Joint Base Charleston re-named Joint Base Lindsey Graham in honor of late senator
Joint Base Charleston renamed for late Sen. Graham
Secretaries Pete Hegseth and Scott Bessent, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and Senator Darline Graham delivered remarks at Joint Base Charleston. The US Air Force is renaming Joint Base Charleston in honor of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
A ceremony was held Monday renaming Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina to Joint Base Lindsey Graham in honor of the late senator.
The base is a major U.S. military installation and was formed on October 10, 2010, by the merging of Charleston Air Force Base and Naval Weapons Station Charleston.
Several U.S. officials attended the ceremony, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Air Force Secretary Dr. Troy E. Meink, and U.S. Senator Darline Graham, who was appointed by Governor McMaster to finish her brother's term.
What they're saying:
"What an honor for my brother. And what a tribute to his 33 years of service. Lindsay loved the Air Force. He loved its mission. He loved wearing the uniform of his country. His interest in foreign affairs and national security started with his service in the Air force. Many of you don't know this, but Lindsay originally wanted to be a pilot," said Graham.
"Senator Lindsey Graham dedicated his life to serving this state and serving the armed forces of the United States. He served... This nation, both in uniform and in both houses of Congress, as everyone here knows. But in both capacities, it was always the same mission. He knew the timeless truth that to ensure peace, we must be prepared for war. Protect your people, protect your state, protect your sovereignty, or you will lose it to someone else who is willing to take it," said Hegseth.
Dig deeper:
The base covers nearly 24,000 acres and is one of 12 Department of Defense Joint Bases and host to over 60 DOD and Federal agencies. The 628th Air Base Wing delivers installation support to a total force of over 90,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, civilians, dependents and retirees across four installations including the Air Base and the Naval Weapons Station.
Graham died suddenly on July 11 at his home in Washington, D.C. (Senator Lindsey Graham)
Graham died suddenly on July 11 at his home in Washington, D.C. of a likely aortic tear, according to preliminary findings. He had just returned from a whirlwind trip to a NATO summit in Turkey, where he celebrated his birthday, and a visit to Ukraine. He was 71.
The Source: This article includes information from the U.S. Air Force and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Orlando.