Mark your calendars and register now for Tennessee Maneuvers Remembered! Downtown Carthage will step back in time on Saturday, May 2, 2026, as the Smith County Historical Tourism Society hosts their sixth living history event.
The free public event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Historic Smith County Courthouse lawn and nearby streets. Organizers say visitors can expect a full day of World War II history, live entertainment, military vehicle rides, a battle reenactment, flyovers, and hands-on displays for families.
The event honors the Tennessee Maneuvers, a major training effort that prepared American troops for combat during World War II. While many people know about D-Day and the battles fought overseas, fewer know that Middle Tennessee played a key role in getting U.S. soldiers ready for war.
This event aims to change that.
Each year, Tennessee Maneuvers Remembered brings history out of books and into the streets. Visitors can walk among reenactors in period uniforms, hear 1940s music, view military artifacts, and watch a Red vs. Blue battle reenactment on Main Street. Organizers say the goal is to educate the public while giving people an experience they will remember.
The event is organized by the Smith County Historical Tourism Society, a nonprofit group focused on preserving the story of the Tennessee Maneuvers. Founder Tressa Bush has led the effort from the beginning and has helped turn it into a growing regional event.
“When I get discouraged, I remember the smiles on the faces of all the people I’ve interviewed as they thanked me for allowing them to share their memories of the most historic events to ever take place in Middle Tennessee, the Tennessee Maneuvers,” Bush has said.
Her work has helped shine a light on a part of local and national history that often gets overlooked.
The story behind the event stretches back to the early years of World War II. In 1939, the U.S. Army was not ready for modern war. It ranked 17th in the world and had just over 200,000 regular army troops. Much of its equipment dated back to World War I.
That changed after Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. The attack showed how quickly modern warfare was changing. Tanks, aircraft, and fast-moving ground units were reshaping battle. The United States needed to prepare.
Between 1941 and 1944, the Army held seven large field training exercises across 21 counties in Middle Tennessee, including Smith County. More than 850,000 soldiers trained during the Tennessee Maneuvers. Those troops came from 25 divisions, including infantry, armored, and airborne units. Twenty-four of those divisions later fought in Europe. Another served in the occupation of Japan.
The Army set up a field headquarters at Cumberland University in Lebanon, while Camp Forrest near Tullahoma served as a major support site. Soldiers trained on real farms, roads, rivers, and small towns. They were split into Red and Blue armies and given missions such as taking towns, crossing rivers, defending highways, and attacking farms.
Army umpires judged each exercise. They decided when bridges were “destroyed,” when supply lines were cut, and when troops would count as casualties.
The War Department chose Middle Tennessee because of access to railroads and airports, sparse population and there were already two National Guard Camps in the region: Camp Campbell (now Fort Campbell, KY) and Camp Forrest (which no longer exists. In addition, military leaders liked the fact that Middle Tennessee’s rolling hills, rivers, fields, and country roads looked a lot like parts of Europe. That made it an ideal place to prepare soldiers for the kind of fighting they would soon face in France, Belgium, and Germany.
The maneuvers also changed life for local people.
Farmers signed agreements that allowed troops to cross their land. Tanks and trucks damaged fields, fences, and crops, but the Army paid owners through claims programs. On weekends, soldiers packed towns like Carthage. They spent money at local restaurants, theaters, hotels, and stores. Churches and civic groups hosted meals, dances, and services. Some soldiers even found romance during their time in Tennessee.
The final maneuvers ended in late March 1944, just a few months before D-Day. Even now, many Smith County families still share stories about tanks rolling past homes, soldiers marching down country roads, and the excitement of seeing the Army up close.
That local memory is a big reason the Carthage event continues to grow.
This year’s program will include military and homefront history displays, educational and demonstration booths, authentic military and period vehicles, artifact exhibits from Allied and Axis groups, WWII plane flyovers, 1940s entertainment, and vehicle rides. One of the main attractions will again be the Red vs. Blue battle reenactment on Main Street.
Visitors will also get a closer look at rare artifacts from the war years. Items on display are expected to include helmets, rifles, mess kits, sweetheart letters, and other pieces of daily military life. Organizers say these exhibits help people connect with the human side of wartime history.
Children and families are encouraged to attend. Past events have included hands-on activities and living history scenes designed to help young visitors understand the past in a fun and memorable way.
Admission is free, and no ticket is required. Still, organizers encourage people to register through the official Eventbrite page so they can receive updates and any last-minute schedule changes. The Smith County Historical Tourism Society’s Facebook page and event group will also post updates.
Free parking will be available in downtown Carthage, within easy walking distance of the event area. Tennessee Maneuvers Remembered will be rain or shine, except for the plane fly-overs, those are always weather dependent.
Visitors are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes, bring sunscreen and water, and dress in 1940s-inspired clothing if they want to join in the spirit of the day.
Nyrstar is sponsoring the event. Organizers say that support helps make Tennessee Maneuvers Remembered possible and also supports local tourism by bringing visitors to Smith County businesses, restaurants, and shops.
For Bush and the group of volunteers behind the event, this is about more than reenactment. It is about remembrance. It is about keeping local stories alive and showing how Tennessee helped prepare American forces for victory overseas.
The Society continues that mission year-round through oral history interviews, continued work on an eight stop self-guided driving tour with QR-coded stops across Smith County, and plans for a documentary tied to the 80th anniversary of V-E Day.
For anyone interested in history, family outings, veterans’ stories, or local heritage, Tennessee Maneuvers Remembered offers a full day of education and entertainment.
On May 2, Carthage will once again become a place where the past feels close. Visitors will be able to hear the music, see the vehicles, meet reenactors, and learn how Tennessee helped shape one of the most important moments in American history.
For more information, visit smithcountyhistoricaltourism.org or follow the Smith County Historical Tourism Society on Facebook.
