United States Army Band

The United States Army Band
The United States Army Band
	The U.S. Army Band Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active	25 January 1922 – present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Army
Garrison/HQ	Fort Myer
Nickname(s)	"Pershing's Own"
March	"The Army Goes Rolling Along" Playⓘ
Website	www.USArmyBand.com
Commanders
Current; commander	COL Bruce R. Pulver
Deputy Commander	LTC Randy Bartel
Executive Officer	MAJ Aaron Morris
Associate Conductor	CPT Richard Viglucci
Associate Conductor	1LT Bonnie Algier
Command Sergeant Major	CSM Julian Ayers Sr
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
Coat of Arms

The United States Army Band, also known as "Pershing's Own", is the premier musical organization of the

U.S. Army Herald Trumpets

, and The U.S. Army Strings.

History

The United States Army Band was established on 25 January 1922 by

Mutual Broadcasting Network, and other networks. The band also completed four national tours between 1928 and 1931 and was noted for its professionalism during a trip to Spain for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929

.

In June 1943, the United States Army Band was called overseas to perform in North Africa and in Europe during World War II. The band received a

Eddie Fisher, Robert Dini, and Steve Lawrence were very popular during the 1950s, as were harpist Lloyd Lindroth, future Metropolitan Opera tenor George Shirley, and announcer Charles Osgood

.

Throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the United States Army Band continued to perform and serve with distinction. In 1963, the band participated in the

Iran Hostage Crisis, the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the 1984 Olympic Games

in Los Angeles.

The United States Army Band has performed in Canada, Japan, and Australia as well as in several of the nation's prominent concert halls, such as

Hatch Shell in Boston. In 1984, the band recorded and participated in the filming of Francis Ford Coppola's movie Gardens of Stone

.

Under the leadership of Colonel L. Bryan Shelburne, leader and commander (1990–2000), the band continued with performances at the 1990 Economic Summit in Houston, the

Desert Storm Victory Parade in New York City, and Reba McEntire's Christmas Special in Nashville. Col. Shelburne also led the band in performances in Sweden, the Netherlands, Turkey, Nova Scotia

, Scotland, and a concert of International Goodwill with the Soviet Union's Navy Band in Stockholm.

In November 1997, the United States Army Band put on a grand concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Guest artists included Walter Cronkite, Charles Osgood, and Metropolitan Opera stars Roberta Peters and John Cheek.

In December 2002, a ten-piece pop group from the band, dubbed "Downrange", accompanied country musician

Washington Redskins

.

Colonel Lamb retired in June 2005 and was succeeded by Colonel Thomas Rotondi Jr., whose previous assignment was Commander/Conductor of the United States Military Academy Band in West Point, New York.

The United States Army Band is headquartered at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia, and annually hosts The United States Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Conference in January and Eastern Trombone Workshop in March.

Leaders

Date	Portrait	Name
1922		Warrant Officer Francis Leigh
1923–1935		Warrant Officer William J. Stannard
1935–1946		Captain Thomas F. Darcy Jr.
1946–1964		Lieutenant Hugh J. Curry
1964–1976		Colonel Samuel R. Loboda
1976–1990		Colonel Eugene W. Allen
1990–2000		Colonel L. Bryan Shelburne Jr.
2000–2005		Colonel Gary F. Lamb
2005–2011		Colonel Thomas Rotondi Jr.
2011–2014		Colonel Thomas H. Palmatier
2014-2017		Colonel Timothy J. Holtan
2017–2022		Colonel Andrew J. Esch
2022-present		Colonel Bruce R. Pulver

Lineage

Organized 22 January 1922 at
Fort Hunt
, Virginia, as The Army Band
Discontinued 31 January 1948 at Fort Myer, Virginia
Re-constituted 17 August 1949 in the Regular Army; concurrently consolidated with the United States Army Band (active) (constituted 8 January 1948 in the Regular Army; activated 31 January 1948 at Fort Myer, Virginia) and consolidated unit designated as The United States Army Band.

Honors

Campaign participation credit

World War II:

Rhineland Campaign

Decorations

Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for WASHINGTON, DC 1969–1971
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for WASHINGTON, DC 1971–1973
Army Superior Unit Award
for 1987
Army Superior Unit Award for 1992–1993

Media

Video

"Hail to the Chief", the official fanfare for the President of the United States, performed by the Army Herald Trumpets
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture performed by the Army Concert Band and Army Chorus, led by Colonel Thomas Rotondi Jr.