Evening star., 1942-12-13
By Walter McCallum,

by Walter McIallum.
On the eve of the celebration of its
Doth anniversary, the Army Band, top
musical organization Of the Army of
the United States, is proud that it could
celebrate IN musical greeting the sd
birthday of its organizer, Gen. John j.
Fershing.
The scene was Walter Reed General
Hospital, in the Nations Capital. Gen.
Pershing, straight as a rife barrel, re-
covering from a serious illness, heard
the strains of the National Anthem be-
low his window. An attendant raised
the window, but Gen. Pershing himself
raised the screen. He leaned out and
thanked Band Leader Capt. Thomas
F. Darcy for his courtesy. Capt. Darcy
has been with the Army Band since its
preliminary organization in 1918.
eve will be happy to do that as long
as Gen. Pershing will permit, said Capt.
Darcy. Every man in this organization
loves him and is proud to have the op-
portunity to honor him. For the Army
Band itself is the product OF Gen.
Pershing What baby wouldn't be proud
to honor its father, even were he less
distinguished than Gen. Pershing?"
Pershing's Band
The story Of the founding of the Army
Band goes back to 1918, when Black
Jack" Pershng commanded the Amerl-
can Expeditionary Forces in France.
Seeing units Of other armies paradlng
with clash of cymbals and full military
pomp. Gen. Pershing started the wheels
moving toward organization OF military
band for the American Army. The
first Army Band was composite OF
musicians hastily brought together from
all American Army outfits in France,
but it gave the Army an official band,
although on the records 1t was the band
Of the 1st Division.
1--WE didn't really begin organizing un-
til after the war" said Capt. Darcy.
And our first official musical job was
at the dedication of the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier" Today, the Army
Band heads every official ceremony in
which United States Army troops ap-
pear, greets visiting dignitaries, has in
its 81 musicians a great number Of spe-
cialists drawn from the best symphony
organizations, orchestras and bands OF
the land. and IS ranked by competent
authorities the equal of any band in
the world"
The list of distinguished musical spe-
cialists in the Army Band is long. Among
them. Freddie Wcolston. chief music ar
ranger for Tommy Dorsey and Leo Refs
man: Henry Hot Lips Levine, organizer
Of the Lower Basin Street Orchestra,
which does an unconventional musical
lob on the radio each week; John De
Glancie. first oboe with the Pittsburgh
Symphony and the Philadelphia Or
chestra, led by Leopold Stokowski; Keig
Garvin, trombone soloiSt, regarded as
the greatest Of slide horn artists today;
Sidney Cowen, distinguished vocalist
end triple-threat musical man, and
George C. Harrington, first sergeant and
drum ma aior," the most dignified and
best drum major in the world" to quote
Capt. Darcy. All these and many others
are in the organization which YOU may
hear over your radio Tuesday at Las
pm. and at 1880 am. Saturday.
Band Mascot
You won't see jeff. but he will be
there. jeff Is a 13-yearold French
poodle, the pet of sergt. Andy Trefois,
member of the band. jeff doesn't let
out a yip when the brasses boom loudly
in his ear. He is permitted to remain in
the band auditorium for broadcasts
when any extraneous sound might go out
over the waves. I'VE trust jeff with
our reputation" said Darcy. He never
has made a sound"
There was the time when JEFF waXed
sleepy and chose as his bed the lower
bars Of the xylophone, the Slated in
strument which produces such sweet
music. I'VE had Xylophone number on
the broadcast" said Capt Darcy. When
the musician started working jeff raised
a sleepy eye and turned over. That's all.
He didn't move or utter sound. For
tunately, the selection didn't involve use
Of the lower bars
No matter how distinguished mu-
sician may be in private life, when he
becomes eligible for the Army Band,
which is limited to Army personnel. he
must go through an addition by keen,
intensely musical Capt. Darcy. We
make no exceptions, no matter what the
prominence of the individual may have
been elsewhere We do that to protect
ourselves, for we have q long waiting list
in all instrumental positions. The man
must be up to our standards and must fit
in our machinery
The Bands Bright Future
asked Capt. Darcy about the future
of the Army Band when the guns stop
shooting. Right now. with the entire
expanding Army from which to draw
with many thousands of talented mu-
sicians available. Capt. Darcy gives
reasonable facsimile of very happy
man. Who wouldn't be, with so much
talent around? =
"We have nodded our band to form a