Tennessee Maneuver Area
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The Tennessee Maneuver Area was a training area in Middle Tennessee, comprising the following counties:
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DeKalb DeKalb or De Kalb may refer to: People * Baron Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in the American Revolutionary War Places Municipalities in the United States * DeKalb, Illinois, the largest city in the United States named DeKalb **DeKal ...
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Hickman Hickman or Hickmann may refer to: People * Hickman (surname), notable people with the surname Hickman or Hickmann * Hickman Ewing, American attorney * Hickman Price (1911–1989), assistant secretary in the United States Department of Commerce * ...
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Humphreys Humphreys may refer to: Places * Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge, Arkansas-Mississippi * Camp Humphreys, U.S. Camp in South Korea *Humphreys, Missouri *Humphreys County, Mississippi * Humphreys County, Tennessee * Humphreys County Airport, Tennessee * ...
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Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
, Maury,
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, Putnam, Rutherford,
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, Trousdale,
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, Wayne,
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, Williamson, and
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. The area was selected because the terrain resembled that of
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. In June 1941,
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George S. Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...
conducted maneuvers with the 2nd Armored Division in the vicinity of
Manchester, Tennessee Manchester is a city in Coffee County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 12,213 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Coffee County. The city is located halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga on Interstate 24. Manchester is ...
, where he soundly defeated the opposing forces, using large-scale armored tactics based on
Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was a prominent General officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army general during the American Civil War and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan from 1867 to 1869. Be ...
’s cavalry doctrine. These maneuvers led to the creation of the Tennessee Maneuver Area. On 24 June 1942,
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Prentice Cooper William Prentice Cooper Jr. (September 28, 1895May 18, 1969) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 39th governor of Tennessee from 1939 to 1945. He led the state's mobilization efforts for World War II, when over 300,000 Ten ...
, announced that nine counties would be used as a maneuver area by the Second Army, and the area was eventually expanded to twenty-one counties by 1944. By 25 July 1942, the War Department selected
Cumberland University Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee. It was founded in 1842. The campus's current historic buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896. History 1842-1861 The university was founded by the Cumberland ...
, in
Lebanon, Tennessee Lebanon is the county seat of Wilson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 38,431 at the 2020 census. Lebanon is located in Middle Tennessee, approximately east of downtown Nashville. Lebanon is part of the Nashville Metropolit ...
as the location of the Headquarters for the
Army Ground Forces The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the larges ...
field problems, commonly known as the Tennessee Maneuvers. Between 1942 and 1944, in seven large scale training exercises, more than 850,000 soldiers were trained in the Tennessee Maneuver Area.Sloan, Eugene, "With Second Army, Somewhere in Tennessee", 1995. Training activities in the Tennessee Maneuver Area were suspended in March 1944 because of the great acceleration of overseas shipment of units in advance of the D-Day landings.


Units Trained in Tennessee Maneuver Area

*Entered maneuver area as IV Armored Corps, re-designated XX Corps on 10 October 1943.


References

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External links


Second Army (Tennessee) Maneuvers
1942 establishments in Tennessee 1944 disestablishments in Tennessee Military installations in Tennessee Military installations closed in 1944 Installations of the U.S. Army in Tennessee