History / Military
Fort Hood and Bell County's military history
Fort Hood, established in 1942 near Killeen, transformed Bell County from a farming region into one of the most military-connected communities in the United States.
In January 1942, the federal government said a tank destroyer training center would be built near Killeen, Texas. Camp Hood opened in September 1942. About 300 farming and ranching families had to leave their land to make room for it. During World War II, the base trained about 100,000 soldiers. It also held about 4,000 German prisoners of war. The camp became permanent Fort Hood in 1950.
Fort Hood covers about 218,000 acres. Most of it lies in Coryell County, to the west. A smaller part sits in southwestern Bell County. The total is about 335 square miles. By 1954, it was the only U.S. base with two full divisions. It also held III Corps headquarters. The base has stayed a major armored and mechanized training center. Bell County has one of the highest shares of active-duty and veteran residents in Texas.
The base has changed names more than once in recent years. In 2023 it was renamed Fort Cavazos. That honored General Richard E. Cavazos, a native Texan and the Army's first Hispanic four-star general. In 2025 it was renamed back to Fort Hood. The Texas State Historical Association's Handbook at tshaonline.org is the place to read the full history.
Source to confirm: TSHA Handbook – Fort Hood