While I was in basic training in 1984, a self-professed “redneck” kid from
Alabama made the offhand comment “America has never lost a declared war.” My retort, “Well…the North never has” wasn’t
taken kindly. From that moment on, his
disdain for me was readily apparent. I
actually meant no harm and was just following a lifelong compulsion with
blurting out whatever thought comes to mind.
Having grown up in Colorado, I didn’t know what it was like to grow up
white in the South. Conversely, I’d
never seen life through the eyes of his black neighbors. Once again I find myself falling prey to my
compulsion, though somewhat more tentatively this time, to share my thoughts on
a sensitive subject.
Google is always up on my computer and I constantly find myself
delving deeper into the bright and shiny objects crossing my online path. Efforts to rename some of our military bases
and the resistance against it captured my attention a couple of days ago. Realizing how little I knew about the history
of our bases, even the ones we’ve been stationed at, I starting putting Google
to work. An article (1)
by retired Brigadier General Ty Seidule, a professor emeritus of history at
West Point, caught my eye and is the impetus for this blog. I also ran across an illuminating lecture he gave a few
years back at Washington and Lee University in Virginia as a distinguished
alumni. In his own words, spoken in
front of Robert E. Lee’s crypt, “History is dangerous and the truth is
ruthless.”
In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt renamed a military base
honoring a prominent Civil War military leader, Brigadier General A. A.
Humphreys (2)
to Fort Belvoir as an obvious political favor to Democratic Representative
Howard W. Smith, later a leader of
the powerful but informal anti-Civil Rights coalition. [3]
Representative Smith’s motivation isn’t hard to ascertain, since a
base named after a Union general located in a southern state was certainly
viewed as a thorn in his side. Eighty
five years have passed and, in my opinion, America has changed for the better. Is it time to reflect this transformation
with another name change?
Just knowing “Belvoir” is a French
word meaning “beautiful view” is probably enough to convince (General Lafayette
aside) some in my audience. Knowing
Belvoir was previously a slave plantation will certainly influence many
others. Knowing the Belvoir Plantation
was owned by Lord Thomas Fairfax (4),
a British loyalist during the American Revolutionary War, is by itself enough
to persuade me. However, agreeing on his
recommended name change is where I part company with Professor Seidule.
As a West Point professor, I’m
certain BG Seidule can back up his assertion Ulysses S. Grant was “the
finest officer to ever wear a U.S. Army uniform.” However, I disagree with his recommendation
to rename Fort Belvoir in his honor. Military
prowess shouldn’t be the only consideration.
I suspect a now considerably older redneck man in Alabama might once
again take offense over naming a southern base after a Union general. A more
extreme example would be to name a base in Georgia after General Tecumseh
Sherman. (5) In an
attempt to heal an old wound, why should we inflict a new and possibly even
more damaging one? History should never
be falsified or erased, but what we choose to honor should be carefully
considered.
General Robert E. Lee made the wrong
choice at a critical juncture in his life, but I still believe his thoughts on
healing America’s Civil War wounds are worth repeating. (6) “I think it wiser, moreover, not to keep open
the sores of war, but to follow the example of those
nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, and to commit
to oblivion the feelings it engendered.”
For over 150 years, we haven’t heeded General Lee’s advice. Why should we listen now?
Will a change move America further on the path toward redemption? Will a change provide an opportunity for those
oppressed to offer forgiveness? Will a
change reduce division and lead to greater unity within our military services? I’m convinced changing the name of Fort Belvoir
to Fort Desmond T. Doss will accomplish all three.
Corporal Desmond Thomas Doss is a hero truly worthy of the honor. “As
an unarmed Army medic, Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector to be
awarded the Medal of Honor, was credited with saving the lives of 75 men during
the Battle of Okinawa. Fellow soldiers who had subjected him to ridicule, and
worse, saw him for the principled and brave man he was.” (7) If you aren’t familiar
with Desmond Doss, I highly recommend researching him on the Internet and/or
watching the movie “Hacksaw Ridge”.
While the movie has some historical inaccuracies, it does bring an
honest depiction of his heroism to life.
Naming a base in Virginia for a Virginia native and WWII hero is
well justified. Additionally, Fort
Belvoir is primarily a support base and honoring a medic would be appropriate. Desmond Doss epitomizes American stubbornness,
idealism, and faith. Based on his job in
a ship yard, he could’ve taken a deferment.
Instead, he enlisted. As a conscientious
objector, he was mistakenly assigned to a combat unit. Still, he persevered and lived true to his convictions.
Finally, when placed in the Okinawa crucible,
he displayed courageous heroism, demonstrated exemplary humanity, and
experienced tremendous personal sacrifice.
Should the name be changed again?
I only ask you place both Belvoir and Doss on a scale and weigh for
yourself.
