Fort Myer - History

History

Fort Myer traces its origin to the American Civil War. It was originally established as Fort Whipple, after Brevet Major General Amiel Weeks Whipple who died during the American Civil War in May 1863. Whipple Field was named in his honor. On Feb. 4, 1881, the post 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, a showcase for US Army's cavalry and since the 1940s, home to the US Army's elite ceremonial units - The US Army Band ("Pershing's Own") and the US Army's 3d Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard").

The National Weather Service originated by General Albert J. Myer 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 m), a propeller split, sending the aircraft out of control. Selfridge suffered a concussion in the crash and later died, the first person to die in powered fixed-wing aircraft. Orville was badly injured, suffering broken ribs and a leg.

Quarters One on Fort Myer, which was originally built as the garrison commander's quarters, has been the home of the Chief of Staff of the United States Army since 1908 when Major General J. Franklin Bell took up residence. It has been the home of every succeeding Chief of Staff, except for General John J. Pershing

The first radio telecommunications was started at Fort Myer. 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., who was posted at Fort Myer four different times, started the charitable "Society Circus" after WW I. He ultimately was Post Commander and commanded the 3rd Cavalry Regiment that was stationed at Fort Myer from the 1920s to 1942 when the regiment was sent to Georgia to get mechanized.

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 demobilized.