Fear is meant to be overcome, and a recent mission-immersive trip to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, home to the 101st Airborne Division and several special operations units, helped me do exactly that. Located on the Kentucky-Tennessee border near Clarksville, Tennessee (the base carries a Kentucky address, but two-thirds of the property sits in Tennessee), Fort Campbell has a storied legacy as the home of the world’s only Air Assault Division: the 101st Airborne, dubbed the “Screaming Eagles.”
The 101st Airborne Division changed the trajectory of world history. Originally elite paratroopers, the Screaming Eagles played a pivotal role in D-Day on June 6, 1944, one of the most consequential military operations in history. Alongside the 82nd Airborne Division, they helped secure the success of the Normandy invasion that turned the tide of World War II. The division has since evolved into the world’s only Air Assault Division, capable of rapid helicopter-borne deployment anywhere in the world.
Fort Campbell is rarely accessible to civilians. In partnership with the USO, the USO’s annual “Week of the Eagles” event, and the newly released Focus Features film Pressure, I was privately invited, alongside other journalists and influencers, to an advance screening in Nashville and an immersive visit to historic Fort Campbell. Pressure, which stars Brendan Fraser, Andrew Scott, and Kerry Condon, covers the 72 hours leading up to D-Day, focusing on meteorologist Group Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott) and how his weather predictions shaped one of the most important military decisions in history. The timing couldn’t be more fitting: June 6, 2026 marks the 82nd Anniversary of D-Day.
The Storied History of Fort Campbell and the Screaming Eagles
Fort Campbell’s reputation precedes it. It’s one of the most specialized military installations in the U.S. Army, built around rapid deployment and elite special operations. The base is home to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), known as the “Legion,” and the 160th Special Operations Airborne Aviation Regiment, known as the “Night Stalkers.”
A monument at Fort Campbell honors the “Triple Nickles,” the 555th Infantry Battalion, the first all-Black paratroopers in U.S. history. It speaks to the spirit of camaraderie you feel across the entire base. General Colin Powell commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell from April 1976 to July 1977 and has often said his time there shaped his leadership style. And yes, Jimi Hendrix had a brief stint at Fort Campbell before his music career took off. Walking the facilities, you feel the spirit of excellence, discipline, and unity in every corner…