Military Musicians - Bands, Buglers, Drummers - Post them here

[Ranger-1972]

7 hours ago, Ranger-1972 said:

2nd Infantry Regimental Band at Fort Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 1879 (they were there from 1874-1888).  The 4th Infantry Regimental Band served at the fort from 1884 to 1894, followed by the 98th Infantry Regimental Band, which was on duty until the fort was closed in 1898. 

 

Given that the band is wearing the helmet that was authorized beginning in 1880, this photo must date from 1880 or later. 

 

The shape / height of the helmets, as well as the helmet plates, in this image is wrong for the version introduced in 1872, which was only for mounted (cavalry and artillery) units.

[easterneagle87]

Been a while since any new additions so here’s one. Yard long posted on FB Mkt

 

145th Field Artillery Band. Sorry the pics are chopped up for viewing. 
 

[Ranger-1972]

34 minutes ago, easterneagle87 said:

Been a while since any new additions so here’s one. Yard long posted on FB Mkt

 

145th Field Artillery Band. Sorry the pics are chopped up for viewing. 
 

 

Outstanding.

 

The 145th Field Artillery Regiment was part of the 65th Artillery Brigade (along with the 143rd FA Regiment and the 144th FA Regiment, and the 115th Trench Mortar Battery).  All of them were part of the 40th Division (California NG). The 143rd and 145th FA were the Direct Support FA regiments, and the 144th FA was the General Support 155mm howitzer regiment for the division.

The 145th FA Regt was descended from the 1st Utah Field Artillery (formed in 1894).  During WWI, it was designated the 145th FA Regt and entered into Federal Service in October 1917 at Camp Kearney, CA. It had trained with the U.S. 4.5" field gun in California, and the regiment was to be equipped with the French 75mm field gun regiment and provide direct support to one of the two Infantry Brigades in the 40th Division. The 145th FA Regiment comprised a HQ Company (to which the band was attached), a Supply Company, an Ordinance Detachment, a Sanitary Detachment, three Battalion headquarters, and six batteries.

Below is a picture of the 145th Field Artillery Regiment monument in Salt Lake City, UT, dedicated in 1927. 

 

The history of the regiment during WWI is found here:   History of the 145th field artillery regiment of World War I, 8-5-1917 to 1-28-1919   Though it had made it to France in September 1918, it was still undergoing training by the time the Armistice was declared.

 

The regimental nickname for the band was the "Sacred Cow."

 

That Regimental History lists the following as the names of the Band Master, Assistant Band Master, Sergeants, Corporals and musicians:

 

 

 

Are there any dates on the yard-long photo?

[Ranger-1972]

This image is on display in the Custer House at Ft Leavenworth, KS.  The caption indicates it is from 1870, but it appears some of the soldiers are wearing the M-1872 shako, which sloped in the rear.  Not surprisingly, the bandsmen's uniforms have been modified by the regimental commander -- to include frogging on the front of the jacket and what appears to be cords on the shako.

 

In 1870, the headquarters of the Department of the Missouri returned to Ft. Leavenworth from Jefferson Barracks (St. Louis), where it remained until 1890.

 

In 1871, Ft. Leavenworth became the home of the 5th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Nelson Miles.  Given the white frogging on the jacket and the white cords on the shako, this is the band of an infantry regiment -- likely the 5th.

 

 

 

[Ranger-1972]

A different US Army band at Ft. Leavenworth, KS in 1932.  Designation of the band is unknown.

 

 

[Ranger-1972]

Another photo of a band composed of Black troops in France as part of the AEF.  Relatively rare to find these.  Bass drum indicates this is the "Post Band" for the First Army in France in 1918.

 

Drum major and band leader are Black, but their insignia of rank (on the right sleeve) is not visible.

 

Commanding officer (upper lefthand corner) appears to be white.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JohnK83882]

[Ranger-1972]

18th Army Band, Ft Devens.  From the haircuts, this appears to be sometime in the 1970s.  That band, tracing back to a band formed in 1917, was stationed at Ft Devens from 1948-1993.

 

[Ranger-1972]

84th Army Band, part of V Corps in Germany after WWII.  The short "Eisenhower" jacket was discontinued in 1957.

 

[Ranger-1972]

17th and 18th US Army Air Corps bands at OCS in Miami Beach, Florida in 1943.

 

[Ranger-1972]

101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) band, 2018 in Clarksville.

 

 

101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Band, 2009 at Ft Campbell

 

 

101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) band in 1998, Ft Campbell

 

 

101st Airborne Division band in Vietnam, 1967.

 

[Brig]

Some early circa-WWI USMC musician shots I picked up last year:

[Ranger-1972]

Jefferson Barracks, just south of St Louis, MO.  No date on the image, but from the uniforms being worn, this was taken sometime between 1902-1907.

 

[Ranger-1972]

Mounted band of a cavalry regiment Jefferson Barracks, MO.  Undated, but appears to be about the time of the Spanish American War.

 

[Ranger-1972]

6th Infantry regimental band, Ft. Riley, KS.  Dated 1904.

 

 

 

[Ranger-1972]

An unidentified band at Ft. Leavenworth, KS.  Undated, but from the uniforms being worn, it was taken between 1902-1907.  The 'stand and fall' collar on the khaki uniform worn by the trumpeter on the right was not authorized until 1906. 

 

[Ranger-1972]

Mounted band, Ft. Riley, KS, in 1896.  Note that the bandsmen appear to be wearing fur busbies with a feather plume on top (not authorized in Army uniform regulations, but regimental commanders had wide latitude regarding what their band wore). Appears to be similar to the fur busbies worn by German hussars.  After the German victory during the Franco-Prussian War, the US military adopted uniforms closer in style to what was worn by the Germans than the earlier uniforms, which had copied what was worn by the French.  Not surprising, but the first photo I've seen showing busbies worn by the US Army.

 

 

[Ranger-1972]

Mounted band at Ft Riley, KS.  Incorrectly dated to the 1880s.  Uniform indicates this is likely just before WWI.  The khaki uniform and that style campaign hat were not adopted until after the Spanish-American War.

 

[Ranger-1972]

Band of the 6th Cavalry Regiment, Ft. Riley, KS in 1900.  The visored, pill-box cap being worn were in use from 1895-1902.  Note the bandsmen are wearing trousers and low-quarter shoes rather than breaches and riding boots.

 

[Bluehawk]

> Thanks to cutiger83 for finding this years ago, my father, SP5 Vernon Bell, coming through a Sally Port at West Point, 1946, on bass drum 

[Ranger-1972]

Band of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, Ft. Riley, KS in December 1909.

 

[Ranger-1972]

Another image of the band of the 6th Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Riley, KS, this one in 1900.

 

[Ranger-1972]

Infantry band on the parade ground at Ft Sam Houston, Texas, sometime between 1902-1907.  Prior to WWI, Ft Sam Houston was the largest US Army base in the country.

 

[Ranger-1972]

Black & white version of the colorized post card, from the LoC, with a blowup of the band.  Again, no date shown.

 

Given the location of the stone clock tower in the center of the Ft. Sam Houston Quadrangle, this parade is on the "upper" parade ground, and the view is toward the south-southwest.  Beyond the band are three companies of infantry, then several cavalry troops, and then field artillery batteries.  In 1908, the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (Light) was formed at Ft. Sam Houston.  Three existing horse-drawn batteries at Ft. Sam Houston comprised one battalion of the regiment; the other three horse-drawn batteries of the regiment were located at Ft Myer, VA.

 

 

This is a 1919 postcard showing the clock tower and the two water towers inside the Quadrangle, seen from a different angle.

 

 

This is a blow-up of the bandsmen.  The soldiers, sergeants and officers in the infantry companies are all at "present arms." Many of the bandsmen seem to be looking off to their left, while others are looking forward.

 

[Ranger-1972]

Mounted band at Ft. Sam Houston, TX.  Probably the band of the 11th Cavalry Regiment in 1912.