Commission Releases List of Names for Army Bases Named After Confederates

A congressionally appointed commission tasked with recommending new names for Army bases named after Confederates unveiled a list of recommendations on Tuesday, which if adopted would see Army bases named after women and black Americans for the first time.

The panel recommended military bases be renamed after the first female Army surgeon, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker; the first Hispanic-American to become a four-star general, Gen. Richard E. Cavazos; and two black American soldiers who served in supporting roles and faced segregation, Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.

Another recommendation was a base named after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, an African American soldier who became the U.S.’s first hero of the Great War by ferociously engaging the enemy, rescuing fellow soldiers, and he was the first American soldier to receive the French Croix de Guerre for his actions.

The commission also recommended that Fort Bragg’s name be changed to “Fort Liberty,” “in commemoration of the American value of Liberty.” Fort Bragg was named after Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg.

There were a total of nine name change recommendations released on Tuesday. They included, according to the commission’s website:

• Fort Benning, Georgia — renamed Fort Moore after Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore.

• Fort Bragg, North Carolina — renamed Fort Liberty after the value of liberty.

• Fort Gordon, Georgia — renamed Fort Eisenhower after General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower.

• Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia — renamed Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Walker.

• Fort Hood, Texas — renamed Fort Cavazos after Gen. Richard Cavazos.

• Fort Lee, Virginia — renamed Fort Gregg-Adams after Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.

• Fort Pickett, Virginia — renamed Fort Barfoot after Tech. Sgt. Van T. Barfoot.

• Fort Polk, Louisiana — renamed Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson.

• Fort Rucker, Alabama — renamed Fort Novosel after Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, Sr.

The commission noted it can only make recommendations for Department of Defense assets but not for others, such as National Guard assets, which are controlled by states versus the federal government.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement after the names were released:

I am pleased to see the Naming Commission’s progress as mandated by Congress in the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Today’s announcement highlights the Commission’s efforts to propose nine new installation names that reflect the courage, values, sacrifices, and diversity of our military men and women. I thank the members of the Commission for their important, collaborative work with base commanders, local community leaders, Soldiers, and military families. And I look forward to seeing their complete report later this year.

The commission’s update on Tuesday was only a small portion of the renaming recommendations it plans to make. Its final report is due to Congress on October 1, 2022.

The list of recommendations will go to the defense secretary, who is expected to implement a plan by January 1, 2024, per the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

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