The story on why Death Valley’s real name is Memorial Stadium

In honor of Memorial Day, here is the story of one of the largest on-campus stadiums in the country and how it got its name

Adam Hagy/USA TODAY Sports

The story of Memorial Stadium is one of the best at Clemson.

For those who do not know, Clemson named its famous stadium in honor of the former Clemson students and alumni who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty while serving our country.

When Clemson opened its doors in 1893, it was originally a military school, reflecting the belief at the time that a military atmosphere produced the highest academic excellence. The ROTC program was first established at Clemson under the National Defense Act.

In April of 1917, America’s involvement in the first Great War took off after President Woodrow Wilson declared war against Germany. There were 1,549 Clemson men who served during World War I and 32 paid the ultimate sacrifice.

On September 1, 1939, War World II began when Germany invaded Poland. In December of 1941, America was officially involved in the war following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan.

There were more than 6,500 Clemson men in World War II, 90 percent of whom were officers commissioned as a result of their ROTC training at Clemson.

Following Clemson’s first Southern Conference Championship in 1940, construction began on a new stadium in the summer of 1941. The plans for the new stadium called for it to seat 20,000 people.

Clemson head coach Frank Howard commissioned his players to help clear and survey the area, while engineering students designed the stadium. The plans were drawn up in a natural valley a little west of Historic Riggs Field.

“Coach Howard said we need some help and there we go,” said former Clemson player Charles Wright to The Post & Courier (Charleston, S.C.). “It was not a paid job. We worked all summer, clearing brush, cutting trees, getting all the stuff off the field. We were excited. We hoped we would get to play in it if it was finished soon enough.”

But while the Tigers were working on their new home, the conflict with Germany was getting worse. The summer the stadium project began, the Germans invaded the Soviet Union with an army of 4.5 million soldiers.

On November 26, 1941, as Clemson prepared to play Auburn in its season-finale, a carrier task force left Japan for the central Pacific.

“In the back of our minds, we always knew we would have to go (to war) at one time or another,” said Wright, who sustained a shrapnel wound in Germany in 1945. “But that didn’t change our attitude about getting an education and doing the things we needed to do to get ready for it.

“We kept trying to do the best we could.”

Other than West Point and Texas A&M, Clemson produced the most officers of any college institution in World War II. According to “Destined for Duty: The Clemson Class of 1941,” 6,000 Clemson cadets and graduates served in World War II and 373 were killed (4.3 percent of students and alumni), including 57 from the class of 1941.

Memorial Stadium opened its gates for the first time on September 19, 1942.

“The gates were hung at 1 p.m., and we played at 2 p.m.,” Howard later said.

Clemson defeated Presbyterian College, 32-13, in its first game at its new stadium. It was a nice distraction from what was going on in the world and what it might mean for Clemson College in the years to come.

“I remember coming into the stadium with the rest of the team,” Wright said of the first game. “It was really exciting to see people in the stands and all.”

According to Travis Sawchik’s story, the majority of the Clemson cadets at the time had not enlisted in the war because of age limitations. But by 1943, nearly all of Clemson’s juniors and seniors were mobilized.

Clemson’s graduating class of 1944 had just 13 graduates.

Though Clemson fans refer to the football stadium as Death Valley, the nickname former Presbyterian head coach Lonnie McMillian gave it in the late 1940s, the stadium is quite often referred to as Clemson Memorial Stadium, which is wrong.

The media and fans have called it Clemson Memorial Stadium from almost the beginning, but that goes against the wishes of the administration which was outlined in a letter by David Watson on April 15, 1942.

Watson was the chairman of the buildings and grounds committee, and he addressed the letter to Clemson College President R.F. Poole.

“Clemson Memorial Stadium would imply that this stadium was built in honor of Mr. Clemson or some other person by the name of Clemson. A resolution unanimously adopted recommended the name Memorial Stadium. It was suggested that a bronze tablet be put up bearing this name and carrying an inscription to the effect that the stadium is dedicated to all Clemson men who have made the supreme sacrifice in the service of their country.”

Through the years Memorial Stadium has grown and changed its appearance. In 1958, 18,000 seats were added and in 1960, 5,658 seats were built in the west end zone due to an increase in ticket demands.

With the west end zone stands, capacity increased to 53,000. It stayed that way until 1978 when Clemson added an upper deck on the south side of the stadium. In 1983, an upper deck was added on the north side, swelling the capacity to more than 80,000.

Over the years, Memorial Stadium has packed in more than 86,000 diehard Clemson fans.

Today, Memorial Stadium is one of the largest on campus stadiums in the country, with crowds over the 81,500.

“We go to a lot of great venues for college football, but this doesn’t take a back seat to any place. In terms of the atmosphere, stadium, noise and facilities, this is a special place on a Saturday night,” ESPN analyst Todd Blackledge said.

Memorial Stadium is currently receiving another new look, including a state-of-the-art video board, lights and sound system, new looks to the facades of the South and North upper decks and a concourse club in the west end zone.