Fort Dix becomes history

FORT DIX, N.J., Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Fort Dix, the sprawling New Jersey military stopover for hundreds of thousands of young Americans going to war or coming home, moved into history Thursday.

Founded in 1917 and an important facility from World War I to Afghanistan, Fort Dix is merging with McGuire Air Force Base and the former Lakehurst Naval Air Station to become Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, the nation's first all-service facility, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Perhaps its most famous resident was Sgt. Elvis Presley who was demobilized at Fort Dix in 1960 after serving in West Germany.

The fort is named after John Adams Dix (1798-1879), a U.S. senator from New York and Civil War major general.