What would you rename Fort Benning? Let us know your choice, or offer a suggestion
One of the largest Army posts in the United States will get a new name in the coming years, and the Ledger-Enquirer wants to know what you’d like the instillation to be called.
Fort Benning, named for Confederate General Henry Benning, is one of nine U.S. military installations that will be assessed by the independent Naming Commission created after the passage of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.
The commission will assign, modify or remove anything that commemorates the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederacy, according to the Department of Defense.
The process will take some time. The commission will brief the House and Senate Armed Services committees on its progress and recommendations by Oct. 1 this year. It will then present a final briefing and written report to the armed services committees on Oct. 1, 2022.
Fort Benning Commander Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe told the Ledger-Enquirer that local leaders have already begun suggesting new names for the post.
One of the proposed names would honor Retired Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., who was awarded a Medal of Honor this year for his heroism during the Korean War. Puckett, the company commander of the then newly-conceived Eighth U.S. Army Ranger Company, was wounded during a critical battle at Hill 205 on Nov. 25 and 26, 1950 where Chinese soldiers surrounded Puckett’s company.
Another would honor Lt. Gen Hal Moore and his wife, Julie. The soldier served as the commander at the Battle of Ia Drang in 1965, a battle now generally regarded as the first major clash of the Vietnam War. Moore managed to save most of his outnumbered battalion, winning the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism. He died in 2017.
One of Moore’s sons, David, told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email last week that the family is seeking a new name for the post that would honor both Moore and his wife, Julie.
“Collectively, Julie and Hal Moore represent the army’s commitment to army families, and the value of the army spouse as a member of the command team,” David Moore said.
A third would honor George C. Marshall, who led the Army’s Infantry School at Fort Benning post-World War I. He served as secretary of state and then as secretary of defense under President Harry Truman. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
Donahoe also mentioned another option could simply be calling it the Maneuver Center of Excellence.
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This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 10:33 AM.