World War II-era postcard, via Wikimedia Commons.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JAN. 17, 2023 | Since GwinnettForum recently commented on Army bases named for Confederates, who are these bases now going to be named for? Here’s the list:
From Fort A.P. Hill to Fort Walker: Dr. Mary Walker was the Army’s first female surgeon and was ultimately awarded the Medal of Honor for her service during the Civil War.
Fort Polk to Fort Johnson: Sgt. William Henry Johnson, an African American soldier considered one of the first heroes of World War I after he fought off about two dozen Germans alone, killing at least four. He was later posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Fort Benning to Fort Moore: Lt. Gens. Hal and Julia Moore. Hal Moore served in the Army between 1945 and 1977, with assignments in Japan, Korea, Norway and Vietnam. His wife, Julia, “worked with the American Red Cross, and advocated for continued support for military families, including childcare and quality-of-life opportunities.”
Fort Gordon to Fort Eisenhower: After General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower, who went on to serve as the nation’s 34th president. Interestingly, the fort is located in Augusta, where the former president enjoyed visiting and playing golf.
Fort Hood to Fort Cavazos: After Gen. Richard Cavazos, who served in both the Korean War and Vietnam War. “In 1982, he became the first Hispanic-American to pin on four stars, with his final assignment as head of the US Army Forces Command.”
Fort Lee to Fort Gregg-Adam: After Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams. Gregg helped desegregate the Army, including at Fort Lee, while Adams, in 1944, “was selected to command the first unit of African-American women to serve overseas.” Her mission involved leading the 6888th Central Postal Directory in England.
Fort Pickett to Fort Barfoot: Tech. Sgt. Van T. Barfoot served for 34 years, including in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The commission noted that Barfoot, who died in 2012, made headlines in 2009 “when he insisted on flying the American flag at his home, against the wishes of his local homeowners’ association.”
Fort Rucker to Fort Novosel: Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel Sr. served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, where he flew 2,543 medevac evacuation missions, according to the release.
From Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty: After the value of liberty. The 82nd Airborne Division is based here. Its World War II route from Normandy, France, east towards Germany forms part of the commemorative “Liberty Road” featuring painted kilometer markers with a prominent image of a torch. This is the only base not renamed after a military person.
A 10th Army base named for a Confederate is Camp Beauregard in Pineville, La. However, since it is owned by the Louisiana National Guard, public input is now underway in Louisiana to adopt a new name for this base.
The renaming process proved controversial on Capitol Hill, with numerous Republican lawmakers opposing the effort. Former President Donald Trump publicly opposed the idea during his time in office, saying that changing the names ignored the history of the military sites and dishonored the troops that served at each.
But enough Republican lawmakers sided with Democrats to advance the measure, approving the name changes.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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