Fort Hood: 6 Things You Didn’t Know

Fort Hood is one of the most renown military posts in the whole United States. It’s located in Killeen, Texas and dates back to World War II. The fort is located between Waco and Austin, about 60 miles from each and has served as a permanent post since 1950. It was officially opened in 1942 under the name Camp Hood which was changed once it became a permanent military settling. It has been running for more than 70 years and employs more than 8,900 civilians as of 2014 making it an economic stronghold in the whole area. Here’s a few fun facts about Fort Hood you probably did not know.

 

Fort HoodFort Hood: Size & Population

According to their website, Fort Hood is home to 45,414 permanently assigned soldiers and 8,900 civilian employees. It now covers an area of 214,000 square acres, more than 40% of the original 158,706. It’s one of the economic strongholds in all of Killeen as most people in the area work directly for the fort or indirectly for companies who cater to the soldiers and families in the fort.

 

Original Purpose

Fort Hood was founded in 1942 as an open space to train personnel and test military tank destroyers in order to fight Nazi forces in World War II. Wide open spaces were required to test the massive tank destroyers so the U.S. government decided to set in Killeen as it was an underpopulated farm trade center. Killeen underwent a military boom and its population would increase more than 450% in the following decade.

 

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Most Populous of Them all

Fort Hood is the most populous U.S. military base in the world. Although it’s not the biggest in area, it’s home to more than 53,000 inhabitants and employs 58,187 staff members including military personnel.

 

Museum and Non-Restricted Areas

The 1st Cavalry Division Museum is located inside of Fort Hood and is one of the non-restricted areas that are open to the general public. These areas also include the The 3rd Division Museum and Belton lake Outdoor Recreation Area among other public areas. The Museum is medium sized and displays several helicopters, tanks and trucks all used in the military outpost and battlefields at some point or another. It also includes artifacts, information, guides and dioramas about the history of the base. One of its main attractions is the stuart tank that was captured by Japanese forces and then recaptured by the U.S. Army in World War II. Other attractions include the formation of the 1st Cavalry Division in 1921, the World War II gallery, Korean War gallery and Vietnam War gallery just to name a few.

Named After General John Bell Hood

The fort was named after Confederate War General John Bell Hood, a war general known for his aggressive strategies and bravery.

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Fort Celebrity

Fort Hood has been associated with several celebrities that served in the military outpost such as:

  • Elvis Presley
  • Jackie Robinson
  • Robert Griffin III
  • Geoff Ramsey
  • Tia and Tamera Mowry
  • Donald Buckram
  • Josh Lovelady
  • Anna Todd
  • Lucas Till

Want to know more about Fort Hood and Killeen? Stay tuned for additional information. If you are looking for a house near the historic area of Killeen or Harker Heights give us a call and our team of qualified experts will be more than happy to assist you today. Call us now!