by Jill Nolin, Georgia Recorder
April 16, 2025

Fort Benning’s name has officially been restored after a two-year stint as Fort Moore that was part of a national move away from Confederate namesakes. 

But the Pentagon says the Army post near Columbus is now named for a different Benning – World War I veteran Fred Benning of Nebraska, an Army corporal who enlisted when he was 17 and served in the First Infantry Division. Originally, Confederate Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, who fought to preserve slavery, was the Benning being honored.

New signage was unveiled Wednesday during a renaming ceremony at the base, which is one of the country’s largest installations. Fred Benning’s granddaughter was there, sharing memories of her grandfather. 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo renaming the base last month, saying at the time in a short video statement that “now Fort Benning is back too.” The move followed the return of Fort Bragg’s name in North Carolina, in that case going with Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II veteran, as the new namesake instead of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg.

The updated names had been the work of a commission on renaming bases honoring Confederates created by Congress, and that commission was part of a defense authorization bill that had enough support in 2020 to override President Donald Trump’s veto during his first term.

Georgia’s Fort Gordon near Augusta was also renamed Fort Eisenhower in 2023 after General of the Army and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower as part of that push. The original name had honored John B. Gordon, a major general in the Confederate army who went on to serve as Georgia governor and U.S. senator. 

In 2023, Fort Benning had been renamed Fort Moore in honor of Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore. During the Vietnam War, while Hal Moore was deployed, Julia worked to change the way the U.S. military handled death notifications. At the time, they were delivered by cabbies carrying a telegram. The couple is buried at the post’s military cemetery.

“Both Hal and Julia Moore remarkably served our country and raised the standard of excellence in the United States Army for servicemen and civilian spouses alike. I am proud that a military base in Georgia was chosen to bear their name, even briefly,” state Sen. Ed Harbison, a Columbus Democrat and military veteran, said shortly after the renaming was announced.

Others were more critical of the change.

“The American people understand the legacy connected to the original name, and Secretary Hegseth’s disingenuous attempt to associate it to a separate soldier is transparent and distasteful,” Margaret Huang, president and CEO Southern Poverty Law Center, said in response to the news last month. 

Maj. Gen. Colin Tuley, who is the commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, said in public remarks Wednesday that Fred Benning’s life will serve as an inspiration for the thousands of soldiers who train there every year.

Fred Benning was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for “extraordinary heroism in action” in 1918 south of Exermont, France. He took command after his platoon commander was killed and two senior non-commissioned officers were injured. When he returned home, he operated a bakery and later served as mayor of Neligh, Nebraska.

“As we rededicate this post in his honor, may we all strive to embody the very same tenets he exemplified: unwavering dedication to people, inspirational leadership, a relentless pursuit of transformation,” Tuley said. “(His) story reminds us that true heroism is not just defined by rank. It is about that unwavering courage, that selfless service and an enduring commitment to something greater than ourselves.” 

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.

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