FReeper Canteen ~ Honoring Women Military Bands ~ 20 February 2007

Internet ^ | February 19, 2001 | Soaring Feather

[Soaring Feather]

Today, we honor, Women Military Bands.


400th WAC Band
Source:Women's World War II Military Bands

Good Morning, Troops!
Thank You for your service!

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FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

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On July 20, 1942, the first contingent of women was inducted into the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. By early 1943, five bands, the 400th Army Band, 401st Army Band , 402d Army Band, 403d Army Band, and the 404th Army Band were composed entirely of women. WAAC bands were later redesignated and officially activated in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) on January 21, 1944.


Eventually the only Army Band made up entirely of women, was the 14th Army WAC Band, activated at Fort Meade, Maryland in August 1948. The 14th reported to the Women's Army Corps Training Center at Camp Lee in March the following year. Its commander was WOJG Katherine V. Allen, a graduate of the Julliard School of Music. She also attended the Boston Conservatory, University of Virginia, and The College of William and Mary. Under WOJG Allen's command the 14th Army WAC Band toured many different regions including the Fifth Army area of responsibility, Hollywood, California, and the Rose Bowl Parade in 1951.

The very first military all women band, the Women's Army Band organized at Fort Des Moines in 1942, was led by then Sergeant Mary Belle Nissly. As a result of special legislation, early in 1944 WAC Sergeant Nissly became the first woman in military history to win a warrant officer band leader appointment.


Warrant Officer Nissly left the Army in 1946 but returned to the service as a Captain in the Air Force in 1951 to organize the United States Air Force WAF Band.


The 50 member concert unit performed all over the world playing everything from classics to rock and roll and mambos to marches. Their home base was Norton AFB in California but they were on the road 70% of the time. Unique to the WAF band was the only woman coach horn soloist in the USA - Technical Sgt Martye Awkerman, pictured above in the shadow image.


In the mid 1950's the WAF band played in New York City and as an Air Force recruiting sergeant at the time, I had the pleasure of being their escort. When they played at the dress rehersal of the Garry Moore Show the program's orchestra "vacated the orchestra pit" and invited the WAF Band to take the stage and play for the show. Circumventing the musician's union rules this way was a grand tribute to the WAF band.

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Please remember The Canteen is a cyber home for our Troops, check your politics at the door.
All information comes from the Internet.

[Soaring Feather]

[acad1228]

1st

[Soaring Feather]

New Thread Ping

[Izzy Dunne]

Twenty-seventh.

[Soaring Feather]

WOO HOO, ACAD #1

[Soaring Feather]

LOL #4

[Tamar1973]

Here you go. I'm here. LOL!

[Tanniker Smith]

Good evening, all. Back home again.

[Soaring Feather]

Hello!

[Izzy Dunne]

I'm into "exceeding expectations".

[HiJinx]

Welcome Home!

Kids have a good time?

[Soaring Feather]

Good evening to you.

[Soaring Feather]

Fourth is good. LOL

[Tanniker Smith]

Kids have a good time?

I think both my son and my nephew had a good time overall. And by today, my nephew had stopped complaining about the smell of barf in the van. |-P

We stopped off to play Laser Tag somewhere in Pa. (Bensalem, I think it was). I've never played before. The kids loved it, even the ones that didn't do very well.

TS

[AmericanMade1776]

400th WAC Band, Warrant Officer Mary Waterman, Conductor

[HiJinx]

My boys like Laser Tag as well. This is a trip they'll all remember.

[Izzy Dunne]

More on the 14th Army WAC Band.

[AZamericonnie]

Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen
at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.

~Tribute to Our Troops~

[Tamar1973]

Is it dinner time yet?

[Soaring Feather]

Thank You for the additional link. Nice.