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Many
thousands of soldiers were in the area of
Tullahoma, Tennessee, about 80 miles NNW of
Chattanooga, as America conducted a full
dress rehearsal for the coming invasion in
Europe |
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1943 Office
Of Defense Transportation Poster |
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In the
autumn of 1942, the War Department decided to resume field maneuvers in
Middle Tennessee. Large-scale war games had been conducted in an area
around Camp Forrest, near Tullahoma, the previous summer, and General
George S. Patton had perfected the armored tactics that were to bring
him fame and his divisions victory in Europe. Between the wars Erwin
Rommel, as a young military attaché, had visited Nashville and Middle
Tennessee to study and follow the cavalry campaigns of Confederate
General Nathan Bedford Forrest to help him develop a pattern for the use
of tank units as cavalry. The army, perceiving in the Cumberland River
and the hilly country to the south and north a similarity to the Rhine
and Western Europe, decided to send divisions into the state for their
last preparation before actual combat. Between September 1942 and March
1944 nearly one million soldiers passed through the Tennessee Maneuvers
area.
Lebanon was chosen as headquarters and Nashville as the principal
railhead. Over the hills and valleys of twenty-one counties "Blue" and
"Red" armies engaged in weekly strategic "problems," with troops moved
in and out according to a calendar of "phases" that lasted about four
weeks apiece. In the military's scenario Nashville was Cherbourg,
without the bombing. The first and second problems usually took place
east of Davidson County, but the third in each phase would poise
attacking Blue troops against Red troops in defense around Donelson in
Davidson County and Couchville in Wilson County. This force would
advance to the east toward hilly terrain. In one instance at least a
problem involved the defense of Berry Field in Nashville against Blue
airborne troops.
Maneuvers paused at noon on Thursday or Friday, when a light plane would
fly over the mock battle lines, sounding a siren. Then thousands of
soldiers would seek recreation in Nashville and the county seat towns.
Facilities were limited, despite the best efforts of the U.S.O. and the
American Red Cross; movie theaters and cafes were packed; drug store
soda fountains were forced to shut down twice a day for cleanup. Each
army PX was strained to the limit. Churches opened their doors and set
up lounges; schools opened their gyms for weekend dances. The Grand Ole
Opry had never drawn such crowds than during these months when Middle
Tennessee hosted the army's preparations for the eventual invasion of
Normandy in 1944 |
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The 508th
joined many thousands of other soldiers in the area of Tullahoma,
Tennessee, about 80 miles NNW of Chattanooga, as America conducted a
full dress rehearsal for the coming invasion in Europe.
MORE AT:
http://www.508pir.org/odessey/training/tenn_01.htm |
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The
610th Tank Destroyer Battalion
The Battalion was ordered to the Second Army Maneuver area on the 16th
of August, 1943, and the equipment and personnel were loaded on trains
for the trip to Camp Forrest, Tennessee. The weather had been
quite pleasant up to this time but promptly upon arrival
MORE AT:
http://web.mit.edu/stewy/www/610TD/ChapterV.html
For additional information, contact
Donald A. "Chip" Stewart, Jr. at:
donald.a.stewart.jr@comcast.net |
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28th Infantry Division
In September 1942, the 28th as a unit of the 8th Division began a Motor
March to the area of the Tennessee Maneuvers. Two more months of war
games hardened the troops of the 28th. Then after a brief stay in tents
at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, the Division set out for its new
station, Fort Leonard Wood, MO. From December 1942 to March 1943 there
was a period of comparative calm...
MORE AT:
http://www.militaria.com/8th/WW2/28history1.html
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The 79th Infantry
Division
The division moved to Camp Blanding, Florida on 1 Sep 42; moved to
Tennessee Maneuvers Area on 3 Mar 43 where the division participated in
the Second Army No. 1 Tennessee Maneuvers; transferred to Camp Forrest,
Tennessee on 19 Jul 43 and moved to Camp Young, California on 17 Aug 43
for the Desert Training Center No. 3 California Maneuvers
MORE AT:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jwitmeyer/314Reunion/79id.html |
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The 30th Infantry
Division "Old Hickory"
After receiving replacements from nearly every State in the union, the
Division continued its training during 1943 at Camp Blanding, Florida,
Camp Forrest Tennessee and Camp Atterbury, Indiana, where it made
its final preparations prior to moving overseas up until February of
1944...
MORE AT:
http://www.30thinfantry.org/history.shtml |
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The 2nd Ranger
Battalion
But other Ranger units proudly carried on and enhanced the Ranger
standards and traditions in the European Theater Operations. The 2nd
Ranger Battalion, activated on April 1st, 1943, at Camp Forrest,
Tennessee trained and led by Lt. Colonel James Earl Rudder, carried out
the most desperate and dangerous mission of the entire Omaha Beach
landings
MORE AT:
http://www.ranger.org/rangerHistoryWorldWarIIBattalions.html
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The
16th Cavalry
Re-designated 15 June 1942 as the 16th Cavalry, Mechanized, and
activated at Camp Forrest, Tennessee...
MORE AT:
http://www.army.mil/cmh/lineage/branches/cav/016cv.htm
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