The USNS Harvey Milk was christened and launched today out of San Diego. It is the first U.S. Navy ship named for an openly gay leader.

Harvey Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, and Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro watched the traditional launching ceremony.

The secretary of the Navy needed to be here today, not just to amend the wrongs of the past, but to give inspiration to all of our LGBTQ community leaders who served in the Navy, in uniform today and in the civilian workforce as well too, and to tell them that we’re committed to them in the future. For far too long, sailors like Lt. Milk were forced into the shadows or, worse yet, forced out of our beloved Navy,” Del Toro said. “That injustice is part of our Navy history, but so is the perseverance of all who continue to serve in the face of injustice.

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro –