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Fort Moore reverts to Fort Benning, honoring WWI hero Cpl. Fred G. Benning

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Published  March 3, 2025 6:25pm EST
Military
FOX 5 Atlanta

Fort Benning, Georgia, trains Army recruits and is home to the Army's infantry and Armor schools. (US Army)

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The Brief

    • Fort Moore, previously named Fort Benning, will revert to its original name, Fort Benning, honoring Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a World War I hero.
    • The base was initially renamed Fort Moore to honor Lieutenant General Hal Moore and his wife Julia for their contributions to the military and support systems for service members' families.
    • This renaming marks the second instance of a military base reverting to its pre-Biden-era name, following Fort Bragg's return from Fort Liberty.

Nearly two years after being renamed, the U.S. Army base near Columbus will receive another name. 

Fort Moore is being renamed Fort Benning. 

The backstory:

In May 2023, Fort Benning was one of a half-dozen military installations that were to be renamed because they were named for Confederate soldiers. It originally took its name from Confederate General Henry L. Benning.

Fort Benning became Fort Moore, named in honor of Lieutenant General Hal Moore and his wife Julia. The name change was intended to recognize the couple’s contributions to the military and support systems for service members' families. On Monday, it was announced that it would once again be named Fort Benning, this time for Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a Distinguished Service Cross recipient who heroically served in Machine-Gun Company, 16th Infantry Regiment, American Expeditionary Forces, in France during World War I.

The Moore family (U.S. Army)

What they're saying:

All official documentation, signage, and digital platforms will eventually switch fully to Fort Benning. "We look forward to inviting the community to attend an official ceremony at a date to be determined in the very near future," a spokesperson for the base wrote in a press release on Monday.

Big picture view:

This is the second base to revert to its pre-Biden-era name. Fort Bragg, North Carolina, originally named for Confederate General Braxton Bragg, was renamed in June 2023 to Fort Liberty. Last month, it reverted to Fort Bragg, this time to honor Private First Class Roland L. Bragg, a World War II hero who received the Silver Star for gallantry during the Battle of the Bulge.

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A sign shows Fort Bragg information May 13, 2004 in Fayettville, North Carolina. (Photo by Logan Mock-Bunting/Getty Images)

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Dig deeper:

No word yet on whether four other forts that were renamed in recent years will also revert their names. These include:

  • Fort Hood, Texas, named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, was renamed to Fort Cavazos in May 2023, honoring General Richard E. Cavazos, a Texas-born hero of the Korean and Vietnam wars and the U.S. Army's first Hispanic four-star general.
  • Fort Pickett, Virginia, named after Confederate General George Pickett, was renamed Fort Barfoot in March 2023, in honor of Colonel Van T. Barfoot, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient with extensive Virginia ties.
  • Fort Lee, Virginia, named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee, was renamed Fort Gregg-Adams in April 2023, honoring Lieutenant General Arthur J. Gregg and Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams, both pioneering African American officers.
  • Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, named after Confederate General A.P. Hill, was renamed Fort Walker in August 2023, honoring Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a Civil War-era surgeon and the only female Medal of Honor recipient.

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The Source: The details in this article were provided by the U.S. Army. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.

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