In a military tradition where ship names carry historical and political weight, any move to rename a nuclear aircraft carrier draws national attention. That scrutiny sharpened on August 20, 2026, when reports said the Navy was considering stripping Pearl Harbor hero Doris Miller’s name from a future carrier. Miller, a Waco, Texas, native whose actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor made him one of the most recognized Black servicemen of World War II, had been selected in 2020 for what the Navy said would be the first aircraft carrier named for an African American enlisted sailor.
The event
CNN reported on August 20 that the Navy was working to rename the future USS Doris Miller, a Ford-class aircraft carrier under construction designated CVN-81, citing three sources familiar with internal discussions. According to that report, Navy officials have also discussed giving the ship a different name, with two of the sources saying there had been internal conversations about naming it for President Donald Trump. The Navy had not publicly announced a final decision as of Friday.
The family said it learned of the plan through press coverage rather than from the Pentagon or Navy leadership. Thomas Bledsoe, Miller’s great-nephew, told CNN the family had not been informed in advance about either the possible renaming or a renewed push to recommend Miller for the Medal of Honor. That account was echoed in follow-up coverage published Thursday night.
The carrier naming at issue dates to January 19, 2020, when then-Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly announced that a future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier would bear Miller’s name. In that official release, the Navy said the ship would be the first aircraft carrier named for an African American and the first carrier named for an enlisted sailor for actions in service. The vessel remains one of the most symbolically significant warships in the Navy’s future fleet.
For Texas, the story has an immediate local dimension because Miller was born in Waco and remains one of the state’s most celebrated military figures. His family has long been part of the public remembrance surrounding his service, including events tied to the carrier naming and broader efforts to elevate his place in Navy history. The current reports place that family at the center of a decision they said they did not see coming.
What is confirmed is that Miller’s relatives publicly said they were not notified before the reporting appeared. What is not yet known is whether the Navy has made a formal final decision, whether any internal recommendation has been signed, or whether another ship would be named for Miller if CVN-81 is renamed. The Navy had not released a public explanation or timeline by Friday.
Miller’s record is extensively documented by the Navy. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, he was serving aboard the battleship West Virginia when he helped move wounded sailors and manned a .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine gun, despite having no formal gunnery training, according to the Navy’s 2020 announcement. He later received the Navy Cross and was killed in 1943 when the escort carrier Liscome Bay was sunk.
The current dispute sits at the intersection of military tradition, presidential politics and a broader review of how major warships are named. CNN reported that the Navy has been examining changes to official guidance on eligible names, including whether presidents should be more prominently considered. The report also said the ship has recently been referred to internally by hull number, CVN-81, rather than by its announced name.
Modly’s 2020 decision to name the carrier after Miller was itself a break from custom. In its announcement at Pearl Harbor, the Navy said the selection was intended to recognize both Miller’s heroism and the service of enlisted sailors across the fleet. Modly said at the time that Miller’s story deserved to be remembered wherever Americans serve.
For residents in Texas and for those who follow military affairs, the immediate takeaway is that the ship’s name appears to be under review, but the final outcome has not been publicly confirmed. The family’s effort to secure the Medal of Honor for Miller may continue on a parallel track, and CNN reported that recommendation is being revisited. Until the Navy issues a formal decision, the future carrier remains officially tied to a name announced in 2020 and now at the center of a national controversy.