Pentagon renames Georgia fort in final project to replace bases honoring Confederates

The Pentagon on Friday in a ceremony renamed the U.S. Army base in August, Ga., to honor the service of former President Eisenhower.

Fort Eisenhower, formerly known as Fort Gordon, was the last of nine military posts to receive new names as part of the Biden administration’s initiative to remove names honoring Confederate soldiers.

“We’re proud to recognize the courage and legacy of distinguished #USArmy Soldiers – like Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower,” the U.S. Army posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The Pentagon ordered the removal of the names and items associated with Confederates at the beginning of this year. Congress appointed a Naming Commission to help rebrand the bases.

According to estimates from the commission, the renaming process will cost more than $21 million.

The Commission put forward new titles for Fort Bragg in North Carolina; Fort Benning in Georgia; Fort Lee in Virginia; Fort Pickett in Virginia; Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia; Fort Hood in Texas; Fort Polk in Louisiana; Fort Rucker in Alabama, and now Fort Gordon in Georgia.

Fort Bragg was renamed to Fort Liberty because “liberty remains the greatest American value.” Fort Benning is now officially Fort Moore, named after a married couple’s dedicated leadership during and after battle.

The three bases in Virginia were renamed to Fort Gregg-Adams (Lee), Fort Barfoot (Pickett) and Fort Walker (A.P. Hill). Gregg-Adams now honors two Black Army pioneers, Barfoot is in honor of a World War II Medal of Honor recipient and Walker honors the country’s only female Medal of Honor recipient and first female surgeon in the Civil War.

The bases in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama were renamed Fort Cavazos (Hood), Fort Johnson (Polk) and Fort Novosel (Rucker). Cavazos honors the county’s first Hispanic four-star general that served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. Johnson is in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. William Henry Johnson, who served in Word War I, and Novosel was named after a Medal of Honor recipient who rescued thousands of wounded soldiers.

Fort Gordon, which was originally named after Confederate Lt. Gen. John Brown Gordon, commemorates Eisenhower for his “extensive, innovative and effective military experience and leadership,” ABC News reported.  

Susan Eisenhower, the former president’s granddaughter, spoke at the ceremony and spoke of her grandfather’s love of the U.S. and the Augusta, Georgia community.