Fort Hood renamed to honor Richard Cavazos, first Hispanic US Army general

The Texas Army base Fort Hood has been renamed in honor of Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic general in the U.S. Army. Fort Cavazos in Killeen, located around 70 miles north of Austin, is one of the Army’s largest bases. General Cavazos served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, ultimately reaching the rank of 4-star general. His dedication and leadership were highly regarded, and the renaming ceremony was held on May 9, 2023.

The decision to rename the base is part of the Department of Defense’s Naming Commission’s efforts to tackle racial injustice and remove Confederate names and symbols from U.S. military installations. The base was previously named after Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood.

The name change also follows a series of crimes that occurred at the base, including a mass shooting in 2009, the murder of a female soldier, and a human smuggling operation.

Cavazos, a Texas native, was stationed at the fort during his career before retiring in 1984 after serving for 33 years. His bravery in combat earned him the Silver Star and two Distinguished Service Cross awards. One notable incident involved him evacuating five wounded soldiers while under heavy fire during the Korean War. Sadly, Cavazos passed away in 2017 at age 88 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.