NEWS BRIEF: New names picked for Army bases will remove Confederate references

Rewriting history — for the better

IMG 1970
Photo credit: US Army
US Army Base Fort Benning proposed to be renamed Fort Moore

Two military bases in Georgia named after Confederate soldiers are likely to get new appellations if recommendations by an independent commission get congressional approval. Fort Benning near Columbus would become Fort Moore after the late Lt. Gen. Harold Moore, a Vietnam veteran and recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, and his wife Julia, who was instrumental in modernizing the Army’s casualty notification process. Fort Gordon, southwest of Augusta, would be renamed in honor of President Dwight Eisenhower, leader of allied forces during World War II.

The two installations are among nine Army posts in the U.S. that are set to be rebranded after having commemorated Confederate troops for decades. The panel also is considering new names for a pair of Navy ships and hundreds of streets and buildings nationwide, with a final report due to Congress by Oct. 1. The secretary of defense is expected to implement the commission’s plan by Jan. 1, 2024. cbs46.com