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American Press
27-04-2025
- General
- American Press
Ceremony set to honor Elton native killed in Vietnam War
Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier was killed killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. (Special to the American Press) Final preparations are underway for next Saturday's event to honor an Elton native killed in the infamous Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. A ceremony honoring Specialist 4 Albert 'Billy' Sonnier will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Vietnam War Memorial at the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park in Jennings. 'We encourage everyone from the area to attend so we can give Spec. 4 Sonnier the honor and respect he deserves for his service and ultimate sacrifice,' organizer John Semmes said. Semmes, a Vietnam veteran and part of a local Vietnam veterans project team, discovered Sonnier's name on the memorial last year and sought out Sonnier's family. This led to locating Sonnier's grave and fundraising for a memorial marker at St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery in Elton. Sonnier died Nov. 15, 1965 at the age of 24 during the Battle of Ia Drang at Landing Zone (LZ) X-Ray – one of the most famous battles in the storied history of the 1st Cavalry Division and the first major battle of the Vietnam War. The battle was covered by war correspondent Joe Galloway, who co-authored 'We Were Soldiers Once ….and Young' with retired Lt. Gen. Hal Moore. It was adapted into the 2002 film, 'We Were Soldiers.' Sonnier was a rifleman assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Division. The company suffered 68 casualties, with 42 killed in action and 26 wounded, from a fighting force of 106 men. Six of the 42 fallen troopers, including Sonnier, posthumously received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor. 'This is why the fulfillment of God's purpose sometimes calls for the ultimate sacrifice of our most precious treasure,' then Army Chief of Staff Gen. Harold Johnson wrote in a letter to Sonnier's mother after his death. 'For his gift of life, your son is forever noble among men.' The ceremony is expected to be one of the most historic military events for Southwest Louisiana, according to Semmes. 'It will be a ceremonial event, but will be memorable for those soldiers – all of whom are in their 80s now, and for the young people participating in the ceremony who will get to interface with these soldiers,' Semmes said. 'But we want to make sure this is memorable for everybody and make sure these guys get the recognition they deserve.' Honored guests will include Medal of Honor recipient retired U.S. Army Col. Walter 'Joe' Marm, along with seven other LZ X-Ray veterans, including three Purple Heart recipients. Former Louisiana Veterans Affairs secretary and retired Col. Joey Strickland, who served two tours of combat duty in Vietnam, will be the keynote speaker. Sonnier's sisters, JoAnn White, who was a teenager when he died, and Sandria Doyle, who was 10 at the time, will also be in attendance. Other participants include Sea Cadets from Lake Charles; Daxton Broussard, a student at Iota High School; Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215 of Kinder; LZ X-Ray veteran Nathan Harvey; Thomas Barrett; Deputy Director of Louisiana's Veterans Affairs Dr. Jerome Buller; Vietnam veteran Wayne Milner; Kenzlie Duhon and Nolan Knight, students at Jennings High School. Several participants will be in Vietnam-era military uniforms. Author Dave Precht, a 1967 graduate of Jennings High School, will deliver two speeches. Precht has authored three books and was heavily involved in two others in the 'Brothers Beyond the Perimeter' series of books based on local Vietnam veterans. He hopes to complete a final book on local Vietnam service personnel by November. 'We are very fortunate that he (Precht) has volunteered his time and talent to make sure all these veterans and their deeds and service are finally getting acknowledged,' Semmes said. A shadow box of Sonnier's service medals will be presented to his sisters. Leather-bound autographed copies of the 'We Were Soldiers' book and special emblems will also be presented to the LZ X-Ray veterans attending the ceremony, which will include music, flag presentation, a three-gun volley, the sounding of 'Taps,' and a Fallen Warrior display.
The Independent
04-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump pushes through another name change as Fort Moore becomes Fort Benning again
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has again reversed a US military base renaming, declaring that Fort Moore in Georgia will revert to its former name, Fort Benning. This marks the second such reversal, reflecting the Pentagon's ongoing effort to overturn the Biden administration's 2023 decision to remove Confederate leaders' names from nine Army bases. The move necessitates finding alternative namesakes, often with shared surnames. Fort Benning was originally named for Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, a Confederate officer and staunch opponent of abolition. Now, it will honour Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a World War I Distinguished Service Cross recipient. The Pentagon cites Benning's heroism in October 1918, leading troops through intense enemy fire after his platoon leader was killed. These reversals are sparking controversy, effectively undermining the 2023 renaming process that sought to honour figures like Lt. Gen. Harold Gregory Moore Jr. and his wife, Julia. The decision to replace their names with those of individuals sharing surnames with Confederate figures adds another layer of complexity to the debate.. Moore is a revered military leader who earned the Distinguished Service Cross for valor and fought in the Battle of Ia Drang in the Vietnam War. And Julia Moore was key to the creation of teams that do in-person notifications of military casualties. Hegseth last month signed an order restoring the name of a North Carolina base back to Fort Bragg, and warned that more changes were coming. The North Carolina base had been renamed Fort Liberty in 2023. Its original namesake, Gen. Braxton Bragg, was a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, who was known for owning slaves and losing key Civil War battles, contributing to the Confederacy's downfall. Now, Bragg is named to honor Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, who the Army said was a World War II hero who earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. It's not clear how much the renaming will cost, but the expense comes as the Trump administration is trying to find savings through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The Naming Commission in its August 2022 report estimated it would cost $4.9 million to rename Fort Benning as Fort Moore, but said there could be additional costs. It put the cost to rename Bragg at around $8 million. Updated costs were not available. Hegseth said the original Bragg name is a legacy for troops who lived and served there and that it was a shame to change it. And he said he deliberately referred to Bragg and Fort Benning by those names as he entered the Pentagon on his first day in office. 'There's a reason I said Bragg and Benning when I walked into the Pentagon on day one. But it's not just Bragg and Benning," he said. "There are a lot of other service members that have connections. And we're going to do our best to restore it.' The lower ranks of the new namesakes indicate the exhaustive research being done by Army and defense leaders to find service members with the same names who have also earned some type of award for their military action and bravery.
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Pentagon changes name of Georgia Army base back to Fort Benning, dumping Fort Moore
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has, for the second time, reversed the renaming of a U.S. military base, saying that Fort Moore in Georgia should revert back to being called Fort Benning. The move reflects an ongoing effort by the Pentagon to overturn the Biden administration's 2023 decision to remove names that honored Confederate leaders, including for nine Army bases. But the drive to revert to the former names means finding service members with the same name as the Confederate leaders. Previously, Fort Benning was named for Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, a Confederate officer during the American Civil War who stridently opposed the abolition of slavery. Now, Hegseth said, Fort Benning will be named in honor of Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross who served in France during World War I. According to the Pentagon, Benning was honored for heroic actions in October 1918, when he led troops through heavy fire after his platoon leader was killed by the enemy. The renaming of bases is resulting in decisions that insult the military heroes whose names were selected in the 2023 process, including Lt. Gen. Harold Gregory Moore Jr. and his wife, Julia. Moore is a revered military leader who earned the Distinguished Service Cross for valor and fought in the Battle of Ia Drang in the Vietnam War. And Julia Moore was key to the creation of teams that do in-person notifications of military casualties. Hegseth last month signed an order restoring the name of a North Carolina base back to Fort Bragg, and warned that more changes were coming. The North Carolina base had been renamed Fort Liberty in 2023. Its original namesake, Gen. Braxton Bragg, was a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, who was known for owning slaves and losing key Civil War battles, contributing to the Confederacy's downfall. Now, Bragg is named to honor Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, who the Army said was a World War II hero who earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. It's not clear how much the renaming will cost, but the expense comes as the Trump administration is trying to find savings through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The Naming Commission in its August 2022 report estimated it would cost $4.9 million to rename Fort Benning as Fort Moore, but said there could be additional costs. It put the cost to rename Bragg at around $8 million. Updated costs were not available. Hegseth said the original Bragg name is a legacy for troops who lived and served there and that it was a shame to change it. And he said he deliberately referred to Bragg and Fort Benning by those names as he entered the Pentagon on his first day in office. 'There's a reason I said Bragg and Benning when I walked into the Pentagon on day one. But it's not just Bragg and Benning," he said. "There are a lot of other service members that have connections. And we're going to do our best to restore it.' The lower ranks of the new namesakes indicate the exhaustive research being done by Army and defense leaders to find service members with the same names who have also earned some type of award for their military action and bravery.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon changes name of Georgia Army base back to Fort Benning, dumping Fort Moore
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has, for the second time, reversed the renaming of a U.S. military base, saying that Fort Moore in Georgia should revert back to being called Fort Benning. The move reflects an ongoing effort by the Pentagon to overturn the Biden administration's 2023 decision to remove names that honored Confederate leaders, including for nine Army bases. But the drive to revert to the former names means finding service members with the same name as the Confederate leaders. Previously, Fort Benning was named for Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, a Confederate officer during the American Civil War who stridently opposed the abolition of slavery. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Now, Hegseth said, Fort Benning will be named in honor of Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross who served in France during World War I. According to the Pentagon, Benning was honored for heroic actions in October 1918, when he led troops through heavy fire after his platoon leader was killed by the enemy. The renaming of bases is resulting in decisions that insult the military heroes whose names were selected in the 2023 process, including Lt. Gen. Harold Gregory Moore Jr. and his wife, Julia. Moore is a revered military leader who earned the Distinguished Service Cross for valor and fought in the Battle of Ia Drang in the Vietnam War. And Julia Moore was key to the creation of teams that do in-person notifications of military casualties. Hegseth last month signed an order restoring the name of a North Carolina base back to Fort Bragg, and warned that more changes were coming. The North Carolina base had been renamed Fort Liberty in 2023. Its original namesake, Gen. Braxton Bragg, was a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, who was known for owning slaves and losing key Civil War battles, contributing to the Confederacy's downfall. Now, Bragg is named to honor Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, who the Army said was a World War II hero who earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. It's not clear how much the renaming will cost, but the expense comes as the Trump administration is trying to find savings through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The Naming Commission in its August 2022 report estimated it would cost $4.9 million to rename Fort Benning as Fort Moore, but said there could be additional costs. It put the cost to rename Bragg at around $8 million. Updated costs were not available. Hegseth said the original Bragg name is a legacy for troops who lived and served there and that it was a shame to change it. And he said he deliberately referred to Bragg and Fort Benning by those names as he entered the Pentagon on his first day in office. 'There's a reason I said Bragg and Benning when I walked into the Pentagon on day one. But it's not just Bragg and Benning," he said. "There are a lot of other service members that have connections. And we're going to do our best to restore it.' The lower ranks of the new namesakes indicate the exhaustive research being done by Army and defense leaders to find service members with the same names who have also earned some type of award for their military action and bravery.
