Fort Myer
Encyclopedia
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post
adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery
in Arlington County, Virginia
, across the Potomac River
from Washington, D.C.
It is a small post by U.S. Army standards, and has no ranges or field training areas.
As a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) initiative to create more efficiency of efforts, the Army’s Fort Myer and the Marines’ Henderson Hall will become the first Joint Base in the Department of Defense
. Joint Base Myer – Henderson Hall (JBMHH) will consist of military installations at Fort Myer, Virginia
, Crystal City
, The Pentagon
, Fort McNair, the District of Columbia, and Henderson Hall – Headquarters Marine Corps, Virginia. These installations and departments serve over 150,000 active duty, DoD civilian, and retired military personnel in the region.
. It was originally established as Fort Whipple, after Brevet Major General Amiel Weeks Whipple who died during the American Civil War in 1863. Whipple Field was named in his honor. On Feb. 4, 1881, it was renamed for Brigadier General
Albert J. Myer
, who established the Signal School of Instruction for Army and Navy Officers there in 1869. Since then it has been a Signal Corps post, and a base for Army cavalry
.
The National Weather Service
began there in 1870.
Fort Myer was the site of the first flight of an aircraft at a military installation. Several exhibition flights by Orville Wright took place here in 1908 and 1909. On September 18, 1908 it became the location of the first aviation fatality, as Lt. Thomas Selfridge was killed when on a demonstration flight with Orville, at an altitude of about 100 feet (30.5 m), a propeller split, sending the aircraft out of control. Selfridge was killed in the crash, the first person to die in powered fixed-wing aircraft. Orville was badly injured, suffering broken ribs and a leg.
The first Chief of Staff of the United States Army
moved into Fort Myer quarters in 1908.
The first radio telecommunications was started at Fort Myers. The US Navy built "The Three Sisters" which were three radio towers that established the first communication across the sea to Paris, France in 1911.
During World War I
, Fort Myer was a staging area for a large number of engineering
, artillery
and chemical companies and regiments. The area of Fort Myer now occupied by Andrew Rader Health Clinic and the Commissary
were made into a trench-system training grounds where French officers taught the Americans about trench warfare.
General George S. Patton
Jr. started the charitable "Society Circus" after WW I.
The Jeep
was tested and approved at Fort Myer in April 1941.
It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. On September 1, 1970, the United States Postal Service
issued its first day cover of a post card celebrating the 100th anniversary of Weather Services at Fort Myer.
In late 2001 troops deployed in response to the September 11th attacks were bivouacked at Fort Myer. These troops were under Operation Noble Eagle
. These included both active and National Guard Military Police units from around the nation. In 2005 the last remaining deployed responders were deactivated.
in the nation’s capital.
Stationed here are: The First and Fourth battalions of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment
, (The Old Guard) — and since August 2011, 'A' Company (Commander in Chief's Guard), which was stationed at Fort McNair, D.C; The U.S. Army Band “Pershing's Own”
; The grave site of Black Jack, the riderless horse in the state funerals of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur
and U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy
, Herbert Hoover
and Lyndon B. Johnson
, is located on Summerall Field, 200 feet (61 m) northeast of the parade ground's flagpole.
Due to its proximity to Arlington National Cemetery
, this is also the base of operations for most Services' Honor Guard
s and burial teams. A large percentage of burials in Arlington National Cemetery
originate from Old Post Chapel, one of the two chapels on Fort Myer.
Some of the cultural attractions on post are the Caisson stables, Conmy Hall, and the Old Guard Museum.
The military's largest child development center
, named the Cody Child Development Center (CDC), is located here.
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
, across the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
It is a small post by U.S. Army standards, and has no ranges or field training areas.
As a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) initiative to create more efficiency of efforts, the Army’s Fort Myer and the Marines’ Henderson Hall will become the first Joint Base in the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. Joint Base Myer – Henderson Hall (JBMHH) will consist of military installations at Fort Myer, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Crystal City
Crystal City, Virginia
Crystal City is an urban neighborhood in the southeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, south of downtown Washington, D.C.. Its residents can live, shop, and work without going outside, due to its extensive integration of office buildings and residential high-rise buildings using...
, The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, Fort McNair, the District of Columbia, and Henderson Hall – Headquarters Marine Corps, Virginia. These installations and departments serve over 150,000 active duty, DoD civilian, and retired military personnel in the region.
History
Fort Myer traces its origin to the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It was originally established as Fort Whipple, after Brevet Major General Amiel Weeks Whipple who died during the American Civil War in 1863. Whipple Field was named in his honor. On Feb. 4, 1881, it was renamed for Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Albert J. Myer
Albert J. Myer
Albert James Myer was a surgeon and United States Army officer. He is known as the father of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, as its first chief signal officer just prior to the American Civil War, the inventor of wig-wag signaling , and also as the father of the U.S...
, who established the Signal School of Instruction for Army and Navy Officers there in 1869. Since then it has been a Signal Corps post, and a base for Army cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
.
The National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
began there in 1870.
Fort Myer was the site of the first flight of an aircraft at a military installation. Several exhibition flights by Orville Wright took place here in 1908 and 1909. On September 18, 1908 it became the location of the first aviation fatality, as Lt. Thomas Selfridge was killed when on a demonstration flight with Orville, at an altitude of about 100 feet (30.5 m), a propeller split, sending the aircraft out of control. Selfridge was killed in the crash, the first person to die in powered fixed-wing aircraft. Orville was badly injured, suffering broken ribs and a leg.
The first Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
moved into Fort Myer quarters in 1908.
The first radio telecommunications was started at Fort Myers. The US Navy built "The Three Sisters" which were three radio towers that established the first communication across the sea to Paris, France in 1911.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Fort Myer was a staging area for a large number of engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and chemical companies and regiments. The area of Fort Myer now occupied by Andrew Rader Health Clinic and the Commissary
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
were made into a trench-system training grounds where French officers taught the Americans about trench warfare.
General George S. Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
Jr. started the charitable "Society Circus" after WW I.
The Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
was tested and approved at Fort Myer in April 1941.
It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. On September 1, 1970, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
issued its first day cover of a post card celebrating the 100th anniversary of Weather Services at Fort Myer.
In late 2001 troops deployed in response to the September 11th attacks were bivouacked at Fort Myer. These troops were under Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
. These included both active and National Guard Military Police units from around the nation. In 2005 the last remaining deployed responders were deactivated.
Operations
Fort Myer is headquarters to service personnel working throughout the National Capital Region. The post provides housing, support, and services to thousands of active-duty, reserve and retired Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Reservists, and Marines, members of the U.S. Coast Guard and their families stationed in the United States Army Military District of Washington. The JBMHH’s mission is to operate the Army’s community and support Homeland SecurityHomeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
in the nation’s capital.
Stationed here are: The First and Fourth battalions of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment
3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment
The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the US Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is Noli Me Tangere...
, (The Old Guard) — and since August 2011, 'A' Company (Commander in Chief's Guard), which was stationed at Fort McNair, D.C; The U.S. Army Band “Pershing's Own”
United States Army Band
Founded in 1922, the United States Army Band – known as "Pershing's Own" – is the premier musical organization of the United States Army. Before 2002, the United States Army Band was the only Washington-based military band to have participated in a theater of foreign combat operations...
; The grave site of Black Jack, the riderless horse in the state funerals of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
and U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, is located on Summerall Field, 200 feet (61 m) northeast of the parade ground's flagpole.
Due to its proximity to Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, this is also the base of operations for most Services' Honor Guard
Honor guard
An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
s and burial teams. A large percentage of burials in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
originate from Old Post Chapel, one of the two chapels on Fort Myer.
Some of the cultural attractions on post are the Caisson stables, Conmy Hall, and the Old Guard Museum.
The military's largest child development center
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
, named the Cody Child Development Center (CDC), is located here.
External links
- official website
- Fort Myer Installation Overview from ArmyUSA.org.
- Images of America - Fort Myer by John Michael
- Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
- http://osd.dtic.mil/news/Aug2002/n08222002_200208221.html
- http://www.scribd.com/doc/34132387/The-Wolverine-Guard-summer-2002