The Army base post, Fort Bliss, was established on March 8, 1854 . Companies B, E, I, and K, serving under command of one Lieutenant Colonel Edmund B. Alexander originally established it as the Post of El Paso with orders from the Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis, on January 11, 1854. Fort Bliss served for over a decade as a base for troops helping to guard against attacks brought down by Native Americans, hoping to win back land that was taken from them . The Fort served a myriad of ways for troops until the Civil War, at which time the Commander of the Department of Texas demanded Fort Bliss be turned over for exclusive use to the Confederate Army, solidify its place in American history forever .
Confederate forced took the base in July of 1861, using it as a stronghold while troops forced their way into Arizona and New Mexico. Fort Bliss was a primary base of operations as the confederacy attempted to force the union into surrendering in these states . Fort Bliss, however, after serving as such a strong and secure base, was abandoned after the Battle of Glorieta Pass. It was eventually occupied again the following year by Colonel Carleton and over 2,000 men as they marched from California . This lasted until 1865 when the 5th infantry finally arrived to officially reestablish the base. The following year, the 5th Infantry was relieved by the Buffalo Soldiers in 1866 .
In May of 1867, the Rio Grande flooded. Subsequently, the Fort Bliss post near Magoffinsville was damaged almost irreparably . At this point, the entire base had to be moved to a site known then as Camp Concordia, in El Paso, Texas. The vast river was relatively one mile south of Fort Bliss after it was moved; water then had to be hauled to the camp every day, putting a severe strain on resources and man power. Sanitation became deplorable in some of the facilities, as did water availability . Some records show diseases such as malaria were at an all-time high at Fort Bliss because of these conditions. The Santa Fe Trail, where supplies were delivered via wagon, was often attacked by the opposition, making supply deliveries irregular . Unfortunately, despite the many hardships the base and its occupants had already experienced, it was forced into abandonment in 1877 due to these conditions. The post stood without troops for over a year until 1878, when it was finally established as a permanent base. Company L, Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry, as well as Company C of the 15th Infantry arrived at Fort Bliss in an effort to mitigate issues over river water use and disputes over salt rock . Hart’s Mill, a pass near the Rio Grande, was purchased and for $40,000 a railroad was laid by the post by 1881. Previous supply issues were solved immediately for the troops, as well as the town of El Paso. Nine years later, the government granted over $100,000 to the base for expansion in order to allow more troops to serve on site.
In the early months of 1914 the Mexican Revolution began. John J. Pershing took command of the 8th Brigade, and they began securing the U.S. – Mexico border . Within the next two years, Pershing and his men would fail to enter Mexico and find the Mexican outlaw, Pancho Villa, returning to Fort Bliss empty-handed. Despite his failure, at the start of World War I, Pershing was transferred back to Fort Bliss and placed in charge of over 25,000 men. He was tasked with training them before departure for the war. During WWI, the Fort began acquiring armored artillery such as cars, trucks, and even motorcycles. World War II demanded Fort Bliss be a base of operations for AAA, or anti-aircraft artillery battalions . Training began in 1941 as planes began to arrive with the intent to drop drones on targets. In the 50’s, Fort Bliss was used as a training facility for Guided Missile School, wherein troops were educated in field firing .
Thousands of soldiers were sent for Fort Bliss during the Cold War for training. Fort Bliss was also used as a primary base of operations for building and testing missiles during this tense time in American history. As it became increasingly important to the government, it was expanded to meet what were assumed to be the country’s future needs. An Army Air Defense Center was added in 1957, for example. Personnel on base were trained in using several different types of missiles, including Hawk and Hercules . Live exercises were common at Fort Bliss, and it saw exponential expansion throughout the 50’s because of the widely accepted interest in missile testing and defense. Due to the climate, the base was eventually used for training army rangers during the “desert” portion of Army Ranger school.
In 2005, Fort Bliss was transformed from the typical army base into a training post for heavy armor. Over 10,000 new troops were set to be transferred. Understanding the positive economic impact the base had had up to that point, the citizens of El Paso were excited for the change. The 1st Armored Division, which was set to transfer into Fort Bliss, was to be welcomed with open arms. Unfortunately, it was speculated that Fort Sill, Oklahoma would be a better location for Fort Bliss’ ADA school. It was ultimately ruled as a better option, and over 4,000 Fort Bliss soldiers enrolled in these programs were transferred to Fort Sill. This part of Fort Bliss closed forever, though other elements of it continue to live on, grow, and prosper in the rich history it has accumulated over time.
Works cited
31st Combat Support Hospital. (2014). Retrieved from Fort Bliss History: http://www.bliss.army.mil/31stCSH/History.html#
Armybases.org. (2016). Retrieved from Fort Bliss, TX: http://armybases.org/fort-bliss-tx-texas/
Fort Bliss. (2011, March 4). Retrieved from Texas State Historical Association: https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/QBF03
Fort Bliss. (2015, August 28). Retrieved from Texas Historical Commission: http://www.thc.state.tx.us/preserve/projects-and-programs/military-history/texas-world-war-ii/world-war-ii-japanese-american-3
Wings Over the Border. (2012). Retrieved from Ft. Bliss, Texas: http://www.bliss.army.mil/Biggs/History/history.htm
