1st Cavalry Division Band

The 1st Cavalry Division Band is a military band posted at Fort Hood, Texas and assigned to the headquarters of the United States Army's 1st Cavalry Division. It was activated in 1945.

1st Cavalry Division Band
The 1st Cavalry Division Band pictured in 2016
Active1945 to Present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeMilitary band
Size61[1]
Part of 1st Cavalry Division
Garrison/HQFort Hood[2]
Nickname(s)First Team Band
Commanders
Commander/BandmasterMajor Curtis Kinzey
Executive Officer1st Lt. Richard Vilglucci
NCOICSergeant Major Thomas Mactaggart

History

On 3 March 1855, the 1st Cavalry Band was established in the Second Regiment of Cavalry. In March 1861, the band left their post in Fort Mason, which was transferred to the control of the Confederate Army. It would be based in the union states, specifically Pennsylvania, for a good part of the American Civil War. In December 1866, following the conclusion of the Civil War, the regimental band was disbanded at Camp Sedgwick, only to be reconstituted three years later, In 1916 the band participated in the Mexican Expeditionary Force led by General of the Armies John J. Pershing. The 1st Cavalry Division was organized in 1921, after which the associated band was reactivated and assigned to the division.

The modern 1st Cavalry Division Band was activated in Luzon, Philippines on June 3, 1945 and initially formed of personnel and equipment transferred from the recently deactivated band of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, as well as personnel from the bands of the 1st and 5th cavalry regiments.[3] During the Korean War, the band advanced into Pyongyang and was the first American military band to perform in the North Korean capital following its fall to United States and South Korean forces in the Battle of Pyongyang.[4] It later suffered a casualty rate exceeding 33-percent during the American withdrawal from Seoul to Taegu after the Chinese-North Korean victory in the Third Battle of Seoul.[4]

In 1953 the band was downsized from 96 to 48 troopers and, the following year, assigned secondary duty as a smoke generator unit.[5] Jeanne Pace was appointed bandmaster of the 1st Cavalry Division Band in 1985, becoming the first female bandmaster in the history of the United States Army.[6][7][8]

On July 3, 1965, the band participated in the retiring of the colors of the 11th Air Assault Division, and organization of the new 1st Cavalry Division. Throughout the 1960s, the band served multiple tours in Vietnam performing concerts,[9] participating in village support missions, and physical security.[10] This included multiple tours, and rotations in Vietnam that resulted in the loss of seven musicians; three times, the band lost two members in single attacks in 1966, and twice in 1969.[11]

According to the U.S. Army, on April 8, 2004 – during the United States occupation of Iraq – the band survived an ambush and attack with rocket propelled grenades fired by insurgents en route to perform at an officer commissioning ceremony of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps.[12] Bandsmen involved in the action received the Combat Action Badge.[12]

In addition to its service during the Korean War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the band has also been deployed overseas during the Vietnam War and Operation Joint Forge.[13] As of 2012, it was one of three active duty U.S. Army bands posted in Texas.[2] When on parade, the marching band wears the division's trademark black "Cav Hat".

Unit decorations

The 1st Cavalry Division Band is the recipient of eight Meritorious Unit Commendations, three Republic of Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry, the Commonwealth of the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation, and the Cross of Valour of the Greek state, among others.[14]

Unit structure

Leadership
  • Band Commander: Major Curtis Kinzey
  • Band Executive Officer: First Lieutenant Richard Vilglucci
  • Band NCOIC: Sergeant Major Thomas Mactaggart
  • Human Resources Officer: Sergeant First Class Robert Calkins
  • Operations Officer: Sergeant First Class Alan Herold
  • Personnel Officer: Sergeant First Class Michael Mosley
  • Logistics Officer: Sergeant First Class Jose Peña

[15]

Ensembles

Notable personnel

See also

References
  1. "History of the 1st Cavalry Division Band". 1cda.org. 1st Cavalry Division Association. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  2. Wancour, Bradley (December 5, 2012). "1st Cavalry Division Band members share love of music". Fort Hood Herald. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  3. Gleason, Bruce (2016). Sound the Trumpet, Beat the Drums: Horse-Mounted Bands of the U.S. Army, 1820–1940. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 200. ISBN 978-0806156538.
  4. McDonald, Edwin (August 2, 1953). "This Week in Music". St Joseph News-Press. Retrieved August 11, 2019 – via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  5. Banks, Herbert C. (2002). 1st Cavalry Division: A Spur Ride Through the 20th Century from Horses to the Digital Battlefield. Turner Publishing. p. 63. ISBN 1563117851.
  6. Sullivan, Jill M. (2011). Bands of Sisters: U.S. Women's Military Bands During World War II. Scarecrow Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0810881624.
  7. Jones, JC (July 11, 2015). "Former 1st Cavalry band director retires after 43 years in the Army". Killeen Daily Herald. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  8. Staff Report (2017-08-07). "Longest-serving female warrant to retire after 43 years". Army Times. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  9. Smith, James C. (1966). "1st Cavalry Division Band in Vietnam2".
  10. Crane, Johnathon (July 1, 2020). "Richard Saddler: Soldier, Spouse, Father, Musician".
  11. "1st Cavalry Division Book of Honor". 1St Cavalry Division Association.
  12. U.S. Army Bands ATTP 1–19 (FM 12–50) (PDF). U.S. Army. July 2010. pp. 1–4.
  13. "1st Cavalry Division Band". army.mil. U.S. Army. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  14. "Decorations". army.mil. U.S. Army. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  15. "Organizations - U.S. Army Bands". Bands.army.mil. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
  16. "Life Sentence Ordered for Claude Batchelor". Brownwood Bulletin. United Press International. October 1, 1954. Retrieved August 11, 2019 – via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  17. "POW View of Batchelor". Des Moines Tribune. September 2, 1954. Retrieved August 11, 2019 – via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  18. Lech, Raymond (2000). Broken Soldiers. University of Illinois Press. pp. 34–35. ISBN 0252025415.
  19. "Handshake Tour Visits Camp Al Tahreer". dvidshub. Department of Defense. December 14, 2004 – via dvidshub.net.
  20. "Soldier Tells Her Army Story Through Music". "US Army. United States Army. December 7, 2011 – via army.mil.
  21. "Wanted Tough feminine soldiers". CNN. May 15, 2015.
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