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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fort Gregg-Adams to be named Fort Lee once again, but this time honoring a different Lee
Goodbye, Fort Gregg-Adams, hello, Fort Lee ... again. The Defense Department announced June 10 that the Prince George County military installation will once again bear the name "Fort Lee" two years after it was changed as part of the process of removing the names of Confederate Civil War heroes. Only this time, the original honoree – Robert E. Lee – will not be memorialized. Instead, the post will be named for Army Private Fitz Lee, a Dinwiddie County native and part of the Army's 'Buffalo Soldier' division for soldiers of color. Lee received the Medal of Honor for bravery in the Spanish-American War when he risked enemy fire to save wounded comrades in Cuba. Lee became ill shortly after the rescue and died in 1899 at the age of 33. He is buried in the national cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas. The name change is expected to take place immediately. More: Will Fort Gregg-Adams be renamed? Why a change might be difficult in Virginia The Defense Department announced the changes shortly after President Donald Trump's appearance at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he said he would push for the renamings. At the end of his first term in 2020, Trump vetoed the defense authorization bill that including the name-change requirement, but Congress overrode it. 'We won a lot of battles out of those forts — it's no time to change," Trump said. "And I'm superstitious, you know, I like to keep it going right." In addition to Fort Lee's revision, the Defense Department said two other renamed posts in Virginia – Fort Walker in Caroline County and Fort Barfoot in Nottoway County – will be changed back to Fort A.P. Hill and Fort Pickett, respectively. Just like with Fort Lee, the new names will not honor Confederate heroes. Fort Pickett will be named for 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett, a Distinguished Service Cross recipient during World War II. The new Fort A.P. Hill will recognize three Civil War Medal of Honor recipients from the Union Army – Lt. Col. Edward Hill, First Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Pvt. Bruce Anderson. All three received Medals of Honor at separate Civil War battles in Virginia and North Carolina. More: Retired Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, for whom Fort Lee's name was changed, dies at 96 More: Fort Lee will change 27 names in transition to Fort Gregg-Adams later this month The move was decried by Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, who called it 'a slap in the face to the thoughtful process' of renaming the posts. The original defense authorization bill threatened to withhold funding to any military installation that did not remove the Confederate name. As a result, the Pentagon's Naming Commission vetted names to reflect diversity and inclusion. Chosen for Fort Lee was Fort Gregg-Adams in honor of the late Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, a pioneer in military sustainment [one of the post's core missions], and the late Col. Charity Adams, who led the first all-Black women Army regiment in World War II. It was the first time two former Black military officers would be remembered with a base name. 'It's profoundly disappointing,' McClellan said of the decision. 'The Naming Commission went through a thorough, thoughtful process to choose the names.' Trump's decision, McClellan said, was a 'waste of that effort.' It was done unilaterally and without any community input. 'It's simply political theater,' McClellan said, noting the timing of the announcement to the commemoration of the Army's 250th anniversary this year. It also precludes ceremonies scheduled for June 13 to rededicate the fort's drop zone for paratrooper training and the readjustment of the post's borders to allow unfettered public access to visitors at the post's museums. McClellan said the move also dishonors the legacy of her predecessor in Congress, Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin. McEachin pushed hard for Fort Lee to be named after Gregg, an old family friend, but he died before the name became official. 'It erodes it, and that's a shame,' McClellan said of McEachin. 'But his legacy will live on in other areas.' Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@ or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI. This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Fort Gregg-Adams becomes Fort Lee after Trump pushes for renaming
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
MI6 gets first female chief: The real-life female intelligence agents who mastered the art of espionage
This is where the reel merges into reality. MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), the foreign intelligence agency of the United Kingdom, is all set to get its first female chief – Blaise Metreweli – nearly three decades after Dame Judi Dench landed the role of 'M' in the 007 movies. Metrewel, who is to become MI6's 18th chief, has also held roles in MI5, which deals with domestic security. She steps into her new role in the autumn, having joined the intelligence services as a case officer in 1999 – four years after the top job was portrayed by Dame Judi as 'M' in the James Bond films (from 1995). However, as per the service tradition, the new chief Metrewel will be using the title 'C'. Although it took over a century for MI6 to appoint their own very own 'M', three decades later than the reel version won over the worldwide audience, women have made significant contributions to intelligence and espionage throughout history. Take a look. Virginia Hall An American who became one of the most distinguished spies of World War II. Despite having a wooden prosthetic leg, she served as a field agent for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), organizing sabotage missions and aiding in the escape of Allied soldiers. She was the only female civilian to receive the Distinguished Service Cross during the war. Mata Hari Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod, better known by the stage name Mata Hari, was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The idea of a beautiful, exotic dancer using her powers of seduction as a spy made her name synonymous with the femme fatale. She was executed by firing squad in France. Noor Inayat Khan A British-Indian princess and the first female wireless operator, Noor Inayat Khan, also known as Nora Baker, was sent to Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Operating under the codename 'Madeleine', she transmitted vital intelligence until her capture and subsequent execution at Dachau. She was posthumously awarded the George Cross for her bravery. Amy Elizabeth Thorpe An Anglo-American socialite and spy, also known as Betty Pack, Betty Thorpe, Elizabeth Pack, and Amy Brousse, who worked as a spy for British and American intelligence during World War II. Known by her codename 'Cynthia', she used her charm to extract sensitive information from foreign diplomats, including German Enigma codes and Vichy French naval secrets. Melita Norwood A British civil servant who secretly passed nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union over several decades. She was one of the longest-serving Soviet spies in Britain, operating under the codename 'Hola'. Her espionage activities were revealed only after her death. Belle Boyd Maria Isabella Boyd, best known as Belle Boyd, was a Confederate spy during the American Civil War. Boyd used her charm to extract information from Union officers, which she then relayed to Confederate commanders. She operated from her father's hotel in Front Royal, Virginia, and provided valuable information to Confederate General Stonewall Jackson in 1862. She was arrested multiple times but continued her espionage activities throughout the war. Lydia Darragh An Irish-American Quaker, Lydia Darragh was an Irishwoman who acted as a spy during the American Revolutionary War. She overheard British officers planning an attack and managed to warn General Washington, allowing the Continental Army to prepare and thwart the assault. Nathalie Sergueiew Nathalie 'Lily' Sergueiew was a Russian-born French journalist who worked as a double agent for MI5 during World War II under the codename 'Treasure'. She played a significant role in the Double-Cross System, deceiving the Germans about the location of the D-Day landings. Elvira Chaudoir Elvira Concepción Josefina de la Fuente Chaudoir was a Peruvian socialite and double agent for the British during World War II. She worked for MI5 and MI6 under the codenames 'Cyril', 'Dorette', and 'Bronx', contributing to operations such as the Double-Cross System and Operation Overlord. Chaudoir's deceptive communications to the Abwehr are credited with preventing the 11th Panzer Division from reinforcing German forces at Normandy.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- The Hindu
ABC: Alcock, Brown, and a flight across Continents
We live in an age where every part of the world is better connected than probably ever before. Flights take people across continents on an everyday basis and there are likely over 500 flights per day on average flying between Northern America and Europe. In such a situation, a flight from New York to London – among the most popular cities in North America and Europe respectively – could cost you anywhere between £250-500. Would you believe it if I told you that there was once a £10,000 prize on offer for flying across the Atlantic Ocean? If you are thinking I must be mad, think again. We've been flying in a powered aeroplane for just a little over 120 years now, meaning the aviation industry was still in its infancy even a century ago. Unachievable turns achievable When the Daily Mail announced a prize of £10,000 for the first non-stop transatlantic flight in under 72 hours in 1913, it seemed too hard a challenge to surmount. World War I, however, brought with it unimaginable progress and developments in aviation. This meant that when the Daily Mail renewed its offer in 1918, the 3,000 km separating North America and Europe didn't seem too far for many aviation pioneers. This, despite the fact that aircraft navigation and weather forecasting were still developing fields, with much to be accomplished. A number of teams were simultaneously attempting to be the first to fly non-stop across the vast Atlantic Ocean. It wasn't just the prize on offer that was motivating them, but also the fact that history was to be made by whoever achieved success. John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown are the ones who've now gone down in history as the first to successfully fly non-stop across the Atlantic. A prisoner's dream Born in Trafford, England in 1892, Alcock was interested in engines and flight from a young age. After working on an engine for pioneer aviator Maurice Ducrocq, Alcock sought a chance to work as a mechanic when delivering the engine to Ducrocq at Brooklands, Surrey. He might have persuaded Ducrocq to take him as a mechanic, but Alcock also used the opportunity to learn to fly, earning his pilot's license by November 1912. Joining the war effort once World War I broke out, Alcock had to be content teaching others to fly in the first two years. When he finally got his chance to fly fighter and bomber missions, he went on to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He was captured by Turkish forces in September 1917 and held prisoner for the rest of the war – time during which Alcock was enticed by the challenge of flying across the Atlantic. Brown was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1886 and moved to Manchester with his American parents while still a small boy. After beginning his career as an engineering apprentice, Brown gave up his American citizenship to become a British subject to join the war effort following the onset of World War I. Brown too was held as a prisoner of war for over two years after he was shot down over enemy lines. It was then that he studied aircraft navigation, an emerging field, and it lured him towards the dream of flying across the Atlantic. Fate brings them together When he returned to the U.K. in 1917, the Air Ministry didn't allow him to return to active service. This was because of the serious leg injury he had suffered on crashing that had now forced him to be dependent on a walking aid for the rest of his life. Brown, however, was able to persuade the Air Ministry to get him switched to the Ministry of Munitions, where he was involved in the production of aero engines. At the end of World War I, both Alcock and Brown were without jobs. Alcock approached Vickers at Brooklands to enter an aeroplane into the race to fly across the Atlantic non-stop with him as the pilot. Brook, who had little luck finding work as a navigator for a transatlantic attempt, gave up on the idea and tried to focus on getting a job instead. As fate would have it, his interview with Vickers highlighted his interest in aerial navigation and he was soon paired up with Alcock once the two had been introduced to each other. Modified aircraft The Vickers Vimy aircraft chosen for the task was a bombing aircraft with heavy payload capacity designed during the war. While it was produced too late to see action in the war, it was perfect for adapting for long-haul flights as it could carry large amounts of fuel. Once modified to fit these needs and tested at Brooklands, it was dismantled and shipped to Newfoundland, Canada. There, it was rebuilt and put through the tests again ahead of its historic voyage. A 500 yards long makeshift runway – the minimum distance Vimy needed to take off when loaded fully – was prepared by removing walls and fences on a field in St. John's. Boulders were blasted to level and clear the only suitable runway in the easternmost point in North America, allowing for the shortest possible flight given the challenge. A number of teams had attempted and failed before Alcock and Brown began their historic flight on June 14, 1919. They barely just managed to take off themselves, as the heavily laden aircraft narrowly avoided the tops of trees and houses of St. John's. Flight full of incidents The inauspicious start was a sign of things to come as the entire journey was full of incident. They were promised clear weather, but what panned out was quite the opposite. Thick clouds and fog made both flying and navigating rather difficult. With the featureless oceans offering no landmarks, Brown had to make observations of stars, sun, and the ocean below – akin to navigation techniques used on ships. This task, however, was made more difficult by clouds above and below, enabling only a few observations through cloud gaps. Flying too, was no easy task. Alcock flew into a bank of clouds and they lost their sense of direction on an occasion, spiralling downwards when they fell out of the sky. Alcock used all his flying experience and regained control just 50 feet above the waves. Even once they had sighted land the following day, Brown wasn't sure where exactly they were. The masts of the Marconi wireless station, however, helped him figure out that they were near Clifden in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. After flying for 16 hours and 28 minutes in the air, Alcock chose a smooth-looking green field to land their aircraft on June 15. As the Vimy touched down, the duo soon realised that the smooth field was in fact a bog and the nose of their craft quickly sank – probably the only way their incident-filled journey could have come to an end. Celebrated as heroes Alcock and Brown not only picked up the £10,000 prize by the Daily Mail, but became instant celebrities. They were knighted in no time, drew huge crowds wherever they went, and attended dinners that were held in their honour. Alas, it didn't last long for Alcock, who tragically died when his aircraft crashed just six months later, aged 27. Brown got married, worked for Vickers and then Metropolitan-Vickers, and died aged 62 at his home in Swansea, Wales. By then, flights between North America and Europe had become highly reliable and passenger flights had become operational.
American Press
11-06-2025
- Politics
- American Press
Army restores the names of seven bases — including Fort Polk
Army restores the names of seven bases — including Fort Polk Published 2:12 pm Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Seven Army bases whose names were changed in 2023 because they honored Confederate leaders are all reverting back to their original names, the Army said Tuesday. The announcement came just hours after President Donald Trump previewed the decision, telling troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that he was changing the names back. Fort Bragg, which was changed to Fort Liberty by the Biden administration, was the first to have its original name restored after the Army found another person with the same last name. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was with Trump at Fort Bragg, signed an order restoring the name in February. 'Can you believe they changed that name in the last administration for a little bit?' Trump said. 'We'll forget all about that.' Email newsletter signup In March, Hegseth reversed the decision changing Fort Benning in Georgia to Fort Moore. To restore the original names of the additional seven bases, the Army once again found service members with the same last names to honor. Those bases are Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Pickett and Fort Robert E. Lee in Virginia, Fort Gordon in Georgia, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Polk in Louisiana and Fort Rucker in Alabama. The decision strips names chosen in 2023 to honor top leaders, such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as Black soldiers and women. No women are included in the new Army list. There was no immediate cost estimate for changing all the signs at the bases, just two years after they were revamped. Fort A.P. Hill Originally it was named after Confederate Gen. Ambrose P. Hill, before being renamed Fort Walker after Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who treated soldiers in the Civil War and later received a Medal of Honor. Now it will be named to commemorate three different people: Medal of Honor recipients Lt. Col. Edward Hill, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Pvt. Bruce Anderson for heroism during the Civil War. Fort Pickett Fort Pickett was changed to Fort Barfoot in honor of Tech Sgt. Van Barfoot, a Medal of Honor recipient who served in World War II. It will now honor 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism during World War II when he fired grenades while pinned down by enemy machine gun fire and destroyed enemy positions. He was captured, then escaped and rejoined his unit, but was killed in action. Fort Lee Fort Lee was changed to a hyphenated name, Fort Gregg-Adams, and was the only one to commemorate someone who remained alive at the time — Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg. He was known as a logistics leader and died last year. Lt. Col. Charity Adams — the other half of the name — led the first female Black unit of the Army deployed in World War II. Fort Lee will now be named for Pvt. Fitz Lee, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Spanish-American War, when he moved under fire to rescue wounded comrades. Fort Gordon Fort Gordon was changed to Fort Eisenhower to commemorate the former president's time leading Allied forces in Europe in World War II. It will now be named for Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon. He was honored for his valor during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, where he defended wounded crew members at a helicopter crash site and held off an advancing enemy force. Fort Hood Fort Hood was changed to Fort Cavazos in honor of Gen. Richard Cavazos, the Army's first Hispanic four-star, who served in the Korean War and got the Distinguished Service Cross. It will now honor Col. Robert B. Hood. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism during World War I, when he directed artillery fire in France. Fort Polk Fort Polk was changed to Fort Johnson after Black Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. William Henry Johnson, who served in World War I. It will now honor Silver Star recipient Gen. James H. Polk. Then-Col. Polk was honored for gallantry during World War II, when he led reconnaissance and combat missions under fire. He later served as head of U.S. Army Europe. Fort Rucker Fort Rucker was named Fort Novosel after Medal of Honor recipient Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel, who served in World War II and Vietnam. It will now honor Capt. Edward W. Rucker. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in World War I when he flew deep behind enemy lines in a daring air battle over France. Featured Local Savings
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
These U.S. Army bases are being renamed to their Confederate names. Which forts are affected?
U.S. military bases will once again bear Confederate names. President Donald Trump is getting rid of Biden-era policies that changed the names of United States Army bases in 2021. The forts were renamed to wipe away the names of Confederate leaders who fought to keep slavery legal during the Civil War. Now, U.S. military bases will once again carry the legacies of Confederate leaders like Robert E. Lee and George Edward Pickett. The president announced the changes while visiting Fort Bragg in North Carolina on June 10 as part of the U.S. Army's 250th birthday celebrations. "We are also going to be restoring the names to Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Rucker, Fort Polk, Fort A.P. Hill and Fort Robert E. Lee. We won a lot of battles out of those forts — it's no time to change," Trump said. "And I'm superstitious, you know, I like to keep it going right." However, the Army cannot reinstate the bases' former names without Congressional approval. Instead, the Army will rename the bases after different soldiers from later wars who share a surname with the once-honored Confederates, according to an Army news release. Trump announced on Tuesday, June 10, that seven additional Army bases would receive new names. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also already changed the names of two forts earlier in 2025. Altogether, nine bases are impacted. Two Army bases, Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty) and Fort Benning (formerly Fort Moore), have already undergone name changes in 2025. Hegseth made those name swaps official in February and March of 2025, according to Department of Defense news releases. These are the forts that will revert to their original names, but honor the different U.S. soldiers, according to the Army news release. Fort Pickett (formerly Fort Barfoot) will be named in honor of Distinguished Service Cross recipient 1st Lt. Vernon W. Pickett, World War II. The fort was originally named after George Edward Pickett. Fort Hood (formerly Fort Cavazos) will be named in honor of Distinguished Service Cross recipient Col. Robert B. Hood, World War I. The fort was originally named after John Bell Hood. Fort Gordon (formerly Fort Eisenhower) will be named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon, Battle of Mogadishu. The fort was originally named after John Brown Gordon. Fort Lee (formerly Fort Gregg-Adams) will be named in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Pvt. Fitz Lee, Spanish-American War. The fort was originally named after Robert E. Lee Fort Polk (formerly Fort Johnson) will be named in honor of Silver Star recipient Gen. James H. Polk, World War II. The fort was originally named after Leonidas Polk. Fort Rucker (formerly Fort Novosel) will be named in honor of Distinguished Service Cross recipient Capt. Edward W. Rucker, World War I. The fort was originally named after Edmund Rucker. Fort A.P. Hill (formerly Fort Walker) will be named in honor of Medal of Honor recipients Lt. Col. Edward Hill, 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn and Pvt. Bruce Anderson, Civil War. The fort was originally named after Ambrose Powell Hill. The Army bases displaying names of Confederate leaders have been a highly contested topic in recent years. There have been long and complicated discussions about the existing memorials to Confederate soldiers and buildings that bear the names of Confederate leaders in the Civil War. Since George Floyd died in police custody in 2020, there have been calls to topple such symbols of a White supremacist past. In 2021, Congress passed a law that banned naming military assets after anyone who voluntarily served or held leadership in the Confederacy. The seven forts, now again in the hot seat, were first renamed in 2023 by former president Joe Biden. All names chosen in 2023 were to honor top leaders, such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as Black soldiers and women. No. The forts are all located in the South, however. The impacted bases are in Virginia, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Alabama. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Trump is renaming these army bases to reinstate Confederate names
