"Naming An Aircraft Carrier After A Black Hero May" Topic

…Make It Untouchable.

"In a break with convention, the U.S. Navy said Monday it was naming an aircraft carrier after Ship's Cook Third Class Doris "Dorie" Miller, a humble, enlisted naval hero of no particular political achievement. In recent memory, naming honors for modern U.S. carriers—the centerpieces of the U.S. Fleet—were reserved for the maritime elite: U.S. Presidents, congressmen, or admirals. A few more were named for America's earliest aircraft carriers, the proud flat-tops that held the Pacific front in early World War II.

Why such a dramatic departure from established tradition?

Well, there are plenty of persuasive reasons to name the future Ford class "CVN 81" for a hero like Doris Miller. A recipient of the Navy Cross for his heroics at Pearl Harbor, naming a ship after Mr. Miller honors the last remaining World War II veterans. An African-American, Mr. Miller's example (both on and off the field of battle) paved the way for desegregation of the U.S. Navy and helped set the stage for Martin Luther King's epic "I have a dream" speech on the National Mall. And, finally, a big ship named for Dorie Miller re-emphasizes for all that the real linchpin of the American Navy is the often-overlooked heroism of the enlisted sailor…"
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