Display honoring Jewish women graduates of naval academy removed ahead of Hegseth visit

A piece of cardboard appeared to have been propped up to block a placard that described ‘Jewish women in the Navy’

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s DEI initiative results in the removal of Holocaust Remembrance articles. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

By Grace Gilson April 3, 2025

(JTA) — The U.S. Naval Academy removed items from a display honoring female Jewish graduates ahead of a planned visit Tuesday from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

A display case in the academy’s Jewish chapel that had previously contained a collection of photos and memorabilia from female Jewish graduates of the academy was completely emptied prior to the visit, according to photos obtained by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.

Before the removals, the case had contained items that belonged to a number of Jewish women who graduated USNA, including a bronze star, military cap and insignias, as well as photos from USNA graduation and tours in Iraq, according to MRFF. Other displays featuring male Jewish graduates had stayed up.

“While the boys were away, we worked for victory,” read a banner held by female Jewish civilians during World War II, in the only remaining photo in the display. A piece of cardboard had also been propped up to block a placard that described “Jewish women in the Navy,” according to a photo shared by MRFF.

The items were reinstated by the academy, reportedly following the visit, and the removals raised questions about whether they were taken down following recent orders from Hegseth targeting diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, content.

Hegseth’s campaign against DEI in his department has led to the censorship of books in schools, Pentagon websites and classes at an Air Force boot camp.

The academy confirmed reports that the items had been stripped from their display, and added that it was done “mistakenly.”

“U.S. Naval Academy leadership is immediately taking steps to review and correct the unauthorized removal,” said the Naval Academy’s director of communications in a statement.

The U.S. Naval Academy also removed 400 books from its library ahead of Tuesday’s visit following orders from Hegseth’s office last week to review its contents for the promotion of DEI. A list of the books removed has not been made available.

During his visit Tuesday in an address to the academy, Hegseth argued that “past distractions” had “diluted” the focus of the military, saying, “Our differences don’t make us strong. Our shared mission does.”

It is not the first time Jewish historical material has been caught in the crosshairs of Hegseth’s anti-DEI campaign. In March, following a memo ordering officials to purge Department of Defense digital platforms of all DEI content, websites memorializing the Holocaust were removed.

Among the pages deleted in Hegseth’s DEI sweep were the stories of Kitty Saks, a Holocaust survivor, and Bea Arthur, the Jewish “Golden Girls” actress and World War II Marines veteran.

Arthur’s story along with another article about Holocaust remembrance that was originally taken down have been reinstated following a public outcry, but Saks’ article is still unavailable.

In a February cull of Pentagon school books, a picture book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the liberal icon who was the first Jewish woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, was placed under review for potential DEI content. It was later put back on shelves, according to Military.com.

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