Oscar Verner Peterson: WWII legend, after whom naval ship USNS Harvey Milk has been renamed, takes the helm

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the new name for the naval ship USNS Harvey Milk will be the USNS Oscar V. Peterson."We are taking the politics out of ship naming," Hegseth said in a statement to officially announce the name change.

In a video posted to the Department of Defense X account Friday morning, Hegseth said the oiler ship, originally named for the gay San Francisco city councilor assassinated in 1978, would now be known as the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.

“Well, I’m pleased to officially announce that the Department of the Navy is renaming the fleet replenishment oiler, formerly known as the USNS Harvey Milk, to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson,” Hegseth proclaimed in the video.


Peterson, Hegseth said, was a chief watertender who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during an attack on the USS Neosho by Japanese bombers during the Battle of Coral Sea in 1942.

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Who was Oscar V Peterson?

According to Pacific Wrecks, Oscar Verner Peterson was born August 27, 1899 in Prentice, Wisconsin. On December 8, 1920 he enlisted in California into the U.S. Navy (USN) and was assigned to sea duty. During World War II, Peterson attained the rank of Chief Water Tender (CWT) aboard USS Neosho (AO-23) operating as a fleet oiler in the Pacific.

He was serving as chief watertender on the U.S.S. Neosho when it came under air attack by the Japanese in the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 7, 1942, during WWII.

On May 7, 1942 during the Battle of the Coral Sea around 11:15am USS Neosho (AO-23) was targeted by D3A Val dive bombers and severely damaged and Peterson was severely wounded. Despite his injuries, Peterson was in charge of a repair party and managed to close the bulkhead stop valves and was severely burned but saved the ship from sinking.

On May 11, 1942 the surviving crew members including Peterson were rescued by USS Henley (DD-391) then at 2:28pm afterwards scuttled USS Neosho (AO-23) with gunfire. On May 13, 1942 Peterson died of his wounds.

He earned the Medal of Honor and Purple Heart. Peterson is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.

Peterson died as a result of the battle and was buried at sea. But he later received the Medal of Honor "for extraordinary courage and conspicuous heroism above and beyond the call of duty while in charge of a repair party" during the attack, his citation says.

"Lacking assistance because of injuries to the other members of his repair party and severely wounded himself, Peterson, with no concern for his own life, closed the bulkhead stop valves and in so doing received additional burns which resulted in his death," it says.

"His spirit of self-sacrifice and loyalty, characteristic of a fine seaman, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."

Peterson was 42 years old and left behind a wife and two sons.