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All the best stories start with these four words: “once upon a time”.

I have a story for you! How many of you were born in Tullahoma, Tennessee?

If you were, and even if you were not, you need to know that “once upon a time,” many years ago during World War II, Tullahoma was a very special and important place. It is my hope that everyone who lives in Tullahoma will know this story.

I want everyone to know that Tullahoma played an important part during the war and that the people of Tullahoma helped with the war effort. They opened their hearts, homes, and churches. The town welcomed thousands of young soldiers who came here for training at Camp Forrest.

My family lived on South Jackson Street, right across the street from South Jackson Street School. My parents, my brother, sister and I, all five of us, slept in one bedroom so we could offer rooms in our house to soldiers and their wives.

The soldiers were from all over the country. Tullahoma became their home away from home while they trained for war.

We were not the only ones who offered homes to these young soldiers. Many Tullahoma citizens pitched in to help.

Because of the war, many items like sugar and gasoline we taken for granted because they were rationed. All United States citizens were issued ration books, every man, woman and child, including infants, were issued a book. The books contained coupons or stamps used to buy many items that were in short supply because of the war.

Our family’s furniture store had a difficult time purchasing furniture to sell during this time. The most popular items were rollaway beds and mattresses, and chests of drawers that were needed to open their homes to our many guests.

Grocery stores shelves were often bare, hardware stores, clothing stores and pharmacies also had a difficult time meeting the demand. Our furniture store sold Tennessee cedar chests, called “hope chests”, to soldiers as souvenirs. They were shipped from the railroad station in Tullahoma, delivered to the station by horse and buggy, and put on trains to destinations far away from Tullahoma. They were shipped to soldiers’ home towns and cities as gifts to wives, girlfriends and mothers.

The USO building was on the corner of Jackson and Carroll Street, where the Tullahoma City Schools Office is located today. The USO is a charitable organization founded to support active military troops and their families. I remember visiting the building with my mother. There was a display case in the entrance, and I was just tall enough to see inside. I saw a long, silver sword with a handle encrusted with beautiful pearls. I was fascinated.

After the war, the USO building burned to the ground. The students at South Jackson Street Elementary School stood outside and watched in horror. I was one of those children. I kept thinking of that Japanese sword with pearls.

The small town of Tullahoma grew into a city of thousands. The streets were full of young soldiers. Every business in town was busy. There were three movie theaters that were very popular.

As children, all of this activity was very exciting. One family had a nurse renting a room in their home. Their young daughter was so influenced by her that she became a nurse herself. Many of us were too young to really understand that America was at war. We were fascinated at the changes happening to our small town and our home lives.

Soldiers marching up and down South Jackson Street were not at all unusual. Our family had a ringside seat. Jeeps and trucks and tanks were everywhere. Young boys played soldiers in their yards and marched along with the troops. It was like having a parade every day on South Jackson Street. Planes flew over, some close enough to wave, was always a thrill. Tents were set up in the school yard across the street, where the soldiers camped and trained for combat. Traffic was heavy day and night.

Occasionally, we were told to have no lights on in our homes and businesses. It was called a “blackout”.

We had blackout curtains that covered the windows. I remember being relieved when the “all clear signal” came and our lights were turned back on.

That is the only time I remember being frightened.

Our small town had been transformed. Tullahoma was in for quite an amazing ride.

The people who lived in our house were fascinating to us. We were excited by the extra attention and on rare occasions, because of rations, candy. Soldiers were young and far from home, living in a place with young children may have been enjoyable for them. Some had families back home with younger brothers and sisters, some I’m sure had left their own children behind. Many of them were only teenagers, right out of high school. They were homesick and Tullahoma did its best to make them feel welcome.

Many people were in and out of our house every day. I can only imagine how busy my mother must have been with three young children and a house full of renters. They only rented rooms in our house and our renters ate their meals in town or on the base. We only had one bathroom. Our doors were never locked.

Camp Forrest was built outside of town, where Arnold Center is today. Row after row of barracks were constructed to house the soldiers. There was a hospital, mess halls (cafeterias), a Fire Department, and a Post Office. There was a prisoner of war encampment. There was a Chapel shared by all faiths for worship and an auditorium for big events. I remember going to a show with my family and being so excited. A popular game show host who we listened to on the radio performed. He gave prizes of silver dollars for answering questions correctly. He would say, “Give that gentleman five silver dollars.”

We got to ride to the base in a bus; it was a big deal for my family.

War news came from the newspapers and radio. If you attended a movie, you would see newsreels showing actual footage of the warfront. When the news came on the radio each night we knew to be very quiet, as our parents listened intently for information. President Franklin D. Roosevelt also gave what he called “fireside chats.” President Roosevelt visited Camp Forrest in 1943. After the war, President Harry Truman visited Tullahoma in 1951 to dedicate Arnold Engineering Development Center.

Many local people were employed at Camp Forrest.

Some were cooks, janitors, nurses and office workers. Some of the young brides who followed their soldiers to Tullahoma got jobs on the base. Jean Sark, who lived in our home for over a year, told me she was so fortunate to get a job at the Officers Club and that she was picked up each morning in a Jeep for the ride to the base.

My husband and I visited Jean in her Indiana home and even at her advanced age, she remembered so much. Her kind words about my family and my hometown of Tullahoma filled me with pride. She shared with us that my mother, an avid reader, was by the fireplace with her book when the soldiers came home from maneuvers, always available to listen to their stories of family back home. Jean spoke of her fond memories of our sister, who was learning to walk and talk during this time. They loved her “southern accent.”

During the Christmas of 1944, a very special Christmas card arrived at 407 South Jackson St. The post mark on the card was from Paris, France. Two soldiers who lived at our home sent it to our family. To this day that Christmas card is considered a family treasure. I am so in hopes that Tullahoma will soon have a special place to inform and educate everyone about this special time in Tullahoma and Tennessee history. It would be a pleasure to share our special card with everyone.

When the war was over Tullahoma transformed again into a “new” normal. The best news in town for the kids was that bubble gum was back at the local grocery store. That news spread fast on Jackson Street. My brother, sister and I got five pieces each. I still remember that wonderful smell when the pink gum was unwrapped.

For many years we could see the crumbling chimneys and foundations of Camp Forrest from the road. Eventually, all traces of the camp disappeared. The war days were forgotten. Many of our friends and families are no longer here to tell this important story.

It is with great pride that I tell this “once upon a time” story to you. Pride for my hometown of Tullahoma, Tennessee and pride for my parents and so many others who contributed to the war effort.

These Tullahoma citizens were a special part of the “greatest generation”.

I feel blessed to be a child of that generation and to have witnessed with my own eyes the contributions that were made by “ordinary” citizens during this “extraordinary” time in history.