Cumberland University Headquarters Tennessee Maneuvers

On the Cumberland University campus, the Maneuver Director Headquarters for the Tennessee Maneuver Area was located from 1942 to 1944. In that period, 850,000 Americans who later served in the Europe and Pacific theaters of World War II trained in the Tennessee maneuvers. The site also honors the memory of 268 servicemen and 9 civilians who died during the maneuvers. On March 22nd 1944, the last day of maneuvers in Tennessee and the final exercise, 23 men loaded onto an assault boat for a nighttime crossing of the Cumberland River at Averitt's Ferry near Lebanon, Tennessee. The river was at flood stage, the overloaded boat capsized, and 21 men drowned while two reached safety.

Lebanon, Tennessee · United States