Latest news with #TheU.S.Army
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hegseth orders iconic Georgia base to revert to Fort Benning, but with a twist
The U.S. Army's installation that trains all of its infantry and armor soldiers, will be renamed Fort Benning, its original designation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday ordered the Columbus, Georgia, military post to revert to its old name after it was re-designated as Fort Moore during the Biden administration. However, the base won't honor Confederate Gen. Henry L. Benning, its original namesake. Instead, it will be renamed after Cpl. Fred G. Benning, who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his "extraordinary heroism" in action during World War I in France in 1918. Hegseth Says Fort Bragg In Coming Back, But With A Twist "This change underscores the installation's storied history of service to the United States of America, honors the warfighter ethos, and recognizes the heroes who have trained at the installation for decades and will continue to train on its storied ranges," Hegseth said in a statement. The name change is part of the Trump administration's effort to dismantle a Biden-era Defense Department initiative motivated by the 2020 George Floyd protests to change the names of military installations named after Confederate military figures. Read On The Fox News App In February, Hegseth ordered that Fort Liberty revert back to Fort Bragg. The 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. The new name pays tribute to Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II hero who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. Military Installations, Ships Named After Confederates Begin Renaming Process Fort Benning has long been home to the Army's infantry school and is home to the service's elite Army Ranger School, as well as basic training for soldiers in non-combat fields. In recent years, the Army's armor school relocated from Fort Knox, Kentucky, to the Georgia installation. Fort Moore was named after Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julia. Hal Moore served in Vietnam as commander of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment based at Fort Benning and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. His service during the first major battle of the Vietnam War at Ia Drang was depicted in the 2002 Mel Gibson film "We Were Soldiers." 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. "I further direct the Army to honor the legacy of Lieutenant General Harold Moore's storied military service and Ms. Julia Moore's family and casualty notification advocacy in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army," Hegseth article source: Hegseth orders iconic Georgia base to revert to Fort Benning, but with a twist
Voice of America
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
US says it killed military leader of Syrian Al-Qaida affiliate
The U.S. Army said Saturday it had killed a top military leader of Hurras al-Din, a Syrian branch of Al-Qaida that announced its dissolution in January. The U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, which oversees American forces in the Middle East, said in a statement that its forces on Feb. 23 "conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, targeting and killing Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, the senior military leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din." "As we have said in the past, we will continue to relentlessly pursue these terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region," said General Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander. Since Hurras al-Din announced in late January that it was dissolving itself, U.S. airstrikes have killed several of the group's leaders, according to CENTCOM. On Feb. 22, it said a "precision airstrike" had killed Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar, a leader of the group, which the U.S. classifies as a terrorist organization. American forces are in Syria as part of an international coalition created in 2014 to fight the jihadis of the Islamic State group. After a rebel alliance led by radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled President Bashar al-Assad and took power in Damascus on Dec. 8, Hurras al-Din said it no longer needed to exist. The group, including foreign jihadis, was based in mountainous northwestern Syria. Some information in this report is from Reuters.
