April 20, 2024
Fort Benning officially became Fort Moore Thursday during a dedication ceremony at “the home of the infantry” south of Columbus.
Political and business leaders from the Chattahoochee Valley joined current base officials and Army veterans for a “closing of the colors” ceremony, furling Fort Benning’s flag to mark its formal retirement and unfurling the new Fort Moore colors.
Fort Moore is named in honor of the late Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife Julia, who is also deceased. Moore’s 32 years of service in the Army included commanding combat troops in Vietnam. He received several medals for bravery under fire in both Korea and Vietnam and was well known for enforcing equal rights and fair treatment during his commands.
Julia “Julie” Moore, a champion for military spouses, was instrumental in convincing the Army to begin requiring uniformed service personnel to deliver death notifications to spouses when she saw a TV interview of a widow who found out about her husband’s death from a telegram delivered by a cab driver.
“Today, we are honoring two of our nation’s very best,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Buzzard, commander of the Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence at the fort. “Hal and Julie were dedicated servant leaders and people of extraordinary character. … The impact they had on families still resonates.”
Fort Benning and Fort Gordon near Augusta are among nine military bases being renamed in a move to do away with ties to Confederate leaders. Henry Benning was a general in the Confederate army.
The Moores’ five children attended Thursday’s ceremony.
