Two streets in Killeen are named after Confederate generals, and Mayor Debbie Nash-King wants City Council members to consider changing at least one of them.
“I’m giving them the opportunity if they would like to change Fort Hood Street to Fort Cavazos Street,” she told the Herald. “If they do not choose that name, that’s fine, too.”
The possible change coincides with those at Fort Hood to comply with a congressional mandate to rename military installations and buildings named after members of the Confederacy.
Fort Hood has been ordered to change its name to Fort Cavazos by 2024. The late Richard Cavazos was the Army’s first Hispanic general and a Texas native who commanded III Corps and Fort Hood.
He was Fort Hood’s top commander from 1980 to 1982. Cavazos died in San Antonio at the age of 88 in 2017. An elementary school in Nolanville is named after him.
“It’s just simple to me,” Nash-King said. “Here’s a recommendation to make it easy. We have to talk to TxDOT. I have talked to different people about it, and they have called me and given their concerns.”
Council members are expected to discuss the name change during a workshop on Tuesday.
Jake Smith, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation’s Waco division, said the agency “is working with (Fort Hood) to coordinate on-state system sign changes.”
However, that does not apply to that section of Fort Hood Street — a north-south State Highway 195 corridor — inside the city limits.
“TxDOT will honor a name change and will change on-state system signage if the city decides to rename the road,” Smith said. “Local city signage would not be under TxDOT purview.”
And factors other than sign changes must be taken into account, Nash-King said, such as how renaming Fort Hood Street may impact businesses on the thoroughfare.
“I took that under consideration — that it may be a hardship for them,” she said. “And we may not change it. The council may come back and say that the local businesses we have in that area may not want the name changed. I can go to the businesses on Fort Hood Street and get their feedback on if they would like to do this. I just want to see if the council would like to line up with the mandate.”
To be clear, the William M. Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 applies only to federal military installations and buildings — not those owned by the states or political subdivisions.
“After 18 months of work, including extensive consultations with experts, historians, and the communities rooted in the bases in question, the Naming Commission has completed its analysis and has provided me … recommendations in its final report, including its plan pursuant to subsection(c)(4) of section 370 (the renaming plan) to remove from all assets of the DoD ‘the names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America … or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America,’” Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III wrote to U.S. defense officials in a letter dated Oct. 6, 2022. “I concur with all of the Naming Commission’s recommendations, including the renaming plan.”
Fort Bragg of North Carolina is the only base that won’t be named after a person. Instead, the Naming Commission chose “Fort Liberty.”
Elsewhere, Fort Gordon in Georgia will become Fort Eisenhower, after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led European forces in World War II. Fort Polk of Louisiana will be renamed Fort Johnson, after Sgt. William Henry Johnson, a Black Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Army in World War I.
Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia will be renamed Fort Walker, after Mary Edwards Walker, a doctor who treated soldiers in the Civil War and later received a Medal of Honor. Also in Virginia, Fort Lee is becoming Fort Gregg-Adams, after Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams, and Fort Picket is being named Fort Barfoot in honor of Tech. Sgt. Van. T. Barfoot. Fort Rucker of Alabama will be renamed Fort Novosel, after Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel Sr.
Georgia’s Fort Benning is changing its name to Fort Moore, in honor of Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, the Distinguished Service Cross recipient and commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, who led his battalion in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley during the Vietnam War in November 1965.
So far, Hood Stadium at Fort Hood has been renamed Phantom Warrior Stadium, and the former Club Hood is now the Lone Star Conference Center, according to Fort Hood spokesman Montgomery Campbell. Every building on post with Fort Hood in its name will eventually be renamed, although the post has not received official guidance on how to complete the process.
Nash-King said renaming Fort Hood Street will “show unity” with the base.
“We are trying to bring a community together,” she said. “But I can see it from both perspectives.”
Council members Nina Cobb, Michael Boyd, Ken Wilkerson, Jessica Gonzales, Ramon Alvarez and Riakos Adams did not respond to a message seeking comment about the possible name change.
“I will withhold my comment until after I hear the discussion on this item on Tuesday,” Councilman Jose Segarra said.
On the Herald’s Facebook page, Cladeto Wroy said changing the street name won’t amount to much.
It’s “the same result as a person’s name change,” he said. “People will always remember them by their previous name. Use the money to build a homeless shelter for Killeen.”
Melissa Harris said Fort Hood Street shouldn’t be renamed.
“Renaming the base was stupid,” she said. “Messing with history is stupid. Leave things in history alone.”
The only other street in Killeen named after a Confederate general is Robert E. Lee Drive. It connects Shoemaker to Lake Road, near North W.S. Young Drive. Nash-King said that road could be considered for a name change, too.
The workshop on Tuesday is scheduled for 5 p.m. at City Hall, 101 N. College St.
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