Remember Old Hickory to commemorate the day the 30th Infantry broke the German lines in WWI
September 10, 2018
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Organizers of the Remember Old Hickory project will host a special event at the end of this month to honor the day that soldiers trained locally at Camp Sevier broke the famed Hindenburg Line during World War I.
It was on September 29th, 1918 that the 30th Infantry Division – known as Old Hickory – broke through the German lines after a brutal assault across a fog covered no-man’s land at the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. The battle marked the first breaking of the German line and ultimately brought around the end of the war some 40 days later.
The 30th was made up soldiers from Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina including the Butler Guards, which was a unit based out of Greenville. On Saturday, September 29th, 2018, at 11 a.m. local leaders will hold a special ceremony honoring the Old Hickory at McPherson Park in downtown Greenville. This was the park where the Butler Guard had been stationed at before construction of Camp Sevier, which was announced at McPherson Park.
The event will feature special proclamations, honors as well as announcing more information about a special Veteran’s Day event being held on November 11 this year.
“We felt this was a great place to honor the 100th anniversary of the 30th breaking the Hindenburg line,” said Don Koonce, one of the organizers of the Remember the Old Hickory Project, which has spent the last year honoring the soldiers who trained at Camp Sevier.
About the Remember the Old Hickory Project
This non-profit organization aims to celebrate and honor the history of Camp Sevier, one of the largest U.S. Army bases during World War I. It was the home of the 30th Infantry Division, better known as the Old Hickory. More than 100,000 soldiers came through the camp. More information can be found at www.remember1918.com.
