Latest news with #RolandL.Bragg
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fort Bragg name changed back from Fort Liberty
The Brief The North Carolina Army installation is officially known as Fort Bragg again, after being Fort Liberty since 2023. The name change is in honor of a World War II paratrooper and Silver Star recipient from Maine, Pfc. Roland L. Bragg. It was officially named in honor of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. The North Carolina Army installation, one of the largest military installations in the world, is officially named Fort Bragg again. It had been known as Fort Liberty since the summer of 2023. Here's what was behind the multiple name changes: Timeline The back-and-forth of the North Carolina military site dates back a few years. 1918: The base takes its Fort Bragg name for Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. June 2023: Fort Bragg shed its namesake and became known as Fort Liberty amid a drive to remove symbols of the Confederacy from public spaces. Feb. 2025: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed an order to revert the name change, honoring a new namesake: Army Pfc. Roland L. Bragg. What they're saying Hegseth says the rededication honors an American hero and restores a name that soldiers knew and revered for over a century. By the numbers The Army said in 2023 that changing the name to Fort Liberty would cost $8 million. North Carolina's Department of Transportation said last month that it anticipated replacing dozens of road signs at a cost of over $200,000. The backstory The North Carolina base was originally named in 1918 for Gen. Braxton Bragg, a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, who was known for owning slaves and losing key Civil War battles that contributed to the Confederacy's downfall. Big picture view Several military bases were named after Confederate soldiers during World War I and World War II as part of a "demonstration of reconciliation" with white southerners amid a broader effort to rally the nation to fight as one, Nina Silber, a historian at Boston University, previously explained to The Associated Press. RELATED: Pentagon orders removal of 26,000+ military images under Trump's DEI ban Dig deeper Bragg was a World War II paratrooper and Silver Star recipient from Maine. Before his deployment, he trained at the North Carolina post, his family said during Friday's renaming ceremony. Bragg, who served with the 17th Airborne Division, received the Silver Star and a Purple Heart for exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. He was captured by Germans and commandeered an ambulance back to safety with a few wounded paratroopers, one of which survived, Lt. Gen. Greg Anderson said during the ceremony. RELATED: Fort Liberty reverts to Fort Bragg—but with a new namesake What they're saying The Liberty-to-Bragg reversion was made without first consulting with Roland Bragg's family, but his daughter was delighted by it. His granddaughter described him as a "strong, hardworking and proud" man who didn't discuss his military service in World War II very openly. What's next Hegseth announced this week that Georgia's Fort Moore would revert back to Fort Benning. Originally named for Confederate Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, it will now honor Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross who served in France during World War I. The Source Information in this article was taken from remarks during the renaming ceremony on March, 7, 2025, as covered by The Associated Press. Background information was taken from an order signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in February, and previous FOX Television Station and Associated Press reportings. This story was reported from Detroit.
The Independent
11-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Who is the new ‘Bragg' that the North Carolina base will now be named after?
Bringing Bragg back. Amid the Republican's anti-DEI push, new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that one of the country's largest military bases will get its old name back - but honor a different person. Fort Bragg in North Carolina was renamed Fort Liberty under President Joe Biden as the country pushed to eliminate ties between the current military and the confederacy. The North Carolina base was named after Confederate general Braxton Bragg before it became Liberty. Now, it will go back to being Bragg - but this time for Private First Class Roland L. Bragg, an Army soldier who was awarded a Silver Star and the Purple Heart for combat during WWII. 'Bragg is back!' Hegseth wrote in an announcement online. Here's what we know about the soldier Fort Bragg is now being named after: Who is Roland L. Bragg? Bragg was an Army soldier who fought in Europe during World War II, including in the Battle of the Bulge, for which he was awarded a Purple Heart, according to the Department of Defense. Born in Sabatus, Maine, on June 11, 1923, Bragg's parents were Calvin Leroy Bragg and Ella Stevenson, according to ancestry records. He was assigned to the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Divison and stationed at Fort Bragg. Upon returning from war, Bragg moved to Nobleboro, Maine Bragg was married to Barbara Picinich and the two had at least two daughters, Linda and Debra, according to newspaper records. Bragg died on January 12, 1999, in Nobleboro. He is buried at Dunbar Cemetery What did Roland L. Bragg do? The Department of Defense said he received a Silver Star and Purple Heart for his service. Bragg 'fought with distinction in the European theater of operations,' the statement from the department says. Bragg is credited with stealing a German ambulance to drive a wounded soldier to the hospital and saving his life, according to Why is Fort Liberty's name being changed? One of President Donald Trump's campaign promises was to restore the names of bases that were renamed, in part, to revoke honors associated with Confederate generals. Congress passed a law in 2020 that called for a commission to rename bases. It was partially inspired by the nationwide racial reckoning movement that was sparked after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. Fort Liberty was previously named after Braxton Bragg, a slave owner and Confederate army general who famously lost many battles during the Civil War. Republicans had long criticized the movement to remove names associated with Confederate leaders believing it was erasing history. From the moment Hegseth took office, it was clear he did not plan to keep Fort Liberty's name intact. He referred to the base as 'Fort Bragg' on his first day in office.
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
When will Fort Liberty become Fort Bragg and how much will it cost? Here's what we know
Hear this story AI-assisted summary Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the renaming of Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg, honoring Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II veteran. The name change will likely require additional funding from Congress, with costs for the previous renaming exceeding $6 million. While the timeline remains unclear, the Army will need to present its implementation plans, including resource requirements, to the Department of Defense. The timeline for renaming Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg was unknown as of Tuesday, and the costs associated with the process could exceed $6 million. The Department of Defense announced Monday evening that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo to change Fort Liberty's name to Fort Bragg to honor Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, who served locally. Fort Bragg was established as Camp Bragg in 1918 — after World War I — and was initially named for Braxton Bragg, an artillery officer who served in the Mexican-American War and later served as a Confederate general. He is also associated with being a slave owner and losing battles during the Civil War. The installation is the largest in the world by population and home to the Army's airborne and special operation forces and the nation's immediate response force that deploys worldwide within 18 hours of notification. In June 2023, the installation's name was changed to Fort Liberty, after a congressional mandate ordered that all military installations and assets named for Confederates be renamed. The renaming process involved a national and local committee and community input. Hegseth's Monday night memo states that the secretary of the Army shall take all the necessary steps and appropriate actions to implement the directive in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The Army shall inform the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment of its plans, including timelines and resource requirements to implement the change, the memo continues. What do military officials have to say? The Office of the Secretary of Defense on Tuesday referred questions about the changes to the Department of the Army. A spokesperson for the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Liberty also referred most questions to the Army. A statement from the 18th Airborne Corps says that renaming Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg is an opportunity to honor one of the Corps' 'own heroes.' Who is Pfc. Roland L. Bragg? According to Hegseth's memo, Pfc. Roland L. Bragg was assigned to the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corps and was stationed at Fort Bragg during World War II. He served in the European theater of operations, received a Purple Heart for wounds during the Battle of the Bulge and also earned the Silver Star, the memo states. 'We are honored to have our installation in his namesake,' the 18th Airborne Corps statement reads. 'We have already begun coordinating with Department of the Army on the way forward. More details will be forthcoming.' As of Tuesday, the name Fort Liberty remained on the installation's website and social media pages. How much will renaming cost? Renaming Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty cost more than $6 million in federal funds, with the bulk of the costs being sign changes and technology costs for the installation's website. In a statement Tuesday, North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesman Andrew Barksdale said the cost to change about 80 state highway and interstate signs from Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty cost about $160,000. The former signs were recycled, he said. Barksdale said that with expansions to Interstate 95, the cost to make a change again would be about $200,000 to the state agency. 'We do not have a timeline of when we would make the changes again, and we would still work and coordinate with the DOD about the costs for making these changes again,' he said. Is Hegseth legally allowed to issue the name change order? In a video statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, Hegseth said he directed the name change based on Title 10 and Section 113 of the U.S. code. The code states that the secretary of defense 'has authority, direction, and control over the Department of Defense.' The directive will ultimately require money to implement the name change, and Congress is in charge of the budget, Dr. Christopher Cronin, a political science professor for Methodist University and head of the university's Social Sciences Division, told The Fayetteville Observer in November. The Army usually starts making its annual budget requests to Congress in March to early spring. The same code that Hegseth cited Monday also includes Congress' 2021 provision in the defense budget that required removing military assets that honor the Confederacy and its leaders. The legislation further prohibits the secretary of defense or secretary of a military department from naming a new asset or renaming an existing asset in honor of the Confederacy, which is why a new Fort Bragg would be in honor of Roland Bragg and not Braxton Bragg. Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@ or 910-486-3528.
The Independent
11-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
‘Bragg is back': Fort Liberty renamed Fort Bragg, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says
U.S. Army base Fort Liberty in North Carolina has been officially renamed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Fort Bragg – but this time in ode to Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War Two soldier. 'That's right! Bragg is back' Hegseth said, as he signed the memo while aboard a C-17 military airplane from Joint Base Andrews flying to Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, ahead of several European visits, said the White House. The brash move to restore the base's original namesake, formerly after Gen. Braxton Bragg – a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, with ties to slavery and the Confederacy's downfall – derails efforts made by former President Joe Biden to strip names that glorified Confederate leaders. A decision that ultimately included the change of Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty. 'There it is. Pursuant to the authority of the Secretary of Defense, Title 10 United States Code Section 113, I direct the Army to change the name of Fort Liberty North Carolina to Fort Bragg North Carolina. That's right! Bragg is back.' The politicized name change was orchestrated as an ode to Private First Class Roland L. Bragg – a World War II veteran who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge, said the White House. President Trump criticized Biden's renaming in 2023 during his campaign trail in October when he spoke at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, near the base, stating: "We did win two world wars from Fort Bragg, right?" and insisted, "We're gonna get it back. We're gonna bring our country back." Hegseth managed to steer around the law that prohibits the military from naming a base after a Confederate leader by opting for a World War veteran who happened to share the same last name as Braxton Bragg. The secretary is scheduled to visit the U.S. European Command headquarters and the U.S. Africa Command before heading to Brussels for the NATO Defense Ministerial and a meeting with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. 'This change underscores the installation's legacy of recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation', press spokesman John Ullyot said in the statement. According to the Associated Press, following Biden's move to purge names tied to Confederate generals, the name Fort Liberty failed to take hold. But on Hegseth's first day as Defense Secretary, he deliberately referred to Fort Liberty and Fort Moore in Georgia, by their former names, Fort Bragg and Fort Benning.
New York Times
11-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Hegseth Renames Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that he is renaming Fort Liberty, whose previous name honoring the Confederate general Braxton Bragg was changed in 2023 as part of a wider effort to eliminate military honors bestowed on individuals who rebelled against the Union during the Civil War. The move returns the Army base in North Carolina to being called Fort Bragg, but the name will now honor an enlisted Army soldier named Roland L. Bragg, who according to a Pentagon statement was awarded a Silver Star and the Purple Heart for combat during World War II. The Pentagon statement offered no further biographical information about Pfc. Bragg, but a Military Times website that collects historical information on valor awards, shows that a Roland L. Bragg earned a Silver Star while serving with the 17th Airborne Division during World War II. The site did not have a photo of Pfc. Bragg or the citation that would offer the reasons he received that award. The 17th Airborne fought in Germany at the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944, and parachuted across the Rhine River in March 1945. The 2021 defense budget directed that nine military bases that honored Confederate figures would be renamed after review by a commission of retired senior military officers and civilians. The commission said in a 2022 report that it purposefully did not choose different honorees with the same last name as the Confederate figures. Mr. Hegseth's decision, however, does exactly that — swapping out Braxton Bragg in favor of Roland L. Bragg. The 2022 report noted that Braxton Bragg was a slave-owning plantation owner who is considered to be 'one of the worst generals of the Civil War,' and that most of the battles in which he was involved ended in defeat and tremendous losses for the Confederate Army. President Trump, during his first term, had objected to the removal of Confederate names from military bases. He vetoed the defense bill that included the provision, only for the Senate to vote overwhelmingly to override it. In an Oct. 2024 campaign event in Fayetteville, N.C., Mr. Trump had pledged to change the name of Fort Bragg back from Fort Liberty. On Mr. Hegseth's first day at the Pentagon, he referred to Fort Bragg in remarks to reporters as well as Fort Benning, another base formerly named for a Confederate that was renamed to Fort Moore. Mr. Hegseth issued the Fort Bragg memorandum on Monday while flying to Europe on a military plane. In a video posted on a Pentagon website, the secretary is seen sitting at a desk while signing the memo. 'That's right,' he said after reading a portion of the order, 'Bragg is back.'
