Navy ship to be named for late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will soon have a Navy ship named for her to honor her contributions to civil rights. 

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced on Thursday, the final day of Women’s History Month, that the Navy would name a replenishment oiler ship after Ginsburg. 

The ship is part of the John Lewis-class of replenishment oilers which are named in honor of individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of civil rights. Other ships in the class are named after John Lewis, Robert F. Kennedy, and Sojourner Truth.  

“As we close out Women’s History Month, it is my absolute honor to name the next T-AO after the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is a historic figure who vigorously advocated for women’s rights and gender equality,”  Del Toro said in a statement. 

Ginsburg died in 2020 of metastatic pancreatic cancer at the age of 87. She served on the Supreme Court for 27 years and was the second woman in history confirmed to the court, behind Sandra Day O’Connor. 

Throughout her career, Ginsburg advocated for women’s rights. During her tenure on the Supreme Court, she wrote the majority opinion in United States v. Virginia case that struck down Virginia Military Institute’s male-only admissions policy.

Del Toro named Ginsburg’s daughter, Jane Ginsburg, as the ship’s sponsor. 

Oil replenishment ships transfer fuel to the Navy’s operating carrier strike groups. The oilers can carry a load of 162,000 barrels of oil, maintain significant dry cargo capacity, aviation capability and travel at a speed of 20 knots, according to the Navy. 

The USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the eighth ship of this class scheduled to be delivered to the Navy. The first ship, named after the late civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis, was delivered in 2021.