Navy Secretary Ray Mabus last week dropped his drive to eliminate hundreds of “sexist” job titles — thanks to fury in the ranks. It’s a welcome defeat for the forces of political correctness.

Mabus’ target was a host of words that end in “-man.” He cloaked the move as simply an effort to modernize the pay-rate system, but no one ever bought it: Mabus is known for being obsessed with symbolic equality.

Indeed, at an October event at the National Press Club, he justified his policy by saying, “It’s time to quit segregating women.”

But countless former and current sailors weren’t having it. A White House petition opposing the move garnered more than 100,000 signatures — and the less formal outrage was far louder.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson put up the white flag just before Christmas, announcing that the effort to abandon longstanding Navy practice “was unnecessary and detracted from accomplishing our goals.” A spokesman for Mabus then said the secretary agreed.

Mabus may also have realized that the Trump administration was sure to junk the initiative anyway, given the president-elect’s attitude toward all things politically correct.

It’s an excellent bet that the next Navy secretary will ditch the social engineering — and focus on getting the fleet into shape.