15 File | Herald The City of Killeen is asking residents for help in re-naming Fort Hood one of 10 U.S. Army bases still named after Confederate officials. Army leaders appear excited to welcome a new, fresh chapter in the installation's otherwise troubled history by honoring the "Texas-born hero of the Korean and Vietnam wars," as an Army press release referred to Cavazos, and his acts of gallantry in combat. He began his military career deployed to Korea where he was the platoon leader of E Company, 2nd Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment. Follow him on Twitter @df_lawrence. Fort Polk, La. Fort Hood, about 70 miles north of Austin, is the largest active-duty U.S. Army post in the U.S. and a top training facility since 1942, according to its website. Fort Hood is one of nine U.S. Army installations being redesignated based on the Naming Commissions recommendations to remove the names, symbols, displays, monuments and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America. 08.26.21 at 10:38 am Photo by Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images The Congressional Hispanic Caucus recently made a request to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and a bipartisan committee tasked to. May 24, 20225 PM Central. His father was a World War I veteran who later became a ranch foreman of the King Ranchs Santa Gertrudis division. They include Fort Bragg, N.C., which will become Fort Liberty; Fort AP Hill, Va. which will become Fort Walker, to honor Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the first woman surgeon in the Civil War and the only woman awarded the Medal of Honor. Brown, who has been nominated to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned senators that an Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles "C.Q." The U.S. Army formally changed the name of Fort Hood in Texas to Fort Cavazos. No doubt about it, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood, leader of the acclaimed Texas Brigade, was one tough son-of-a-gun. In Korea, the bilingual Texan took charge of a regiment of Puerto Ricans, most of whom spoke only Spanish, and honed the inexperienced men into a capable combat force. Fort Hood, in Killeen, Texas, is the largest active duty armored post in the U.S. Armed Forces and has some 40,000 soldiers. He was actually arrested. Gen. Richard Edward Cavazos was the first Latino four-star general in the Army. . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. KILLEEN, Texas -- Fort Hood likely will be renamed Fort Cavazos after a blue-ribbon commission recommended that the Confederate-named Army base receive a new name along with eight other. Eight signs are being changed from Fort Hood to Fort Cavazos at the massive Army post in Killeen. Earlier, at Antietam, he lost half of his men. The change at one of the country's largest military installations follows efforts by the military to confront racial injustice and . Returning to active duty in the spring of 1864, it took three men to lift him into the saddle and strap him in place so he wouldnt fall off. Bruce Beginning May 9, Fort Hood will be known as Fort Cavazos, for Gen. Richard Edward Cavazos. On Tuesday, the U.S. Army formally changed the name of the base, once named after a Confederate general, to Fort Cavazos in honor of Gen. Richard Edward Cavazos, a four-star general who fought in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. | Fort Hood is now the largest active duty armored post in the armed forces with nearly 40,000 soldiers on the base. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin announced the pending change Thursday in a memo to top Pentagon officials and agreed to a recommendation that the base be called Fort Cavazos. Home to roughly 65,000 soldiers and dependents, Cavazos is by far the largest installation to make the change to date, as the Army moves to drop the names of Confederate generals from its installations. He was 88. "General Cavazos' combat proven leadership, his moral character and his loyalty to his Soldiers and their families made him the fearless yet respected and influential leader that he was during the time he served, and beyond," said Lt. Gen. Sean Bernabe, Commanding General of III Armored Corps, headquartered at the Texas post. In addition to earning two Distinguished Service Crosses, Cavazos earned two Legions of Merit, a Silver Star, five Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart and a bevy of other awards. Legal Statement. Fort Hood renamed for real American hero - Cavazos (Editorial) The remaining seven will be renamed by the January 1, 2024 deadline. Fort Hoods renaming will serve as a fitting tribute to the Armys first Hispanic four-star general, three retired generals honoring the Texan told Fox News. And the renaming comes at a time when Gen. Lloyd Austin, the country's first Black secretary of defense, has identified racism and domestic extremism as some of the most pressing issues facing the country and the armed services. Fort Hood facing potential name change with congressional override of FORT HOOD, Texas - The U.S. Department of Defense is set to change the name of Texas' Fort Hood, America's largest active-duty armored military post, to pay homage to a four-star Hispanic . What might have made sense then seems much less compelling today. In 1953, Cavazos rotated back to the United States and was assigned to Fort Hood. "General Cavazos' combat proven leadership, his moral character and his loyalty to his soldiers and their families, made him the fearless, yet respected and influential leader that he was during the time he served and beyond," Bernabe stated. The Editorial Board is made up of opinion journalists with wide-ranging expertise whose consensus opinions and endorsements represent the voice of the institution defined as the board members, their editor and the publisher. We are ready and excited to be part of such a momentous part of history, while we honor a leader who we all admire.". Reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel, Cavazos deployed to Vietnam in 1967 where he commanded the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment. He was recognized for rallying his men through an ambush, organizing a counterattack and leading several maneuvers to repulse and destroy extensive enemy defenses, repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire in the process.. He served as the commander of the III Armored Corps and Fort Hood from 1980 to 1982. "We are proud to be renaming Fort Hood as Fort Cavazos in recognition of an outstanding American hero, a veteran of the Korea and Vietnam wars and the first Hispanic to reach the rank of four-star general in our Army," Lt. Gen. Sean Bernabe, III Armored Corps Commanding General said in a press release. That was his biggest thing.. Fort Hood was originally named after Confederate general John Bell Hood. Just over two decades later, Cavazos became the Armys first Hispanic brigadier general. The commission also recommended changing the name of Fort Bragg in North Carolina to Fort Liberty, and Fort A.P. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Fort Hood . 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, IL white woman charged with hate crime after telling Black men they couldn't be at a suburban Chicago beach, Tampa man 'showed no remorse' after allegedly killing Clearwater bicyclist with tire iron, police say, Florida gov candidate Charlie Crist's top staffer resigned citing a 'family matter.' Cavazos served 33 years in the Army, retiring in 1984. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus recommended that Fort Hood, one of the country's largest military installations, be renamed in honor of the late Gen. Richard E. Cavazos. Nine Army posts named for Confederate officers, another named for a former slave plantation and two ships are under consideration for renaming. But if they were gonna change it, they got the right person., He was just a wonderful man, a great warrior, he said. He previously worked at The Washington Post as a Military Veterans in Journalism Fellow, as well as covering local news in New England. Cavazos would go on to serve in the Vietnam War as a battalion commander, again distinguishing himself in combat. He would be very humbled at the very idea of that.. Final Name Change Suggested For Fort Hood, Texas Recently however, the name of the military base has been under scrutiny. Texas' long troubled Fort Hood is renamed after first Hispanic four "I think that's a wonderful tribute," retired Army Lt. Gen. Robert T. Clark told Fox News last year, when the change was first announced. "I think it's ridiculous,". He earned a second DSC over a decade later, fighting in Vietnam. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The new name honors Gen. Richard Cavazos, the first Latino four-star general and first Latino brigadier general. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The U.S. Army base formerly known as Fort Hood in central Texas was officially changed to Fort Cavazos on Tuesday . May 9, 2023, 10:56 AM PDT. The official date Fort Hood will become Fort Cavazos is May 9, and later this week the post will begin the process of preparing for the official name change designation. The change is part of a broader movement from the naming commission to have the DOD rename 1,111 installations and facilities. After all, the War Between the States was not yet a century old, and Americans north and south were likely to know someone who fought. The Naming Commission, which was created by Congress and is responsible for recommending new names or removal of names and symbols that commemorate Confederate figures within the Department of Defense, called for Fort Hood to be named after Gen. Richard Cavazos, a native Texan and the Armys first Hispanic four-star general. The commission will make its recommendations to Congress, then it will be then sent to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for final approval. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. If we couldnt be him, we wanted to be near him and serve with him.. As a young lieutenant in Korea, he led his company on three separate charges of an enemy position, returned to the field five times to evacuate his wounded soldiers before allowing medics to treat his wounds for that action, Ty Seidule, a retired Army brigadier general who served as vice chair of the Naming Commission, said of Cavazos when the commission announced its recommendation last May. This article may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. "That was his biggest thing.". Im there in the operations center late at night, and Ill never forget it, Magruder said. During his 33 years of retirement, Cavazos lived in San Antonio, Texas, and was credited with mentoring many Army commanders. "We are proud to be renaming Fort Hood as Fort Cavazos in recognition of an outstanding American hero, a veteran of the Korea and Vietnam wars and the first Hispanic to reach the rank of four-star general in our Army," Lt. Gen. Sean Bernabe, III Armored Corps commanding general, said in a press release. The son of a World War I veteran, Cavazos joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps and commissioned as an infantry lieutenant toward the beginning of the Korean War. Fort Hood, Texas will drop its Confederate name on Tuesday By Edwin Flores. In February 1953, he charged through enemy mortar and gunfire, with complete disregard for his personal safety, to retrieve a wounded enemy soldier left behind in an earlier skirmish, thereby earning a Silver Star. From the American Homefront Project: Born to Mexican American parents in Kingsville, Texas, Richard Cavazos grew up on a cattle ranch. He gained a reputation as a soldiers soldier, a description that followed him as he rose through the ranks. Hood, the youngest of the Confederate generals, not only was brave. Those findings followed a string of high-profile cases that shook the Armys public image. "General Cavazos combat-proven leadership, his moral character, and his loyalty to his Soldiers and their families made him the fearless yet respected and influential leader that he was during the time he served, and beyond, said Lt. Gen. Sean Bernabe, III Armored Corps Commanding General. North Fort Cavazos: Google Maps shows new names This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, All rights reserved. pic.twitter.com/NI7lOr81Xm. DoD to Change the Name of Nine Army Installations by 2024 This story has been shared 104,556 times. Gen. Cavazos was awarded the Silver Star and two Distinguished Service Cross awards and 29 other combat awards. His valor earned him additional honors duringthe Vietnam War, including a second Distinguished Service Cross. The late U.S. Army Gen. Richard E. Cavazos was the first Hispanic American promoted to the rank of four-star general. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Lawson Magruder shared an anecdote in which Cavazos exhibited his signature benevolence during an overnight exercise in 1977. In 1976, Cavazos became the first Hispanic to reach the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army. Defense Secretary LloydJ. Austin ordered the commissions recommended name change last October. NPR celebrates these communities with stories, podcasts and a Tiny Desk takeover, including "El Tiny" performances by Omar Apollo, Carla Morrison, Farruko, and other artists. "General Cavazos' combat-proven leadership, his moral character and his loyalty to his soldiers and their families made him the fearless yet respected and influential leader that he was during the time he served, and beyond.". Texas triumvirate quits their tantrums over tax cuts (Editorial), Inside the internet obsession with the Houston Rudy Farias case. Eight other bases with the names of Confederates are to be renamed this year. There have also been other allegations of toxic leadership, soldiers dying, andmore sexual assaults. Fort Hood is the headquarters of III Armored Corps and the renaming ceremony open only to invited guests and media will be held there, base officials said in a news release. A government contractor in front of the Clear Creek access control point takes a step back to ensure the letters are aligned correctly in preparations for the redesignation as Fort Cavazos. The base is currently named for John Bell Hood, a Confederate general. From that day on, Fort Hood will carry the name of Gen. Richard Cavazos, a highly decorated war veteran who was the first Latino four-star general and first Latino brigadier general. I told him what he meant to us poor Hispanic kids, Maj. Gen. Alfred Valenzuela told the U.S. Army Museum. Fighting against American troops, the native Kentuckian suffered catastrophic defeats outside Atlanta and later at Nashville, his men falling by the thousands. Fort Hood likely will be renamed Fort Cavazos after a blue-ribbon commission recommended that the Confederate-named Army base receive a new name along with eight other military bases nationwide. Phonics is the key to reading instruction? C.R. Debbie Hargett, who serves as director of resident services at San Antonios Army Residence Community where Cavazos lived, remembers the late general fondly. Fort Hood drops Confederate name to Fort Cavazos on May 9 - NBC News For his actions, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross, the nations second-highest military honor for valor. Given Hood's troubling recent history, including the death of Spc. But that wasnt the end of his time on the battlefield. Fort Hood to be renamed after the first Hispanic four-star general in The base, named after General John Bell Hood, could have a name change soon. Ahb-vee-us-lee. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. All rights reserved. Marine element conducts short-notice air defense deployment to Middle East. Currently named after John Bell Hood, a high-ranking Confederate. Aggies in retreat from anti-woke zealots (Editorial), Novelist Katherine Center: In defense of love stories. It's not going to change anything.". Hed already received a Silver Star for his actions earlier in the war. In a few days the installation named for a traitor will become Fort Cavazos, honoring a native Texan and the first Hispanic American general to be awarded four stars. A 214,968-acre installation, this is the only post in the United States capable of stationing and training two armored divisions.". Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. FORT HOOD, Texas - The U.S. Department of Defense is set to change the name of Texas Fort Hood, Americas largest active-duty armored military post, to pay homage to a four-star Hispanic general instead of its original namesake, a Confederate general. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images). Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. hide caption. An unfortunate baseball trend is now plaguing the Astros, Forecast: Why Houston's dangerous heat dome is so unshakeable, HISD removes 3 high school principals 1 week after job cuts, Gas leak: Non-emergency gas leak prompts odd alerts in Fort Bend, Exclusive: Paxton met with GOP activist office was prosecuting, Who would benefit from GOP accord on Texas property tax relief, HISD teachers must decide by Friday whether to stay with district, Large explosion, fire reported near West Galveston Bay, City to relocate Houston residents at Union Pacific creosote site, Historic lumberyard to move from First Ward after 123 years. Renaming Fort Hood, explained: Who is Gen. Richard Cavazos? | Fort WACO, Texas (FOX 44) - The changing of Fort Hood's name raises questions about the businesses and roads that are named after it. We are proud to be renaming Fort Hood as Fort Cavazos in recognition of an outstanding American hero, a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and the first Hispanic to reach the rank of four-star general in our Army. (CNN) Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, named after a Confederate general and long plagued by a series of suicides, homicides and fatal accidents, will be renamed on Tuesday after the Army's first. May 9 (UPI) -- The Texas Army installation previously known as Fort Hood was officially renamed Fort Cavazos as part of a Defense Department effort to rename sites named after Confederate. the War Department in 1942 bequeathed his name to a vital installation that today is the nations largest active-duty armored post, home at any one time to approximately 41,000 soldiers. He died in San Antonio in 2017. Along with the two DSCs Cavazos was awarded two Silver Stars and a Distinguished Flying Cross. ", DEFENSE SECRETARY AUSTIN ORDERS RENAMING OF MILITARY BASES WITH CONFEDERATE TIES. It employs more than 4,000 civilians, according to the base statement. Stories like the one you just read come to life at The Texas Tribune Festival, the Tribune's annual celebration of politics and policy happening Sept. 22-24 in downtown Austin. I think thats a wonderful tribute, retired Army Lt. Gen. Robert T. Clark told Fox News. In addition, the DOD is renaming military streets and buildings to remove names of the Confederacy or anyone who fought for the Confederate States of American. And he said, Lawson, I want to go visit the companies down on the line to see the soldiers. Hill in Virginia to Fort Walker for Dr. Mary Edwards Walker who was a suffragist, prisoner of war and surgeon among others. As a young infantry officer in Korea, Cavazos led a company of mostly-Puerto Rican soldiers in a regiment known as the Borinqueneers.. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Fort Hood's new name commemorates the late war hero Richard Cavazos, a four-star Army general who served with honor, according to three retired Army generals. Perhaps naming military installations in honor of treasonous, slavery-supporting generals, men who renounced their allegiance to this nation and took up arms against it, didnt seem as bizarre in the early 1940s as it does today. Below is more information on Gen. Edward Richard Cavazos from the Fort Hood Press Center. His exploits earned him his first Distinguished Service Cross. More than 34,500 military personnel and 48,500 family members are stationed at the base. Fort Cavazos named for 2-time Distinguished Service Cross recipient A new, great name for the great place. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In 2021, Congress authorized a commission to locate references to the Confederacy so that they could be renamed. "Latinos make up almost 19% of the country now so almost a fifth of the country and have served proudly over the generations in the armed forces," Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat and a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, told NPR. Fort Cavazos is something altogether different. "But it's just going to be a new name and the same business as usual practices. By the end of his career, Cavazos had also received two Legions of Merit, five Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. All rights reserved. The event is not open to the public because of space constraints, but the event will be livestreamed on the base's social media sites, according to the base's statement. (U.S. Army), Bernabe added: "General Cavazos combat-proven leadership, his moral character and his loyalty to his Soldiers and their families made him the fearless yet respected and influential leader that he was during the time he served, and beyond. The renaming of the post to Fort Cavazos is for Army 4-Star General Richard E. Cavazos who last resided in San Antonio until his death at the age of 88. In one instance, he was recognized for exposing himself to enemy fire and exploding grenades. He was commissioned into the Army in 1951. Fort Bragg will be renamed Fort Liberty on June 2. The post, opened in 1942, was named after John Bell Hood. (U.S. Army photo). Born during the Great Depression, Cavazos grew up on his familys Texas ranch. Fort Hood no more. Three months later he led three separate charges on enemy positions and evacuated his wounded men five times from the field of battle while he himself was wounded. He received more than 29 combat awards. This morning, Fort Hood will be redesignated Fort Cavazos. The Armys largest active-duty armored post, with about 40,000 soldiers, was named after Gen. John Bell Hood, who led the Confederate Armys Texas Brigade during the Civil War. After more than eight decades, the name of Fort Hood, Texas, was changed Tuesday to Fort Cavazos in honor of Gen. Richard Cavazos, a Texas-born . Fort Hood Gets a New Name Honoring a Texas-Born Four-Star General As of Tuesday, the installation formerly known as Fort Hood, Texas, that has been at the center of several national controversies will no longer be named after a Confederate general. Cavazos was awarded theDistinguished Service Cross the second-highest military honor for valor after repeatedly returning to the battlefield during the Korean War to rescue injured men despite being wounded himself. Cavazos was born on Jan. 31, 1929, in Kingsville, Texas, to Mexican American parents, Lauro and Thomasa Quintanilla Cavazos. Federal officials have until Jan. 1, 2024, to finalize the transition. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. All rights reserved. It was permanently established in 1950 and was named after Gen. John Bell Hood, who spearheaded the Confederate Armys Texas brigade at the time of the Civil War. It currently bears the name of a Confederate general, John Bell Hood. Thanks for contacting us. Five years later the US Army post was struck again when a veteran killed three people and injured 16 others before killing himself. "Now they're going to rename the installation, so hopefully that's going to take away the negative PR," Sean Timmons, a Texas-based managing partner for the Tully Rinckey law firm and a former judge advocate general at Fort Hood, told Military.com in an interview last month. Both instances of Cavazos' heroism involved rallying his soldiers against an entrenched or ambushing enemy, often exposing himself to fire and at least once refusing an order to leave his soldiers behind. Cavazos earned the Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross for leading theThe Borinqueneers, a segregated regiment made up of Puerto Rican soldiersduring the Korean War. His impact as a mentor is probably the greatest impact our army had we all looked up to him as an American soldier, a Hispanic soldier. This latest designation is part of the Defense Department's push to rename installations honoring the Confederacy; Fort Cavazos is one of nine Army installations being renamed after the Pentagon's Naming Commission delivered recommendations to the secretary of defense. Fort Hood, the third-largest U.S. military base, was renamed Fort Cavazos on Tuesday to honor a Hispanic American Army leader rather than a Confederate general. He commanded III Corps at Fort Hood and became the first Hispanic American to achieve the rank of four-star general, according to the commission's report. The new name will honor Gen. Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic four-star general in Texas. Texas Army base Fort Hood officially has a new name. In a Facebook post Thursday,. The U.S. Army formally changed the name of Fort Hood in Texas to Fort Cavazos. The change at one of the country's largest military installations follows efforts by the military to confront racial injustice and inequality in its ranks, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Fort Hood and nine. 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