191st Army Band

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191st Army Band
CW2 Daniel Cech[1]
Insignia
Tab

The 191st Army Band, popularly known as the Band of the Wild West, is a

Camp Parks, California. Activated in 1943 as the 91st Infantry Division Band, the unit deployed to Europe in World War II where it fought in the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
. It received its current designation as the 191st Army Band in 2008. The 191st Army Band is a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army's 63rd Regional Support Command.

History

Background

The 191st Army Band was activated on August 2, 1943, and was originally known as the 91st Infantry Division Band. The unit was the amalgamation of the 361st Infantry Regiment Band and 91st Infantry Division's Artillery Band, created as a result of the Army's earlier decision to abolish regimental bands in favor of division-level bands. The following year it deployed with the rest of the division to Italy where it participated in the Rome-Arno, North Apennines, and Po Valley campaigns. Over the next 80 years it would be periodically deactivated, activated, and redesignated.

In 1962, the pipe band of the U.S. Army's 5th Infantry Division was deactivated and its bagpipers transferred to the 91st Division Band. Today, the band remains one of the few U.S. military bands with attached bagpipes.[2][3]

In 2003 the band was mobilized for regular Army service for ten months, making it the only Army Reserve band to be mobilized in support of

Army Superior Unit Award for its performance during this mobilization. On October 16, 2008, the 91st Division Band changed designation to the 191st Army Band and was placed under the 63rd Readiness Division at Camp Parks. At the same time, it was granted its motto: "Band of the Wild West".[2][4][3]

The 191st Army Band leads a pass-in-review in 2009.

Traditions

Baldric

The drum major's baldric (often also called a sash) is styled in dark blue. The unit's tab is displayed below a doubled white scroll inscribed "191st" "ARMY BAND" in red letters and below three scrolls inscribed "THE BAND" "OF THE" "WILD WEST" in dark blue letters. The red, yellow, and black band represents the Army Superior Unit Award earned by the unit. The three white bands display the campaign credit for WWII service: Rome-Arno, North Apennines, and Po Valley.[5]

Mace

Illustration of the dome of the 191st Army Band's drum-major's mace.

The drum major's mace shows, on the dome, the

Wild West.[5]

Special unit designation

The 191st Army Band uses the special unit designation "Band of the Wild West" originally authorized it when designated the 91st Division Band.[6][7]

Tabard

The background of the trumpeter's tabard is adapted from the

California flag; displayed is the distinctive unit insignia worn by the unit between a red scroll inscribed "191st ARMY BAND" in white at top and below the insignia are two stacked dark blue scrolls inscribed " THE BAND OF THE WILD WEST " in white.[5]

Army Band collar device

Mission

As one of three reserve bands under the control the 63rd Readiness Division (formerly the 63rd Regional Support Command), the 191st Army Band provides ceremonial musical support to 40,000 Army Reserve soldiers in a region encompassing the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The 191st Army Band's two sister bands are the 300th Army Band in Bell, California and the 395th Army Band in Mustang, Oklahoma. In addition to supporting Soldiers in those states, the 191st provides public performances in northern California, normally including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day parades and other events.[8][9]

World War I- and World War II-era doctrine held that U.S. Army bands (other than

EPW central collecting point and EPW holding area".[10] However, over time, U.S. Army senior leadership has realized the unique skillset represented in its Soldier-Musicians, and this has resulted in a rewrite of its formal mission statement as follows: "[Army Bands] Promote the Army and our national interests, enable commanders to shape the environment to accomplish their mission, and set the conditions that lead to trust and confidence in America's Army and its readiness to conduct operations in peacetime, conflict, and war.[11]
"

See also

  • U.S. Army Band
  • U.S. military bands

References

  1. U.S. Army. Archived from the original
    on June 2, 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b Larson, Bill (19 July 2007). "Concert in the Park: "The Trail of Dreams" with the 91st Division Army Reserves Band". Clarksville Online. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  3. ^
    U.S. Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original
    on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  4. ^ "U.S. Army Band "Band of the Wild West"". visitmodesto.com. Modest Convention and Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  5. ^
    U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original
    on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  6. U.S. Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original
    on 12 May 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  7. Camp Parks. Archived from the original
    on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  8. KTVU-TV. 22 May 2015. Archived from the original
    on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  9. San Jose Mercury News
    . Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Army Band SRC 12113L000". fas.org. Federation of American Scientists. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Army Training Publication (ATP) 1-19" (PDF). The Army Publishing Directorate. July 2021. p. 1-1.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from Distinctive Unit Insignia, Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, Coat of Arms / Bands / 191st Army Band (25 April 2016). United States Army Center of Military History.

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