Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a census-designated place and United States Army post, in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River. It is located between Junction City and Manhattan, Kansas. As of the 2000 census, Fort Riley had a population of 8,114.
History
Fort Riley is named in honor of Major General Bennett C. Riley who led the first military escort along the Santa Fe Trail. The fort was established in 1853 as a military post to protect the movement of people and trade over the Oregon-California and Santa Fe trails. The post was a base for skirmishes with Native Americans after the Civil War ended in 1865, during which time George Custer was stationed at the fort.
Later, Fort Riley became the site of the United States Army Cavalry School, until the Cavalry was disbanded in 1943. The famous all-black 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments, the soldiers of which were called "Buffalo Soldiers," were stationed at Fort Riley at various times in the 19th and early 20th centuries. During World War I, the fort was home to 50,000 soldiers, and it is sometimes identified as ground zero for the 1918 Influenza pandemic, which its soldiers were said to have spread all over the world. Since the end of World War II, various infantry divisions have been assigned there. Most notably, the post was home to the famed Big Red One from 1955-96. The Big Red One is expected to return in 2006.
Military Units
- Fort Riley is the headquarters of the U.S. Army's 24th Infantry Division
- 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
- 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division
- 937th Engineer Group (Combat), III Corps
External links
- Fort Riley Home Page - official site.
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