How a Simple Newspaper Story Turned Into My Biggest Passion Project

People often ask me how I got interested in the Tennessee Maneuvers. Most assume I had a relative involved or that I’m a WWII history buff, but neither is true. Here’s the real story!

In 2010, I was writing a feature series for my hometown newspaper, The Carthage Courier, called Visions of Smith County. The newspaper’s publisher, Scott Winfree, asked me to attend a book signing for In the Presence of Soldiers by Wood McMillin and retired Army Colonel Jerry McFarland. The book detailed the massive training exercises that took place in Tennessee during World War II.

To make the most of the event, we put out a call in the newspaper, asking anyone who had witnessed the maneuvers or had related artifacts to contact us. We wanted to hear their stories. To our surprise, several people responded, and we ended up with an incredible article.

That was my first real exposure to the Tennessee Maneuvers. At the time, I didn’t realize how significant they were or how much they had shaped Middle Tennessee.

After that event, Jerry and I exchanged contact information, but I didn’t think much about the maneuvers for six years—until Jerry called. He had seen my work on Tennessee Crossroads and asked if I could produce a series of videos for a new veterans’ museum. I agreed.

At the same time, Jerry was helping promote the premiere of a short documentary about a WWII fighter pilot from Wilson County. While the film wasn’t directly about the maneuvers, it included interviews with the pilot’s friends, many of whom had witnessed the training exercises in Tennessee. That got us thinking—why not produce a documentary focused solely on the Tennessee Maneuvers?

We started conducting interviews, speaking with veterans who had trained in Tennessee and civilians who had witnessed the exercises firsthand. However, we ran into setbacks with our original producer and had to rethink our approach. Despite the challenges, we were determined to continue documenting this important history.

Then, Jerry was contacted by Kelly Magill, owner of KGV Studios in Nashville. She had recently learned about the maneuvers through her great aunt’s diary and wanted to create a documentary. Jerry introduced us, and we realized we could accomplish more together.

Since then, we’ve worked as a team to record interviews, document history, and raise awareness about the maneuvers. Our focus has now shifted from film production to tourism development. Each May, we host the Tennessee Maneuvers Remembered Living History Event in Carthage. We’re also launching a self-guided driving tour with eight stops in Smith County. Each stop features a QR code linking to an interview about that location’s historical significance.

Meanwhile, Kelly is still producing a documentary series, which will be released in time for the 80th anniversary of V-E Day in May 2025.

People often ask me why I dedicate so much time and energy to this project. The answer is simple—it’s about the people.

The veterans, civilians, and families we’ve interviewed are grateful that their stories are being shared. Many of them have never had the chance to tell their experiences before. Seeing the joy and appreciation on their faces reminds me why this work is so important.

The Tennessee Maneuvers were one of the most significant military training operations in U.S. history. They shaped the soldiers who went on to fight in Europe and the Pacific, and they left a lasting impact on the communities of Middle Tennessee.

This history deserves to be remembered, and I feel honored to be part of that effort.

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