Fort Rucker was a product of World War II. During World War II, America conducted a manpower mobilization unprecedented in its history in terms of total numbers. The United States put into uniform over 16 million men and approximately 333,000 women. This mobilization called for the creation of new training camps and military bases, including Camp Rucker, named in honor of Colonel Edmund W. Rucker, a Civil War Confederate Officer, who was given the honorary title of "General." With the consolidation of all Army Aviation flight training at Fort Rucker in 1973, the post became the Mecca for Army aviators.