"I direct the US Army to change the name of Fort Moore, Georgia, to Fort Benning, Georgia, in honor of Corporal (CPL) Fred G. Benning, who served with extraordinary heroism during World War I," Hegseth wrote in a memo.

The base was previously named after brigadier general Henry Benning, an ardent secessionist who argued for the "superiority" of the white race.

But it was changed in 2023 to honor US lieutenant general Hal Moore -- who commanded American troops during their first major battle with North Vietnamese forces -- and his wife Julia.

Calls to change the names of bases that honored Confederate figures gained momentum during nationwide protests against racism and police brutality that were sparked by the 2020 murder of George Floyd, an African American man who died at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis.

In the National Defense Authorization Act for 2021, Congress required the establishment of a commission to plan for the removal of Confederate-linked "names, symbols, displays, monuments, or paraphernalia" from Defense Department property.

Donald Trump, who was serving his first term as president at the time, opposed the renaming effort, writing on social media in 2020 that his administration "will not even consider" changing the names of the bases.

But a series of nine bases were renamed under his successor, Joe Biden.

Trump returned to office this year and his administration has already changed the country's largest military installation back to its previous name of Fort Bragg.

That base had been named for Braxton Bragg, a Confederate general who was relieved of command after his defeat in the 1863 Battle of Chattanooga.

But it now honors private first class Roland L. Bragg, "a World War II hero... for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge."