Among the many hats El Paso wears, one is an Army helmet.
Since 1846, Fort Bliss has been an instrumental military post in the defense of the United States and its development and testing of cutting-edge missile technology.
The 550-square-mile base is about the size of Rhode Island and straddles the Texas and New Mexico border. Its 1,500 square miles of unrestricted airspace makes it prime for missile and artillery training and testing, including Patriot missile batteries. However, from now until 2011, Fort Bliss will see a transition from air defense to heavy armor training as the First Armored Division rolls in.
Fort Bliss was established in 1846, during the Mexican-American War, and afterward primarily served to protect settlers against Apache and Comanche raids. It was renamed in 1854 after Brevet Lt. Col. William Wallace Smith Bliss, Gen. Zachary Taylor’s adjutant general during the Mexican-American War.
Gen. John Pershing launched his failed punitive pursuit of Pancho Villa from Fort Bliss following Villa’s attack on Columbus, New Mexico (George Patton served as an aide to Pershing). While Pershing’s 1916-1917 campaign into Mexico didn’t track down Villa, it did afford the testing of new armored vehicles, cars, and airplanes, which were used extensively in World War I. Fort Bliss began its transition from a cavalry post to a modern warfare proving ground. With the increased use of airplanes, anti-aircraft artillery became more important, and the wide open spaces of Fort Bliss provided the perfect training ground, as adjacent White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico provided perfect testing grounds.
After World War II, captured Nazi rocket scientists, including Wernher von Braun, were brought to Fort Bliss to continue their research for the U.S. The German V-1 and V-2 guided missiles were brought here as well and studied, giving rise to the U.S. guided missile and space program.
Today, Fort Bliss serves as a major deployment center for troops headed for Iraq and Afghanistan. It employs more than 6,800 civilians, making it El Paso’s second largest employer after the El Paso Independent School District. In 2007, Fort Bliss pumped an estimated $1.7 billion into the city’s economy.
You can learn more about the history of Fort Bliss and the different roles it has played in U.S. defense by visiting the Fort Bliss Museum and Study and Center and Air Defense Artillery Museum. Towering decommissioned missiles, tanks, and other military equipment greet you in the museum’s parking lot. Inside, examine more vehicles, weapons, and photos dating to the early days of the base. In the nearby Old Fort Bliss Magoffinsville Post museum, see what the barracks looked like when saddles were state of the art.
From El Paso International Airport, travel north on Airport Road to Airway Boulevard. The Robert E. Lee entrance gate is on the left. Be prepared to show identification, vehicle insurance, and registration to the guard. You’ll receive a day pass and directions.
The museum is free and open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (915) 568-3390 or (915) 568-4518 for more information about the museums.
