U.S. Army base Fort Liberty in North Carolina has been officially renamed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Fort Bragg – but this time in ode to Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War Two soldier.
“That’s right! Bragg is back” Hegseth said, as he signed the memo while aboard a C-17 military airplane from Joint Base Andrews flying to Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, ahead of several European visits, said the White House.
The brash move to restore the base’s original namesake, formerly after Gen. Braxton Bragg – a Confederate general from Warrenton, North Carolina, with ties to slavery and the Confederacy’s downfall – derails efforts made by former President Joe Biden to strip names that glorified Confederate leaders. A decision that ultimately included the change of Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty.
“There it is. Pursuant to the authority of the Secretary of Defense, Title 10 United States Code Section 113, I direct the Army to change the name of Fort Liberty North Carolina to Fort Bragg North Carolina. That’s right! Bragg is back.”
The politicized name change was orchestrated as an ode to Private First Class Roland L. Bragg – a World War II veteran who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge, said the White House.
President Trump criticized Biden’s renaming in 2023 during his campaign trail in October when he spoke at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, near the base, stating: "We did win two world wars from Fort Bragg, right?" and insisted, "We're gonna get it back. We're gonna bring our country back."
Hegseth managed to steer around the law that prohibits the military from naming a base after a Confederate leader by opting for a World War veteran who happened to share the same last name as Braxton Bragg.
The secretary is scheduled to visit the U.S. European Command headquarters and the U.S. Africa Command before heading to Brussels for the NATO Defense Ministerial and a meeting with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
“This change underscores the installation's legacy of recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation”, press spokesman John Ullyot said in the statement.
According to the Associated Press, following Biden’s move to purge names tied to Confederate generals, the name Fort Liberty failed to take hold.
But on Hegseth’s first day as Defense Secretary, he deliberately referred to Fort Liberty and Fort Moore in Georgia, by their former names, Fort Bragg and Fort Benning.
