US Army Training Center Fort Ord - Yearbook (Fort Ord, CA)

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history of fort ord RAILING PROUDLY into the bustling harbor of the Mexican port of Monte rey on July 2, 1846, was the trim Frigate Savannah, the flagship of Commodore John Drake. Five days later the stars and stripes were officially raised above the Customs House, and a 21-gun salute proclaimed the area as Territory of the United States. The Customs House still stands today. The American flag, altered only by the addition of stars denoting states of the nation, still flies. And since that day the United States Army has played a prominent and significant part in the development of the Monterey Bay area. It was a young officer of that era for whom Fort Ord was ultimately to receive its name. He was Edward Cresap Ord who had served with Fre¬ mont ' s Army and who was a lieutenant when the nearby Presidio of Mon¬ terey was developed. Lieutenant Ord distinguished himself in many bitter Civil War clashes and he rose to the rank of Major General. The need for a military reservation that was to become Fort Ord arose from the stationing at the Presidio of Monterey the famous 11th Cavalry and the 76th Field Artillery. The terrain in this area was ideally suited for the maneuvers of the finely-mounted riders and the horse-drawn caissons. It also was large enough for a field artillery impact range. It was in 1917 that the government bought some 15,000 acres, lying mostiy in the area of the post ' s present East Garrison. It was named Gigling after a well-known German family that had come to the country many years before. The present-day post, which includes that original land, contains more than 28,600 acres. Its terrain is similar to the varied types American Servicemen have fought on throughout the world. This diversity makes it an ideal Infantry training grounds. The transformation of the reservation from that of a maneuver area to a permanent post within such a short time was a near miracle of construc¬ tion. in August, 1940, when war clouds of Europe drifted closer to America, the first building contract was let. It was $3,000,000 to construct barracks for the newly activated 7th Division. The iate General Joseph Vinegar Joe Stilwell was in command. (continued inside back end sheet)