U.S. Navy Mess Attendant First Class Doris Miller
An executive order from President Donald Trump resulted in criticism of the U.S. military after the removal of marginal backgrounded historical figures from its publications. The execution of this decision has resulted in numerous deleted military websites alongside historical references, which has caused widespread anger among educators, historians, and veterans.
The Disappearance of Military Heroes
Doris Miller stands as one of the crucial figures who received the Navy Cross for heroism at Pearl Harbor, although he was part of the Black community. During Pearl Harbor in 1941, Miller operated heavy weapons while stationed as a cook before earning lasting recognition as an inspiration to all black military personnel. Navy recruitment sites displayed his military biography as a central element previously, but Hadley DiForti and other educators discovered its disappearance in early 2025. DiForti expressed extreme anger because she had been taught about Miller’s story four years ago.
A DEI-led purge has affected several more historical figures, including:
- Second Lieutenant Jackie Robinson used his military experience as he became the pioneer who integrated Major League Baseball.
- During World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen operated as the first historically black pilots to operate in the military.
- The U.S. military secured communications through the Navajo Code Talkers, who used their linguistic abilities as Native American soldiers.
- General Colin Powell was the first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Arlington National Cemetery removed the information page about Medgar Evers, who served as both veteran and civil rights leader during World War II.
Jackie Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Bettmann Archive / Getty Image
Pentagon’s Justification for Content Removal
John Ullyot from Pentagon Press described the executive order as a plan to remove “woke cultural Marxism” from the military because DEI policies allegedly created divisions within the military force, which compromised the warfighting mission. The reinstatement of Powell and Robinson pages through public opposition did not restore access to most of the removed content.
Critics Condemn the Erasure of Military Diversity
Historians, together with veterans, maintain that this historical change alters reports about U.S. military service by focusing on a white-dominated perspective. According to Nika White, who specializes in diversity expertise, the removal of these figures weakens the critical legacy of many valorous military members who served our country.
According to Henry-Louis Taylor, director of urban studies at the University at Buffalo, the removal of minority military members represents a broader movement to restore the past where U.S. historical narratives revolved solely around white heroism.
Online pages that disappeared from Navy, Army, and Arlington National Cemetery websites have triggered advocates to maintain their fight for total restoration of the removed content. Donald Williamson, among veterans, labeled the discarding of historical content in museums as “a sad day in America.”
The ongoing dispute regarding military historical representation remains strong because the dispute shows no sign of ending.
