Charles Schulz
Comic Creator
1922 - 2000
Long before Charlie Brown and Snoopy became household names, Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz was shaping his life and art right here in Clarksville, Fort Campbell.
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, Schulz trained at the then-new Camp Campbell, where he served as a machine gunner and rose to the rank of staff sergeant. During his time in uniform, Schulz began sketching cartoons inspired by everyday Army life, planting early seeds for the storytelling that would later define his career. In 1945, his unit deployed to Europe as part of the 20th Armored Infantry Division, playing a role in the advance into Munich and the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.
Just two years after returning home, Schulz debuted Li’l Folks in 1947, the comic strip that would eventually evolve into the beloved Peanuts. His time at Fort Campbell remains an important chapter in the life of one of America’s most influential cartoonists.