The U.S. Naming Commission on Tuesday announced its recommendation to rename Fort Lee in Central Virginia as Fort Gregg-Adams, honoring the heroism and service of Lt. General Arthur J. Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.
Fourth District Congressman Donald McEachin, whose district represents the current Fort Lee, offered comment on the recommendation.
“The U.S. Naming Commission had a tremendous responsibility in renaming our nation’s military installations honoring individuals who took up arms against the United States to preserve the institution of slavery. Since Fort Lee was announced as one of the first military bases to be renamed, I began advocating for it to be rededicated in honor of Lt. General Arthur J. Gregg, a thirty-five-year veteran of the U.S. Army, a celebrated military logistician, and the highest-ranking minority general at the time of his retirement. Today, I could not be more elated to learn that the Naming Commission has heard our calls and, after receiving more than 34,000 submissions, has recommended that Fort Lee be rededicated as Fort Gregg-Adams.
“Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg embodies the very best ideals of our nation’s Armed Forces: service, sacrifice, and an unrelenting commitment to the United States of America, regardless of the circumstances or challenges. Enlisting in 1945, Gregg rose through the ranks, shattering barriers and paving a way for African American servicemembers to follow in his footsteps. At the time of his retirement, he was a three-star general, who had achieved an incredible level of accomplishment and demonstrated a mastery of military logistics.
“Lt. Col. Charity Adams also dedicated much of her life in service to our nation. In 1944, at the age of 25, she was selected to command the first unit of African-American women overseas. She was tasked with delivering mail to and from almost seven million soldiers fighting in Europe, and she managed incredible workloads with ease.
“For far too long, the heroism or Black servicemembers has been inadequately recognized or celebrated. Today’s announcement honors Lt. Gen. Gregg and Lt. Col. Adams’ lives of service and sacrifice and pays homage to the incredible dedication men and women of color have shown serving our nation for generations. It is a historic moment for Central Virginia, our Commonwealth, and our nation.
“I commend Admiral Michelle Howard, Chair of the U.S. Naming Commission, and her team for engaging with me throughout this process and listening to our requests. I would like to extend my thanks to Mayor Samuel Parham, former Del. Laschreisce Aird, Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, and my Congressional Black Caucus colleagues, who signed onto letters in support of honoring Lt. Gen. Gregg.”
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