Family ‘Shocked’ to Learn Black War Hero’s Name on Aircraft Carrier May Be Scrapped for Trump

The family of war hero Doris Miller was “shocked” to hear about a plan to name a U.S. aircraft carrier after him may be scrapped in favor of President Donald Trump’s name.

Thomas Bledsoe, the great-nephew of Miller, joined Laura Coates on Thursday night and revealed that he and his family learned of the potential name change through the media.

CNN, citing two sources familiar with the situation, broke the news, and Coates played a clip of Trump in 2020 announcing the USS Doris Miller and also joking about his own name being used on an aircraft carrier.

“They won’t give me that honor. That’s a big boat, a big ship. One day, maybe,” he said at the time.

Bledsoe told Coates:

So for our family, it was quite a shock to hear that there is was conversation about the possibility of renaming the Doris Miller carrier. And so not only was it a shock, but it was also a shock in that we found out from a news outlet instead of from the Navy. It caused a lot of concerns and uncertainty and so, for us, it immediately became a family group conversation about what is happening, what does it mean, because, you know, January 20th, 2020 was a big day for us when we went to the naming ceremony and got the opportunity to see what was happening and then to see Doris Miller get recognition in such a great way as we continue to fight for him to get recognition for the Congressional Medal of Honor as well.

Miller became the first black service member to be awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on Dec. 7, 1941. Miller was a cook, but he manned an anti-aircraft gun and saved wounded fellow servicemen when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

“It was also about an individual stepping beyond the means of what they were assigned to do and going above and beyond. And that ‘why not me?’ moment was very significant, not only for the African American community, but for Americans overall,” Bledsoe said about Miller.

He added:

This isn’t just about a name on a ship. It’s about an opportunity and a goal. It’s about a significance in what it means to be an American. And it’s also about how we as a community can grow as one and become one. Towards one goal as a nation is so important.

Watch above via CNN.

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