(AmericanProsperity.com) – The US Defense Department officially changed the name of Fort Hood to Fort Cavazos on Tuesday, as a way of honoring the United States’ first Hispanic four-star general, who served in the wars of Vietnam and Korea.
To commemorate the official renaming, which is part of an initiative to rename nine different bases in the United States that currently honor Confederate generals, the American Army held a ceremony at this base located in Central Texas. Until it’s Tuesday’s renaming, this base was used to honor Confederate General John Bell Hood.
The central Texas base, which is now officially named Fort Cavazos, honors the legacy and service of Richard Cavazos. He was born in the so-called Lone Star state to Mexican-American parents and eventually made his biggest effort to become a US Army Force Command’s commanding general.
In a speech at the ceremony, undersecretary of the US Army Gabe Camarillo said he wanted to recognize Richard Cavazos’s “impact” on the military, as he was a brave and “legendary” soldier” that always gave everything for the country. He also pointed out that the change of name is “a fitting one,” as the General Cavazos always displayed bravery, valor, innovation, and talent in his “highly decorated career.”
As reported by official records, Cavazos enlisted with the American Army right after finishing high school in 1951. He then served in the Korean War, showing a strong leadership that made him platoon leader and allowed him to earn the historic Distinguished Service Cross, which is the second-highest medal that any US military member can receive for valor.
General Cavazos also earned the Distinguished Service Cross medal for his role in the Vietnam War and became the first Hispanic general in the history of the United States to wear four stars in 1982. After a successful career, Cavazos retired two years later and died in 2017.
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