If you walk through the main entrance of Happy Valley High School in Elizabethton, Tennessee, you will be greeted with a new display to honor the school’s fallen military alumni. The display features 14 fallen service members who graduated from Happy Valley High School. The table and signs were made by students and faculty. Telegrams […]
The Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War supported University of Tennessee, Knoxville veterans by donating food and drink at the Veteran Success Center on campus on Veteran’s Day. The Center also set up materials from our archive to celebrate veterans and their stories from previous eras.
On November 14, 2025, the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War interviewed Air Force General James M. “Mike” Holmes. General James M. “Mike” Holmes is 4-Star General in the United States Air Force. He was born in Knoxville, TN in 1957. His impeccable career covered 4 major combat operations that include Operation Desert […]
The Staff and Interns for the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War (CSTW) supported local veterans at the inaugural Veteran Town Hall, established by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Veteran Success Center, the Tennessee Department of Veteran Services, and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Dr. Chris Magra, director for CSTW, spoke about […]
The Fall 2025 intership continues to thrive at the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War at the University of Tennessee. This year, the interns have worked on social media, StoryMap projects, archival digitization, and more. The interns will continue to work on their projects as the semester continues on into November. Stay tuned […]
Our Director, Dr. Chris Magra, was invited to present a research paper at the McNeil Center last week. The McNeil Center is part of the University of Pennsylvania. The Center is one of the premiere American history organizations in the United States. Dr. Magra discussed Manning the First American Navy: The Military Mobilization of Maritime […]
John Saylor was interviewed by the Center’s Director, Dr. Chris Magra, on September 15, 2025. Saylor is a War on Terror Veteran. Coming from a military family, Saylor was excited to join the military. Saylor’s interview discusses his history, his war experiences, and his career in the military. We thank John for visiting the Center […]
On July 29, 2025, Gail E. Link, daughter of uranium courier during the Manhattan Project, Wilbur S. Anderson, was interviewed a second time by the Center’s Director, Dr. Chris Magra. Anderson was drafted on June 1, 1943 but later worked with the Manhattan Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. One of his jobs for the project […]
This is a follow-up interview with Bill Conner, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant and currently the Military and Family Readiness Manager, 134th Air Refueling Wing at McGhee Tyson Airport. Conner has served with the United States Air Force and the Air Guard, with a career focused on broadcast media. He has worked in Iceland, […]
Emma Patterson, a friend and intern to the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War, has been awarded the Achievement Award in the Arts and Sciences, Classics Division for her EUReCA poster and presentation. This research started with her internship at the Center! To view this project on our website, see “Triangle of Sovereignty: […]