Fort Benning returns to old name — with a new namesake
FORT BENNING — The Army officially restored the name Fort Benning to its storied training post in Georgia, only this time to honor an 18-year-old corporal who fought in World War I rather than a Confederate general.
A ceremony to make the name change official was held Wednesday at the base just outside Columbus. Roughly 70,000 soldiers, civilian workers and military family members are stationed at Fort Benning, which trains infantry troops and tank crews and is home to the elite Army Ranger School.
It's the second time in less than two years that Fort Benning commanders have been tasked with swapping out the post's name on everything from signs marking gates, streets, police cars and buildings to official stationery and websites. That will cost around $653,000, according to Fort Benning officials.
The last name change in 2023 redesignated the post as Fort Moore as part of a move started by Congress in 2020 and completed during President Joe Biden's administration to remove names that honored Confederate leaders, including from nine Army posts.
The 18-year-old World War I corporal behind Fort Benning's renaming
The name of Henry L. Benning, a former Georgia Supreme Court justice who vocally supported secession and served as a Confederate brigadier general in the Civil War, had adorned the base since it opened as Camp Benning in 1918.
Federal law now prohibits naming military bases for Confederates. The Pentagon under President Donald Trump has found a workaround for reverting bases back to what they were formerly called, by finding new soldiers to honor with the same last name.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month ordered the change back to Fort Benning to honor Fred Benning, who was awarded the nation's second-highest honor for battlefield bravery as an 18-year-old corporal in 1918 and later was promoted to sergeant — a fact uncovered after Hegseth issued the memo.
Sue Conger-Williams, Benning's granddaughter, recalled summers in Nebraska fishing with her grandfather and digging for earthworms while he watched for cars, but said she never learned much about his time in the Army.
'I am grateful for this glimpse into history, and I see some similarities, though, between Fred Benning the soldier and Fred Benning my grandpa,' Conger-Williams said. 'These are integrity, hard work and a commitment to service.'
Fred Benning received his Distinguished Service Cross after returning home to Nebraska, where he started a bakery and served as mayor of the small town of Neligh. He died in 1974.
Conger-Williams sat up front at the ceremony with Benning's great-granddaughter and 10-month-old great-great-granddaughter as soldiers, veterans and locals milled around behind them.
Maj. Gen. Colin Tuley, the fort's commanding general, said people at Fort Benning knew little about Fred Benning, which sent historians poring over old records to piece together his legacy. During Wednesday's ceremony, Tuley noted that Benning took charge of his machine-gun platoon in October 1918 in France, leading 20 survivors through heavy fire, after their commander was killed.
'What sets him apart was his unwavering dedication to his soldiers, his understanding of the soldiers' needs," said Tuley.
During its short time as Fort Moore, the Georgia post became the first in the Army named for a couple: the late Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Moore.
Hal Moore served in Vietnam as commander of a cavalry battalion based at Fort Benning and was also a Distinguished Service Cross recipient. Julia Moore successfully lobbied the Pentagon to adopt a policy that military families would be notified of war casualties in person rather than by telegram.
"Whatever a name may be on an installation board, the Moores are an interwoven part of this installation and that will never go away," said Tuley.
In his March 3 memo ordering the return to the name Fort Benning, Hegseth directed the Army to find a new way to honor the Moores 'in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army.'
The Army hasn't said how much the switch back to Fort Benning will cost. An Army commission in 2022 estimated the change to Fort Moore would cost at least $4.9 million.
Fort Benning is the second U.S. military base to have its 2023 name change reversed. The nation's largest Army installation was rechristened Fort Bragg in North Carolina last month, following a brief two years as Fort Liberty.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
33 minutes ago
- USA Today
Trump warns would-be protestors on Army's 250th Birthday celebration of 'heavy force'
Trump warns would-be protestors on Army's 250th Birthday celebration of 'heavy force' Nationwide "No Kings" protests against Trump are scheduled for June 14 but not in D.C., the site of a 250th birthday celebration for the U.S. Army Show Caption Hide Caption Trump warns military parade protesters will be met with 'big force' President Donald Trump warned people against protesting in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. President Donald Trump is warning any would-be protestors who are planning to interrupt the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary celebration in Washington D.C., this weekend that they'll be "met with very big force". The June 14 event, which coincides with Trump's 79th birthday and Flag Day, is set to feature thousands of police officers and security measures including metal detectors, anti-scale fencing, concrete barriers and drones overhead surveilling the crowd. It also comes as Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are locked in a standoff over the use of the National Guard and U.S. military to help quell protests that have sprung up against the sweeps that ICE is carrying out at the president's direction in various Los Angeles neighborhoods. 'This is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force,' Trump said in the Oval Office on June 10. Billed as the U.S. Army's 250th birthday parade, the event in the nation's capital will feature Army equipment, musical performances and thousands of soldiers in uniforms from past and present. Fireworks are scheduled to close out the festivities. Trump's remarks come as his critics prepare their own 'No Kings National Day of Defiance" — or "No Kings" protests — that are set to take place at more than 1,800 sites nationwide. Indivisible, a progressive group, alongside a coalition of partner organizations, said it's holding the events to counter Trump's plans to 'hijack' the Army's legacy to 'celebrate himself.' There will be no planned "No Kings" protests scheduled for Washington D.C. Organizers said they intentionally avoided having a protest in the capital to avoid being cast as 'anti-veteran.' The largest protest is instead scheduled to take place at noon ET in Philadelphia, where the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. 'We made that choice to not feed into any narrative that Trump might want," said Indivisible Co-founder Ezra Levin. " That we're counter protesting him directly or give him the opportunity to crack down on protesters." Last month, Trump said God had willed his participation in the "big big celebration." Trump, who lost the 2020 election, would have missed the event had he been elected to a consecutive second term. During his current term, Trump is also expected to preside over the FIFA World Cup in 2026, which the United States will cohost with Canada and Mexico, as well as the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. 'I'm glad I missed that second term. Now look what I have,' Trump said. 'I have everything. Amazing the way things work out. God did that.' Contributing: Sarah D. Wire
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘No Kings' Protests Set for Florida Cities: What to Know
From multiple protests to large parades to the president's birthday, this weekend's itinerary is packed. "No Kings" protests are taking place on Saturday, June 14, claiming to counter President Donald Trump's 79th birthday plans to "feed his ego" with a lavish military parade. "President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn't staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else," the website states. The protests coincided with Trump's 79th birthday and the U.S. Army's 250th Birthday Parade. The administration has insisted that the Army's anniversary and Trump's birthday are coincidental and that the parade is justified to honor soldiers' sacrifice; however, USA TODAY notes that similar plans to celebrate other branches, including the Navy and Marines, are currently nonexistent. Here's all you need to know about "No Kings" protest locations in Florida. "No Kings National Day of Defiance" — or simply protests called "No Kings" — seeks to counter Trump's multimillion-dollar military parade in D.C. These protests are being planned nationwide on Saturday, June 14, which also falls on Flag Day, the Army's 250th anniversary celebration, and Trump's birthday. "No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we're taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like," the website says. Continued: "On June 14th, we're showing up everywhere he isn't — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings." The website notes they expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with its values and to act lawfully at these events. They advise that weapons should not be brought to the protest. The military parade, which will span six blocks and bisect the National Mall, will take place on Saturday, June 14, in the heart of Washington, D.C. Organizers say the procession will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET. Events from the 250th birthday celebration, including the parade, will be live-streamed on all U.S. Army social media platforms. Indivisible is partnering with 50501 and dozens of other advocacy groups to promote the anti-Trump movement nationwide. Indivisible, a grassroots political activism group focused on progressive causes, was founded in response to Trump's 2016 presidential election. The network has branched into a statewide network of groups, including over 75 in Florida. The 50501 Movement is a grassroots initiative formed on Reddit under the hashtag #50501 in the early days of Trump's second inauguration. It stands for 50 protests in 50 states on 1 day, which has since evolved to 50 states, 50 protests, and one movement. According to the No Kings website, over 75 protests (including multiple in the same city) are planned across Florida as of June 10: ➤ Find an event near you Apalachicola Apopka Boca Raton Boynton Beach Bronson Casselberry Clermont Center Lake Park Clermont City Hall Clermont Town Cocoa Coral Springs Davenport Daytona Beach DeLand Delray Beach Ellenton Englewood Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers Fort Walton Beach Gainesville Hollywood Inverness Jacksonville Duval County Courthouse Beach Boulevard and Hodges Boulevard Key Largo Key West Kissimmee Lakeland Lake Mary Lake Worth Beach Largo Leesburg Marathon Miami Miami Beach Mount Dora Naples New Port Richey New Smyrna Beach Ocala Orlando Orange City Orange Park Palatka Palm Bay Palm Beach/Mar-a-Largo Palm Beach Gardens Palm Coast Palm Harbor Panama City Pensacola Ninth Avenue/Airport Boulevard The Graffiti Bridge Plant City Poinciana Port Charlotte Port St. Joe Port St. Lucie Riverview Sarasota University Parkway J.D. Hamel Park Sebastian Sebring Spring Hill St. Augustine St. Johns County St. Petersburg Tallahassee Tampa The Villages Venice Vero Beach West Palm Beach Human Rights Campaign has tips for those participating in a peaceful protest to help ensure their safety and well-being: Properly prepare: Dress for the weather, pack the necessary supplies (cash, water, extra battery, etc), have at least one emergency contact, and plan to share your status throughout the protest. Know the environment: Research the location beforehand and have an offline-accessible map to reference if the service is spotty. Have multiple routes into and out of the protest area. Stay Aware: Maintain '360 situational awareness'— always know what is happening around you. If you see something, say something. Observe, Orient, Decide, Act: The 'OODA Loop' (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) is a helpful framework to stay calm and make decisions during high-stress situations: Observe: Identify the source of danger and your surroundings Orient: Determine where you are and where you need to go Decide: Choose a course of action that minimizes risk Act: Implement your decision and stay aware of changes in the environment This article was updated to remove some duplicates from list. This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: No Kings protests in Florida: Why people are protesting; 75 planned
2 hours ago
Trump warns 'any' protesters at military parade will be 'met with heavy force'
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to use "heavy force" against "any" protesters at the military parade being held in Washington this weekend. "We're going to celebrate big on Saturday," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office right after he spoke about sending the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to quell protests there. "If any protesters want to come out, they will be met with very big force." The parade to honor the Army's 250th anniversary also falls on the president's 79th birthday and comes just days after Trump ordered troops to Los Angeles to respond to protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. "People that want to protest will be met with big force," he said, noting that he hadn't heard of any plans to protest at the military parade in Washington yet. "But this is people that hate our country. They will be met with heavy force." ABC News reached out to the White House for comment on what kind of force Trump was referring to in his comments Tuesday. Trump has touted the size and anticipated spectacle of the military parade, saying on Monday, "We have many tanks. We have all sorts of new ones and very old ones old from World War I and World War II," and that the military and the U.S. roles in victories in World War I and World War II need to be celebrated as other countries do with their militaries. "It's going to be a parade, the likes of which I don't know if we've ever had a parade like that. It's going to be incredible," he said, adding that "thousands and thousands of soldiers" will march through the streets in military garb from various eras of the U.S. military. "We have a lot of those army airplanes flying over the top, and we have tanks all over the place." Twenty-eight Abrams tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 Stryker vehicles, and four Paladin self-propelled howitzers will participate in the parade, as will eight marching bands, 24 horses, two mules and a dog. Fifty aircraft will fly overhead as well. The U.S. Secret Service and Washington officials said Monday they were tracking nine small protests but that they didn't expect any violence. "From a Secret Service perspective, it's simply people using that first amendment right to protest because we're not going to do anything with that," said Matt McCool, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Washington Field Office. "But if that turns violent or any laws are broken, that's when [the Metropolitan Police Department], Park Police, Secret Service will be involved." Still, the National Guard, including the District of Columbia National Guard and those from other states, will be activated but not armed. Outside of Washington, progressive groups plan to hold protests against the Trump administration as the parade occurs, with the flagship "No Kings" protest occurring in Philadelphia.
