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The panel set up by Congress to identify new names for nine Army facilities in honor of Confederate military officers unveiled its recommendations Tuesday, bringing the Department of Defense one step closer to eliminating the rebellious nicknames of some of the its most prominent bases.
The nine facilities are located, all built during the first half of the 20th century in the former Confederate states and were often appointed with the input of regional leaders and groups who sympathized with the rebel cause.
The names recommended by the commission include, for the first time, women and other minorities, a surprising move away from the practice for decades of naming military installations for white men. Recommendations have yet to be presented to Congress, where some Republicans remain opposed to renaming the bases, as part of a formal report before they can be approved by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Opinions: What to change the name of the bases of the Army that honor the Confederate soldiers
Efforts to rename the bases intensified in 2020 following the assassination of George Floyd, which ignited a heated debate over the nation’s identity and history of racism. The commission was established in January 2021, as part of the annual defense clearance bill, which required names to be changed within three years.
“All the names originated or resonated with local communities,” said Ty Seidule, a retired general in the army of a star who serves as vice chairman of the nomenclature commission, during a phone call to the media. to announce the list. The panel received more than 34,000 suggestions from the public, Seidule said, from which they selected a list of 3,670 that dropped to less than 100 earlier this year.
The panel, made up of former military leaders, recommended that Fort Hood in Texas, in honor of Confederate General John Bell Hood, be renamed Fort Cavazos by Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic brigadier general in the Army and a native of Texas. Texas which later commanded the III Corps, which is based there.
Fort Lee in Virginia, so named by Robert E. Lee, leader of the Confederate Army, would be renamed Fort Gregg-Adams, after two Black Army officers broke down racial barriers to service. When first stationed at Fort Lee, Arthur J. Gregg enlisted in the 1940s and became a three-star general and the highest-ranking black man in the Army, not so much. it was only allowed in the white officers club. . It eventually became the site of his retirement ceremony. Charity Adams, on the other hand, was the first African-American woman to become an officer in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps and command a postal battalion abroad during World War II.
William Henry Johnson, Sergeant of the Black Army posthumously recognized with a Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest battle value award, for battlefield feats during World War I would become Fort Polk’s new namesake in Louisiana.
Fort AP Hill in Virginia, also named after a Confederate officer, could become Fort Walker after Mary Edwards Walker, a Civil War surgeon and the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. She served on the Commonwealth battlefields and was later imprisoned in Richmond during the war.
The army will commemorate a black soldier lynched at the Georgia base 80 years ago
The commission also took the opportunity to recognize military spouses, recommending that Fort Benning in Georgia, so named by a slaveholder and Confederate general, be renamed Fort Moore by Hal Moore and his wife, Julia. Hal Moore received the Distinguished Service Cross for brave action in Vietnam and later co-wrote the book “We Were Soldiers Once … And Young.” Julia Moore played a key role in changing the way the army notified the families of soldiers killed in combat.
MP Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, issued a statement on Tuesday announcing the list as a “significant milestone” and a “first step in addressing Confederate symbolism in the Northern Army -American “.
Deputy Anthony G. Brown (D-Md.), An Army veteran who campaigned fiercely for the changes, achieved a similar note of optimism.
“I learned to fly helicopters at Fort Rucker. I flew to Iraq from Fort Bragg and won my jumping wings at Fort Benning. All these bases honored men who would not want me or other black Americans to serve. in uniform, let alone in Congress, “he said. “This is more than names and symbolism; whom our army chooses to honor establishes a way forward for other reforms needed to make our armed services more inclusive, diverse and just. “
Not all The proposed name elevates the stories of members of the individual service whose heroism has lingered for a long time in relative darkness. Dwight D. Eisenhower, a general celebrated during World War II and the 34th president of the United States, he was elected commissioner to inherit Fort Gordon in Georgia, near the Augusta National Golf Club where he played. And for Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the commission selected “Freedom” to be the new name.
Altogether, of the nine bases for which the commission suggested new names, three proposed dedicating them to women, in whole or in part, two to black Americans, one to a Hispanic-American, and one to a soldier of ‘Native American ancestry. Three were recommended to honor white men and one, freedom, a concept.
“I don’t think people will agree with some of our conclusions? I have no doubt,” Seidule said. He defended the options, however, saying, “We listened carefully to the communities in all cases and certainly in the case of our Fort Liberty recommendation.”
Seidule said the commission relied on the base commander of each base to convene a “broad representation” of local stakeholders, including “leaders of the faith, those soldiers on the ground, leaders on the ground” to comment on their views. . When asked, she said women and minorities were represented at each meeting.
“We looked for names that would inspire the nation,” Seidule said. “We are a diverse group that is giving these names and we did it unanimously.”
Austin issued a statement of thanks to the commission for its work so far. “Today’s announcement highlights the commission’s efforts to propose nine facility names that reflect the courage, values, sacrifices and diversity of our military and military,” he said. “… I look forward to seeing your full report later this year.”
The other proposed names take a look at the troops whose legacy has been overlooked.
Fort Rucker in Alabama, home of the Army Aviation, would be named after Michael Novosel Sr., a pilot who volunteered in his 40s to fight in Vietnam after serving in World War II and Korea. . He later rescued his son from a downed helicopter, which in turn rescued his father in another incident a week later. The Novosel selection, winner of the Medal of Honor, aimed to recognize “generational service, a common trend in the modern army,” the commission wrote.
Fort Pickett in Virginia would be renamed Van Barfoot, a Mississippi Choctaw Indian whose gallantry in World War II became legendary. Barfoot, as part of an assault on German positions in Italy, broke alone under heavy fire to assault three machine gun nests, killing and capturing several enemies. Later in the day, again alone, he used a bazooka to destroy a tank before escorting two wounded soldiers nearly a mile to medical attention. He also received the Medal of Honor.
The commission was also tasked with identifying other military assets with Confederate links, including street and building names, to consider also to change the name. He found more than 750 items in military installations.