Every soldier who ever served gets one.
(And sailor, marine, and airman, too.)
It's a record of their service,
a memento of their active duty,
a keepsake for the folks back home.
(And sailor, marine, and airman, too.)
It's a record of their service,
a memento of their active duty,
a keepsake for the folks back home.
It's a photograph of themselves in uniform.
Today I feature four photos
of unknown American soldiers
from the time of the First World War.
Each proudly showing off the service weapon
that they carried to preserve freedom
and defeat tyrants.
of unknown American soldiers
from the time of the First World War.
Each proudly showing off the service weapon
that they carried to preserve freedom
and defeat tyrants.
My first photo is portrait of a tall soldier
standing outdoors with his formidable double bass.
He wears the wool tunic and trousers typical
of the U.S. Army standard issue uniform in 1916-18
with a broad brimmed campaign hat pushed back on his head.
Unfortunately the photo print is too grainy to make out
the division patch on his shoulder sleeve or
the service insignia on the collar buttons.
However it was not unusual
for military bands to include a string bass.
It wasn't used for a marching band, of course,
but was performed in concert venues
where a tuba's sound would be too forceful.
standing outdoors with his formidable double bass.
He wears the wool tunic and trousers typical
of the U.S. Army standard issue uniform in 1916-18
with a broad brimmed campaign hat pushed back on his head.
Unfortunately the photo print is too grainy to make out
the division patch on his shoulder sleeve or
the service insignia on the collar buttons.
However it was not unusual
for military bands to include a string bass.
It wasn't used for a marching band, of course,
but was performed in concert venues
where a tuba's sound would be too forceful.
The second photo shows a U. S. Army clarinetist
striking a gallant pose in a woodland setting.
It's not a postcard but a cut-down card mounted photo,
so it may be earlier than the 1916-1918 era.
His campaign hat has a more pointy crown
favored by some infantry units
in the 1900-20 era.
striking a gallant pose in a woodland setting.
It's not a postcard but a cut-down card mounted photo,
so it may be earlier than the 1916-1918 era.
His campaign hat has a more pointy crown
favored by some infantry units
in the 1900-20 era.
His long overcoat, music satchel,
and the stripe on his trouser leg,
suggest he is in formal dress uniform
worn for an outdoor event.
His instrument is an E-flat clarinet,
the most deadly of musical weapons,
featured in my story from May 2021
The Well Dressed Clarinetist No. 4, the E-flat Edition.
and the stripe on his trouser leg,
suggest he is in formal dress uniform
worn for an outdoor event.
His instrument is an E-flat clarinet,
the most deadly of musical weapons,
featured in my story from May 2021
The Well Dressed Clarinetist No. 4, the E-flat Edition.
The next soldier also carries a menacing instrument,
a little curved soprano saxophone
that despite its cuteness
is capable of inflicting dreadful firepower.
a little curved soprano saxophone
that despite its cuteness
is capable of inflicting dreadful firepower.
This bandsman wears a flat service cap
with a wreath badge that I've been unable to identify.
But his collar button has
the crossed muskets of an infantry regiment.
with a wreath badge that I've been unable to identify.
But his collar button has
the crossed muskets of an infantry regiment.
More U. S. military saxophones can be found
in my story from October 2019,
Army Brass.
in my story from October 2019,
Army Brass.
The last soldier is actually one of six U. S. Army bandsmen.
all dressed in the field uniforms
of General Pershing's American Expeditionary Force
with full equipment belts and classic British style helmets.
all dressed in the field uniforms
of General Pershing's American Expeditionary Force
with full equipment belts and classic British style helmets.
They are the trombone section
of an unknown battalion band,
but I think their collar buttons
have the crossed cannons insignia
of an artillery unit.
of an unknown battalion band,
but I think their collar buttons
have the crossed cannons insignia
of an artillery unit.
Why military tradition
would assign musicians
for either light or heavy artillery guns
is a question for which I have yet to find an answer.
would assign musicians
for either light or heavy artillery guns
is a question for which I have yet to find an answer.
Trombones generally hold the front line of any marching military band
since at the front of a parade
the bayonets on their slides won't bother other musicians,
since at the front of a parade
the bayonets on their slides won't bother other musicians,
and a trombone's sound can always blast through any resistance.
These six young men served at a time
when the world's system of communication
was constrained by time and distance.
A simple postcard like this might be
the only means of sending a message home.
"I'm okay. Army life is not so bad."
What mother wouldn't treasure
such a valiant picture of her brave son?
These six young men served at a time
when the world's system of communication
was constrained by time and distance.
A simple postcard like this might be
the only means of sending a message home.
"I'm okay. Army life is not so bad."
What mother wouldn't treasure
such a valiant picture of her brave son?
This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
where more soldiers await their marching orders.
where more soldiers await their marching orders.
6 comments:
Ah, I see some unknown soldiers. Let's hope they played harmoniously!
It strikes me that even though I know we have military brass bands here too, I've never asked myself why. ( I've only seen them in peaceful contexts of course, like parades at public festivities.)
I have to admire your wonderful collection of photographs and postcards where you can match the prompt every time. These are such striking images of unknown men, talented musicians but prepared for war. If only we knew of their fate!
I admit complete ignorance other than a lone bugle playing at an ANZAC ceremony I have never thought of the armed forces as having music which is quite silly now I reflect on it as they would at least have marching bands
Another set of amazing photos. I agree with you about the artillery insignia on the trombonists' uniforms. I am also intrigued by the peaked hat the clarinetist is wearing. When I was in junior high, it was the fashion to create similary hats by soaking our dad's old felt headwear and stretching it over a broom stick. Hard to imagine why these were popular among teens, but we all wore them for awhile in the early 1960s.
Whoa! I never thought about bayonets on trombone slides. :) That certainly would be a reason to have the trombonists lead the band! I didn't know soprano saxophones came with curves. I always thought they were straight. You learn something new every day. This is a wonderful tribute to bandsmen in the service of their country.
Post a Comment