Army reacts to Trump wanting Virginia army bases to be renamed

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- President Donald Trump announced his intention to rename multiple army bases in Virginia at Fort Bragg on Tuesday.

During his speech at Fort Bragg on Tuesday, June 10, in North Carolina, during the 250th Army anniversary event, Trump announced that he wishes to revert several bases, including Fort Walker, back to their former Confederate-linked names.

On Wednesday, June 11, the Army shared that they would "take all necessary actions to change the names of seven Army installations in honor of heroic soldiers who served in conflicts ranging from the Civil War to the Battle of Mogadishu."

Five of the bases received the Medal of Honor, three received the Distinguished Service Cross and one received the Silver Star.

According to Section 1749(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, the Secretary of the Army implements these changes.

The act for that particular fiscal year specifically addresses the renaming of military installations, particularly Fort Cavazos, which is to revert to its former name, Fort Hood, according to Congress.

According to the act itself, "Sec. 1749. Prohibition on names related to the Confederacy."

On Wednesday, the Army said that the following name changes will take effect:

Fort Pickett (formerly Fort Barfoot)

This will be named in honor of Distinguished Service Cross recipient 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett, according to the release, Pickett reportedly "crawled forward and destroyed two enemy positions with grenades," while pinned down by gunfire during World War II. He escaped from a transport train with fellow POWs and rejoined his unit. He was then killed in action.

Fort Hood (formerly Fort Cavazos)

This will be named in honor of Distinguished Service Cross recipient Col. Robert B. Hood. Near Thiaucourt, France, the captain directed artillery fire under machine gun fire. The release said that his gun crew was "lost to enemy fire," but that he returned within minutes to fight back.

Fort Gordon (formerly Fort Eisenhower)

This will be named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon. During the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia, he volunteered to defend wounded crew members at a helicopter crash site and hold off enemies, reportedly "protecting the pilot after exhausting all his ammunition."

Fort Lee (formerly Fort Gregg-Adams)

This will be named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Pvt. Fitz Lee, who, during the Spanish-American War, went under direct enemy fire to save wounded soldiers from the battlefield during an assault in Cuba.

Fort Polk (formerly Fort Johnson)

This will be named in honor of Silver Star recipient Gen. James H. Polk, a commanding officer of the Third Cavalry Group during European operations in World War II. Polk led Third Army Advances as part of Task Force Polk and also served as the commander-in-chief of U.S. Army Europe.

Fort Rucker (formerly Fort Novosel)

This will be named in honor of Distinguished Service Cross recipient Capt. Edward W. Rucker, who, during World War I, fought during a battle in France and disrupted "enemy movements and completed their mission against overwhelming odds," according to the release.

Fort A.P. Hill (formerly Fort Walker)

This will be named in honor of Medal of Honor Lt. Col. Edward Hill, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Pvt. Bruce Anderson, who separately "executed significant actions" during Cold Harbor, Chapin’s Farm and Fort Fisher, North Carolina, in support of the U.S. Army during the Civil War.