KILLEEN, Texas (FOX 44) — Fort Hood will be renamed to honor Kingsville-native Gen. Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic to pin on four stars in the U.S. military.
The U.S. Secretary of Defense released a memorandum Thursday that accepted all of the recommendations from a commission exploring new names for several military bases and posts, including Fort Hood.
In May, the Naming Commission recommended that Fort Hood become Fort Cavazos.
Secretary Lloyd Austin has directed DoD leaders and the Services to begin implementation immediately following the NDAA-mandated 90-day waiting period.
Gen. Richard Cavazos was born in Kingsville, Texas, on Jan. 31, 1929. He died on Oct. 29, 2017.
Cavazos first served in the Korean War, where he led a company of Puerto Rican soldiers. He was assigned twice to Fort Hood. The first time was in 1953 after the Korean War. The second time, he was the III Corps commander in 1980.
In 1982, he became the first Hispanic to pin on four stars. His final assignment as head of the U.S. Army Forces Command fittingly summarized his career of service by placing him at the head of sustaining, training, and deploying all the Army’s deployable forces.
You can read his full biography here.
In 2009, Killeen ISD opened a new elementary school named after Gen. Cavazos.
Congress tasked the commission to come up with new names for U.S. military bases and other Department of Defense assets originally named for Confederate leaders.
The other new names are:
- Fort Benning, Ga. – rename Fort Moore after Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore.
- Fort Bragg, N.C. – rename Fort Liberty after the value of liberty.
- Fort Gordon, Ga. – rename Fort Eisenhower after General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower.
- Fort A.P. Hill, Va. – rename Fort Walker after Dr. Mary Walker.
- Fort Lee, Va. – rename Fort Gregg-Adams after Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.
- Fort Pickett, Va. – rename Fort Barfoot after Tech. Sgt. Van T. Barfoot.
- Fort Polk, La. – rename Fort Johnson after Sgt. William Henry Johnson.
- Fort Rucker, Ala. – rename Fort Novosel after Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel, Sr.
You can read Sec. Austin’s full memorandum below:
