FORT LEE, Va. –
The namesake for the recently-redesignated Fort Barfoot will be among those honored with new street and facilities names as Fort Lee becomes Fort Gregg-Adams this year. According to a news release published April 12, 2023, B Avenue will become Barfoot Avenue after Col. Van T. Barfoot, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient with extension ties to Virginia.
More than 20 streets and facilities will get new names at the soon-to-be-redesignated Fort Gregg-Adams this year, in addition to the post itself gaining two new namesakes: Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams. The post is the home of U.S. Army Sustainment and will be redesignated during an April 27 ceremony.
The Virginia National Guard’s Fort Pickett was officially redesignated Fort Barfoot during a ceremony March 24, 2023, at the Blackstone Army Airfield near Blackstone, Virginia. Read more about the redesignation ceremony at
https://ngpa.us/24883.
Barfoot was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1944 for his actions near Carano, Italy, as a technical sergeant in the 45th Infantry Division, as he battled against German soldiers and tanks. His Medal of Honor citation can be read at
https://ngpa.us/24014. He served through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and eventually became an accomplished aviator, and is a member of the recently-redesignated Fort Novosel, Alabama, Aviation Hall of Fame.
He also has strong connections to the Virginia National Guard as well as the installation which now bears his name. He served two different times as an advisor to Virginia National Guard units. In the 1950s, he served as an advisor to the 116th Infantry Regiment and later was the Senior Army Advisor to the Virginia National Guard until his retirement in 1974. Those jobs brought him to Fort Pickett for training with VNG units on multiple occasions.
According to the news release, post leadership is taking the opportunity to recognize other Army heroes with local or mission ties, and the sustainment mission itself, with the rededication of these additional assets:
· A Gate becomes Adams Gate after Lt. Col. Charity Adams
· A Avenue becomes Adams Avenue after Lt. Col. Charity Adams
· B Avenue becomes Barfoot Avenue after Col. Van T. Barfoot
· C Avenue becomes Clarke Avenue after Maj. Gen. Mary E. Clarke
· 11th Street becomes Williams Street after Sgt. Moses Williams
· 16th Street becomes Sustainment Avenue
Other redesignations throughout the year will include these assets identified by the Naming Commission:
· Atlee Court becomes Burma Court after the WWII Burma Campaign
· Bishop-Anderson Bridge (spanning Route 36) becomes the Gold Star Bridge in honor of Gold Star families
· Cedar Mountain Drive becomes Remagen Drive after the WWII Battle of the Remagen Bridgehead
· Cold Harbor Court becomes Antwerp Court after the WWII Battle for Antwerp
· Early Court becomes Walker Court after Dr. Mary E. Walker
· Ewell Court becomes Carney Court after Sgt. William Carney
· Harrison Court becomes Luzon Court after the WWII Battle of Luzon
· Hazel Grove Court becomes Casablanca Court after the WWII North Africa objective
· Hill Street becomes Valor Way
· Jackson Circle becomes Valor Circle
· Jackson Circle Housing becomes Valor Circle Housing
· Laurel Court becomes Cantigny Court after the WWI Battle of Cantigny
· Lee Theater becomes Beaty Theater after Sgt. Powhatan Beaty
· Longstreet Drive becomes Watson Drive after Pvt. George Watson
· Mahone Avenue becomes Sustainment Avenue
· Mahone Gate becomes Sustainment Gate
· New Market Court becomes Aleutians Court after the WWII Aleutian Islands Campaign
· Rocky Spring Court becomes Brittany Court after the WWII Battle for Brittany
Pending expected approval by the Secretary of the Army, which is required to dedicate streets or facilities after living individuals, the following assets identified by the Naming Commission will be redesignated in honor of Gregg (and Adams, in the case of the club):
· Lee Gate becomes Gregg Gate
· Lee Avenue becomes Gregg Avenue
· Lee Club becomes Gregg-Adams Club
More details on redesignation activities are available at
https://ngpa.us/24884, including historical background information on the new namesakes for post streets and facilities, and answers to frequently asked questions.