The Pentagon has reportedly marked thousands of photos and online posts for deletion as the Department of Defense works to root out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military. But some flagged images have raised eyebrows online.
They include the removal of digital files dedicated to accomplishments of women in the military, the esteemed Tuskegee Airmen and the aircraft that dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on Japan.
The Associated Press obtained a database, confirmed by U.S. officials, of more than 26,000 images that were flagged because they were deemed to have gone against the anti-DEI push. The AP noted in its report that the total could be higher.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was confirmed in January after Vice President Vance stepped in to break a 50-50 tie vote in the Senate. Days later, the former Fox News host issued a memo outlining efforts at the Pentagon as part of the Trump administration’s push to root out DEI programs in federal government.
The AP reported the database “underscores the confusion that has swirled among agencies about what to remove” after President Trump ordered a sweep of DEI efforts fostered under the Biden administration.
“We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms,” a Pentagon spokesperson told the AP. “In the rare cases that content is removed that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct components accordingly.”
Here are five of the items flagged, per the searchable database the AP published:
‘Enola Gay’ WWII bomber
At least six photos of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber dubbed the “Enola Gay” are among the images flagged for removal. The Enola Gay was the aircraft that dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan in 1945. It was named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot who flew the bomber.
According to the AP, the flagging was apparently the result of a broad search for files that included the word “gay,” in an attempt to quickly remove LGBTQ-positive materials. The database also includes two photos of a member of the military whose last name is “Gay.”
Reference to fish ‘gender’
Images of Army Corps of Engineers biologists appeared in the database, the AP noted, “seemingly because it mentioned they were recording data about fish … gender.”
The two photos had the tagline “Biologists from the Corps work with our partners at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Marine Fisheries Service to improve fish numbers within the basin. They record data about the fish, including size, weight, gender and whether they are hatchery fish or wild fish.”
Tuskegee Airmen
Numerous photos of the nation’s first Black military pilots — the Tuskegee Airmen — who served in a segregated World War II unit were listed in the database. Their efforts in fighting the war have been credited with ushering the eventual integration of the armed forces.
Trailblazing women
Photos of historic milestones of U.S. Air Force Col. Jeannie Leavitt, who was the country’s first female fighter pilot; of the first female Marines; and of World War II Women Air Service Pilots were also marked for removal.
Women’s History Month/Black History Month pages
Several web pages and images of cultural celebrations, including Black History Month, Women’s History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as symposiums and other programs to highlight achievements made the purge list, as well.
