USS Doris Miller

Clem72

Clem72

Well-Known Member
stgislander said:
I especially like the idea of de-politicizing the naming of Navy vessels.
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To be clear, naming ships after presidents and admirals was political. Naming them after an African American war hero and announcing it on MLK day is de-politicizing. Got it.
 
Yooper

Yooper

Up. Identified. Lase. Fire. On the way.
Clem72 said:
Naming them after an African American war hero and announcing it on MLK day is de-politicizing. Got it.
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Not politics; smart PR.

BTW, this will be the second ship named for Miller.

--- End of line (MCP)
 
stgislander

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
Clem72 said:
To be clear, naming ships after presidents and admirals was political. Naming them after an African American war hero and announcing it on MLK day is de-politicizing. Got it.
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I have no issue naming vessels after Navy heroes (that includes wartime Admirals such as Nimitz) and wartime Presidents.
 
Clem72

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Yooper said:
Not politics; smart PR.

BTW, this will be the second ship named for Miller.

--- End of line (MCP)
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Maybe. It's smacks of pandering to me though. The guy was a legitimate hero, but did he do so much more than others that his contributions deserved to be remembered alongside presidents and admirals? Or was he chosen primarily because he was both enlisted, and black in a time when appealing to blue collar and minorities is "smart pr". Because if it's the latter, it's the definition of political.

Now, please don't assume I disagree with the naming of the ship, because I don't. I just don't agree with the article that it represents de-politicizing of the process.
 
Yooper

Yooper

Up. Identified. Lase. Fire. On the way.
Clem72 said:
Maybe. It's smacks of pandering to me though. The guy was a legitimate hero, but did he do so much more than others that his contributions deserved to be remembered alongside presidents and admirals? Or was he chosen primarily because he was both enlisted, and black in a time when appealing to blue collar and minorities is "smart pr". Because if it's the latter, it's the definition of political.

Now, please don't assume I disagree with the naming of the ship, because I don't. I just don't agree with the article that it represents de-politicizing of the process.
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I don't think you're disagreeing. You have a valid point. 👍

Miller's heroism was incredible. His big (back)story rates a big ship being named after him is all I'm saying. And I appreciate how it was announced. And I realize different folks will have different takes.

Thanks for a good back & forth. Cheers!

--- End of line (MCP)
 
L

limblips

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
So I guess I will upset some people but here are my thoughts on the matter. I have read up on him and what he did was heroic and deserved of having a ship named after him. He did, USS Miller FF-1091.
I believe that there are many other very deserving sailors that have not had the honor of having a ship bear their name. Rather than have another ship to honor him why can't we honor one of the many others?
Many deserve this but with a less than 400 ship fleet it is impossible to honor each of them so is it right to honor one of them twice?
 
Gilligan

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
My grandfather was a skipper of the Taney..in the 50s. The Taney was famous for being one of the first vessels to engage the Jap planes and saved some oil storage facilities in the action. I had a painting of Taney and a sister ship double moored at Pearl..done in oil on the bottom of an ammo crate. It was done by one of her crewman only a month or two before the Japanese attack.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
www.forbes.com

Naming An Aircraft Carrier After A Black Hero May Make It Untouchable

The dramatic decision to depart from convention and name a carrier after humble enlisted naval hero 'Dorie' Miller is about more than symbolism. The budgetary knives were out for the $10 billion vessel. This may make it political suicide to cancel it.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com

Personally I dont think carriers should be named after people. Revolutanary war battles and WW2 naval battles should be the naming convention as far as I am concerned.
 
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Clem72

Clem72

Well-Known Member
PeoplesElbow said:
www.forbes.com

Naming An Aircraft Carrier After A Black Hero May Make It Untouchable

The dramatic decision to depart from convention and name a carrier after humble enlisted naval hero 'Dorie' Miller is about more than symbolism. The budgetary knives were out for the $10 billion vessel. This may make it political suicide to cancel it.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com

Personally I dont think carriers should be named after people. Revolutanary war battles and WW2 naval battles should be the naming convention as far as I am concerned.
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Seems reasonable. I could see a point in the future where every time we name a ship after someone the internet digs up old social media where they did a Nazi solute or dressed as Mr. T or some other cultural faux pas (real or imagined), requiring us to constantly have to rename ships.
 
Monello

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
PeoplesElbow said:
www.forbes.com

Naming An Aircraft Carrier After A Black Hero May Make It Untouchable

The dramatic decision to depart from convention and name a carrier after humble enlisted naval hero 'Dorie' Miller is about more than symbolism. The budgetary knives were out for the $10 billion vessel. This may make it political suicide to cancel it.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com

Personally I dont think carriers should be named after people. Revolutanary war battles and WW2 naval battles should be the naming convention as far as I am concerned.
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Subs are usually named after US locations. A lot safer of an option for non offensive names.
 
DoWhat

DoWhat

Deplorable
PREMO Member
WingsOfGold said:
While deserving there are BETTER choices. Carriers are known as "Bird Farms" they are homes to Aviation types aka Airedales. If it had to be a DESERVING black sailor Ens Brown would have been my choice. https://www.1dayforthekia.org/ensign-jesse-l-brown
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Ens. Jesse L. Brown
Awesome individual. I cant even imagine what he went through to get were he was.
He did get his name passed on to the USS Jesse L Brown.
But I understand what you are saying.
 
WingsOfGold

WingsOfGold

Well-Known Member
DoWhat said:
Ens. Jesse L. Brown
Awesome individual. I cant even imagine what he went through to get were he was.
He did get his name passed on to the USS Jesse L Brown.
But I understand what you are saying.
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Yes, that was a frigate.... hardly a carrier. The names should have been switched, Doris was a Gunners Mate, a primary rate and weapon on a frigate.
 
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