--- title: "Fort Liberty is back to Fort Bragg, but with a different origin story" date: "2025-02-10" modified: "2025-02-10" authors: - name: "Miguel Ortiz" job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/miguelortiz/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/military-news/fort-liberty-nc-renamed-to-fort-roland-l-bragg/" categories: - "Army" - "History" - "Military News" --- # Fort Liberty is back to Fort Bragg, but with a different origin story ![fort bragg]() *Fort Bragg is the home of Army Special Operation Command and the 82nd Airborne Division (U.S. Army)* Yes, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is back. On June 2, 2023, Fort Bragg was officially renamed Fort Liberty; the post was originally named for Confederate General Braxton Bragg. While the renaming removed the Confederate connection from the post, it deviated from the Army practice of naming installations for Army heroes and leaders. It also caused confusion for people trying to remember the (old) new name for the Home of the Airborne and Special Operations Forces. ![Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signs a memorandum reversing the name of Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg while flying in a C-17 operated by the 300th Airlift Squadron en route to Stuttgart, Germany, Feb. 10, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)]() **Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signs a memorandum reversing the name of Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg while flying in a C-17 operated by the 300th Airlift Squadron en route to Stuttgart, Germany, Feb. 10, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)* Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza* On February 10, 2025, the Department of Defense announced via press release that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum renaming Fort Liberty in North Carolina to Fort Roland L. Bragg. The release notes that SecDef signed the memo aboard a C-17 en route to Stuttgart, Germany, from Joint Base Andrews. ![Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signs a memorandum reversing the name of Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg while flying in a C-17 operated by the 300th Airlift Squadron en route to Stuttgart, Germany, Feb. 10, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)]() **(DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)* Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza* “The new name pays tribute to Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II hero who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge,” the DoD release states. “This change underscores the installation's legacy of recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation.” ![Two soldiers in World War II-era uniforms and helmets sit on makeshift wooden benches around a small campfire on muddy ground, holding weapons. The background shows a rustic outdoor setting with wooden fences and indistinct buildings.]() **17th Airborne paratroopers during the Battle of the Bulge (Public Domain)** Private First Class Bragg served as a mechanic with the 17th Airborne during the fighting in Belgium. In John Eisenhower’s 1969 book recounting the battle, *The Bitter Woods*, Bragg is credited with saving a wounded soldier’s life by stealing a German ambulance to get him to a hospital. ## Author Miguel Ortiz is a Senior Contributor for We Are The Mighty covering primarily military news and history with an emphasis on weapons technology. He is a former active duty Army officer and remains a member of the Army IRR. After commissioning through San Diego State University Army ROTC, Miguel served with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. He has written for We Are The Mighty since 2020, drawing from his passion for the military community and history. Miguel’s work has also been seen on Business Insider and The Blast. He remains an avid shooter, competing in local USPSA matches. Miguel’s other hobbies are traveling and watch collecting. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()