Arriving at their destination of Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was reorganized with new officers and recruits and was assigned to the Union "Army of the Potomac" that was organized under General George McClellen. The band members, as infantrymen, fought its first battle of the Civil War and its last designated as the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, at the first Battle of Bull Run (1st Manassas) on 21 July 1861. By an act of congress dated 03 August 1861 and a general order dated 10 August 1861, the 2nd US Cavalry Regiment was reorganized and, along with the Band, was redesignated as the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment.
Reorganized as the 5th Cavalry Regiment Band, it supported the regiment throughout the war. In December 1866, following the end of the Civil War, the Band was disbanded at Camp Sedgwick, Washington, DC. Three years later, in 1869, the band was reconstituted, reorganized and remained assigned to the 5th Cavalry Regiment. It again participated in the Indian Wars (1869-77) against the Sioux, Cheyenne, Utes and Apache. In 1916 the band participated in General Pershing's Mexican Expeditionary Force.
Following the organization of the 1st Cavalry Division in 1921, the Band would
not become a member until, 18 Decenmber, 1922 when the 5th Cavalry Regiment
(and its Band) was assigned to the Division, relieving the 10th Cavalry
Regiment.
The band remained with the 5th Cavalry Regiment until 03 June 1945, when it
was reorganized into its modern form, using the battle-scarred remains of
three regimental bands: the Fifth Cavalry Regimental Band, the Seventh Cavalry
Regimental Band and the First Cavalry Division Artillery Band. It remained
assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division and the primary station of the band was
Camp Drake, outside Tokyo, Japan. In keeping with a long tradition of wartime
service, the new 1st Cavalry Division Band served at several different posts.
While enhancing morale, the band promoted American popular music to both US
Troops and the Japanese during the post-war occupational period.
|
---|
With the outbreak of the Korean War, the band followed the 1st Cavalry Division to Korea, setting aside their musical instruments to fight as infantrymen as they had done in previous wars. By December 1951, the Division, after 549 days of continuous fighting, began planning for rotation back to Hokkaido, Japan.
The band, along with the First Team returned to the northern island of Japan,
Hokkaido and were stationed outside Sapporo, the capital city of the island,
at Camp Crawford with its steam heated, red brick barracks. Camp Crawford had
been constructed in 1946 on the location of the Makomanai National Dairy,
which was the largest dairy farm in Japan operated by the Japanese
Agricultural Ministry. A highlight of the band was its presentation of "Jazz
On Parade", which was given on tours to military bases in Hokkaido. On two
occasions, the band combined forces with a local Japanese band to give a
larege concert for the local townfolk.
|
---|
In 1954, the Japanese assumed responsibility for defending Hokkaido and on 13 September, the 1st Cavalry Division, with the band, returned to the main Island of Honshu, Japan. Its new duty station was Camp Schimmelpfennig, Sandai, Japan. In February 1956, the band was relieved if its smoke generation duties. On 14 March 1956, the 1st Cavalry Band moved to its new duty station at Camp Drake, outside of Tokyo, Japan. Soon afterwards, on 04 May 1956, the band absorbed the members of the deactivated 293rd Army Band. In addition to its primary duty, the band was assigned the mission of Defense Platoon of Headquarters, 1st Cavalry Division which it held until May 1957.
On 26 June 1956, a Provisional Unit of 12 band members was constituted to
supply music for Armed Service personnel arriving and departing at the Port
of Yokohama. In April 1957, this contingent returned to the main unit at Camp
Drake. Throughout its duty in Japan, the 1st Cavalry Band performed many
concerts and parades dedicated to strengthening relations between the
occupying Americans and the Japanese. On 20 August 1957, the Band, along with
the 1st Cavalry Division transferred to Korea. In the subsequent
reorganization, the 1st Cavalry Division Band was assigned under the command
of the "Trains", a unified concept of divisional support.
|
---|
Specifically, as these changes were applied on 15 October, in ceremonies held in Tonggu, Korea, the colors of the 24th Infantry Division were retired and the colors of the 1st Cavalry Division were passed to the Commanding General of the former 24th Infantry Division, Major General Ralph W. Zwicker. "The First Team" had returned, standing ready to defend Korea against Communist aggression.
On 01 September 1963, the Division Band was consolidated with the 1st Cavalry
Division Trains and the Trains was redesignated as Headquarters, Headquarters
Company and Band, 1st Cavalry Division Support Command. In June 1965, the
Division Support Command and its subordinate units began rotation back to the
United States along with other units of the 1st Cavalry Division.
|
---|
In 1965, the Support Command accompanied the 1st Cavalry Division when it was deployed to Vietnam, arriving on 12 September. The band continued in its multi task of being musicians and infantryman as in previous wars. In November 1969, the band was giving one of its firebase concerts which were designed to give variety and entertainment to the otherwise repetitive days of jungle outposts. Upon being fired on, from the nearby jungle, the band had to drop their instruments and take up their M-16s. Following the fire fight, they returned to continue their concert.
26 March 1971, officially marked the end of duties in Vietnam for the majority of the 1st Cavalry Division. On 29 April, the Band along with the Division Support Command departed Vietnam for Ft. Hood, Texas.
In the fall of 1983, the 1st Cavalry Division deployed to Europe for the
annual REturn of FORces to GERmany (REFORGER) exercises. The band accompanied
the division to Germany for REFORGER 83 and REFORGER 87. During these two
large-scale exercises, the band served the division by promoting Esprit de
Corps throughout Germany and the Netherlands.
|
---|
The closing out of the Gulf War and returning home, for reunions and the best in America, seemed to be the theme for the Spring and Summer of 1991. Upon the return of the 1st Cavalry Division to the United States, the band joined in leading the whirlwind celebrations by parading down a dozen avenues of Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Washington, DC and New York. The visit to New York City was a tremendous welcome from the public, press and police.
At Battery Park, the parade formation turned into Broadway, a wide red carpet.
There on Broadway, under a sunlit snowstorm of paper, the 1st Cavalry
Division Band, lead by Bandmaster Sgt. First Class Gary Flake, took the Big
Apple by storm when they played the swaggering melody of the division song,
"GarryOwen".
|
---|
At Christmas, the brass players performed tree lighting ceremony at the 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters, complete with Santa Claus in a Hummer and a bag full of gifts. After the ceremony, the band, trading their battle dress uniforms for "dress blues", held a concert for MG Byrnes and the staff. Throughout the tour and at all the concerts, the band served the division well by promoting Esprit de Corps throughout Bosnia.
In its present form, the band continues its excellence in service at Fort Hood, Texas. It is a modern professional organization equipped to perform a variety of music, including marches, pop tunes, top 40, big band jazz and concert band literature. Within the organization there are several small ensembles such as the jazz combo brass quintet and woodwind quintet, each increasing the variety of music that is performed by the band. The mission of the band is threefold: 1.) to promote morale and Esprit de Corps throughout the division and Fort Hood by providing traditional music for military ceremonies and special events 2.) to enhance community relations through participation in the local community events throughout the Central Texas area and 3.) to enhance recruiting efforts of the U.S. Army.
The band deployed with the 1st Cavalry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom II, where they performed over 550 missions, and in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 06-08 where they surpassed the number of missions from the previous deployment. The Cavalry Band deployed again to Iraq for OIF 09-10, and is currently deployed to Afghanistan.
The 1st Cavalry Division Band, over its career, has distinguished itself with
for getting the job done with the hard charging spirit of the organization and
the men and women who serve it. The First Team Band continues to promote the
traditions and Spirit of the Cavalry wherever it performs.
Need a gift for an Alumni of the 1st Cavalry Division? |
---|
eMail Your WebSite Comments.
Return to "MyOwnPages"©.
Revised 16 Sep '11 SpellChecked