navy history, but so is the perseverance of all who continue to serve in the face of injustice.” Milk were forced into the shadows or, worse yet, forced out of our beloved Navy,” Del Toro said. “The secretary of the Navy needed to be here today, not just to amend the wrongs of the past, but to give inspiration to all of our LGBTQ community leaders who served in the Navy, in uniform today and in the civilian workforce as well too, and to tell them that we’re committed to them in the future,” Del Toro said.ĭel Toro said that, like many others, Milk had to “mask that very important part of his life” while he served in the Navy.