Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM APRIL 5 - 11, 2023 UCW 9 Over the next few months, a num- ber of streets will be redesignated as part of the Fort Bragg redesignation to Fort Liberty. In total, nine streets will be named to commemorate and rec- ognize the selfless services of U.S. Army Soldiers who share a special connection to the installation, ac- cording to a media release from Fort Bragg. e "redesignation of the streets, and the name Liberty honors the heroism, sacrifices, and values of the soldiers, service members, civil- ians and families who live on and serve alongside this installation," the release stated. "We view this as the next chapter in the post's history and look for- ward to honoring the stories of the military heroes of every generation and walk of life." e streets that will be redesignat- ed are Bragg Boulevard, Reilly Road, Randolph Street, Armistead Street, Alexander Street, Pelham Street, Jackson Street, Donelson Street and Mosby Street. Bragg Boulevard will change to Liberty Boulevard. e well-known street, Bragg Boulevard, that will change to Liberty Boulevard will only pertain to the portion of the road that runs through the installa- tion. Bragg Boulevard is Highway 87 and only the portion on the installa- tion will be redesignated. Reilly Road will change to Rock Merritt Avenue. Kenneth "Rock" Merritt was a WWII and Vietnam veteran who jumped into Nor- mandy on D-Day June 6, 1944. He earned a Silver Star for disabling a German machine gun nest at Hill 131 near La Cuiroterie. Merritt went on to serve during Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. He was also Command Ser- geant Major of the XVIII Airborne Corps, twice. Randolph Street will change to R. Miller Street. Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller received the Medal of Honor, posthumous, for actions conducted in Afghanistan in January 2008 while serving with 3rd Special Forces Group. Miller's extraordinary valor during that battle in which he was mortally wounded ultimately saved the lives of seven members of his own team and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers. Armistead Street will change to Stiner Road. Gen. Carl Stiner was the former commanding general of USASOC, JSOC, XVIII Abn. Corps, and the 82nd Airborne Division. With his extensive background in special operations, he was heavily involved in the capture of the terror- ists in the Achille Lauro hijacking, the Panama invasion and the cap- ture of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, and all special operations activities during Operation Desert Storm. Alexander Street will change to Gandara Street. Pvt. Joe Gandara received the Medal of Honor, post- humously, for actions conducted on June 9, 1944 in Amfreville, France. While serving with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Abn. Div., Gandara's detachment came under devastating enemy fire from a strong German force that pinned the men on ground for a period of four hours. He advanced alone firing his machine gun from his hip destroying three hostile machine guns before he was fatally wounded. Pelham Street will change to Conde-Falcon Road. Staff Sgt. Felix M. Conde-Falcon received the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for actions conducted in 1969 while serving as an acting platoon leader in an operation near Ap Tan Hoa, Vietnam. While serving with Com- pany D, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Abn. Div., Conde-Falcon moved ahead of his platoon heaving grenades towards a first bunker. Without hesitating, he proceeded to take out two additional bunkers in the same manner. Rejoined with his platoon, they came under heavy enemy fire. He single-handedly assaulted the nearest fortification carrying a ma- chine gun killing the enemy before running out of ammunition. He retrieved an M-16 rifle and concen- trated on the next bunker — within 10 meters of his goal, he was shot by an unseen assailant and soon died of his wounds. Jackson Street will change to Merriweather Road. Staff Sgt. Daniel Merriweather was killed in action on Jan. 13, 2010, during Operation Enduring Freedom while serving with the 503rd Military Po- lice Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Bragg. Merriweather's vehicle was attacked by enemy forces with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife, Rachelle, and his two sons. Donelson Street will change to Benavidez Street. Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez served with the XVIII Abn. Corps and 82nd Abn. Div. and earned a Medal of Honor for actions conducted in 1968 while serving as a staff sergeant in Viet- nam with 5th Special Forces Group. Benavidez voluntarily joined his comrades, who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire. He refused to be stopped despite numerous se- vere wounds, and ultimately saved the lives of at least eight men. Mosby Street will change to Shachnow Lane. Maj. Gen. Sidney Shachnow survived imprisonment, the Nazi Holocaust, and the Sec- ond World War to become one of the most influential Army Special Forces officers of the post-Vietnam era. He is a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment as well as both the Psychological Oper- ations and Civil Affairs Corps Halls of Fame. He served as the Honorary Colonel of the Special Forces Regi- ment from 2008 to 2011 and was the only General in the U.S. Army to have survived the Holocaust. e street names selected were based off input from units on the installation. e new names honor the heroism, sacrifices and values of those who have a unique connec- tion to Fort Bragg. According to Fort Bragg officials, all streets will have new signs in place over the next few months and no later than Dec. 31. NEWS Fort Bragg to redesignate 9 street names to honor those with connections to the installation a STAFF REPORT Fort Bragg will rename nine streets on post as part of the overall redesignation to Fort Liberty. e new names will honor soldiers who have a connection to the installation. Officials say street signs will be replaced by the end of the year. (Photos by Hannah Lee)