Navy Honors Two Harveys: One Medal of Honor Recipient. One Homosexual.
Update: Now covered at the Stars and Stripes, CNN, and the Christian Science Monitor.
A Tale of Two Harveys: Harvey Barnum (L), Harvey Milk (R)
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced that a destroyer would be named after retired US Marine Corps Colonel and Medal of Honor recipient Harvey Barnum.
In December 1965, then-Lieutenant Barnum was an artillery forward observer when he took command of a company under fire that had lost its commander:
He immediately assumed command of the rifle company…, and moving at once into the midst of the heavy fire, rallying and giving encouragement to all units, reorganized them to replace the loss of key personnel and led their attack on enemy positions from which deadly fire continued to come.
His sound and swift decisions and his obvious calm served to stabilize the badly decimated units and his gallant example as he stood exposed repeatedly to point out targets served as an inspiration to all.
After years of requests, the Navy is reportedly ready to name a vessel after Harvey Milk: Read more