Band Memories

(Got a story about your Y.D. Band or YD Drum Corps experience? Put it in an email and we'll share it here.)

The idea came about when we were wearily standing at rest at one of the upteen reviews awaiting the general's arrival. As usual, the general was "on his way" (later rather than sooner)...It was a long hot day and morale was pretty low. The band was always expected to come up with skits for the company party, so my mind must have been thinking about some skit to get a laugh. As my eyes crossed the tree line, I realized I couldn't even sneak out into the forest because the trees had grown to a height that my tuba bell would show above the tree line. Of course, the tuba players were well known for sneaking off to places like the Otis Rotary Diner... Suddenly the vision occurred and a skit began to ruminate. I turned to Sully and told him I was going to shriek and run off into the woods and I wanted him to follow me. I knew once in the forest I could give him the rest of the skit because the only thing visible would be the tuba bells above the tree line. We made loud elephant noises through the tubas to get every one's attention. Once lost in the trees I told him to follow me and copy every move I make until I tell him to close in. I am sure everyone was thinking, what the hell are they doing? It wasn't until the bells met face to face and started clanging that a loud roar of approval was heard from the masses standing at parade rest. The general eventually arrived and the review began, albeit on a much lighter note. An annual tradition was "born"! Back to top.

9/4/05 - Joan Branson - Baby Tubas.

There we were in the field, "practicing" as we so loyally did. The field was tall with grass and the two tuba players went into the field sounding their mating calls. Once the two bells met, they came out with this beautiful baby baritone! Oh, so cute!! I wish I had pictures!!!! Back to top.

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9/4/05 - Joan Branson - Johns Pond.

How dedicated we wer to the call. I remember the picnic at John's Lake. We all brought our instruments for a parade for our families. Since we were kind of limited in our space and always followed Dick LaFleur, he marched us right down into the lake. That never stopped our dedicated band. We were always ready, willing and able to accomplish whatever feat was set before us. We just played right into the lake, instrumetns and all and even continued to play underwater, (those of us who could). We were now known as the YD Water Band.

Does anyone remember the guy in the combo band that played the esophagus solo? I can't remember his name but he played tenor sax I think. Great times are never erased!!! Back to top.

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9/3/05 - Joan Branson - Best Memories.

It was rookie night back in 1980. I was fresh out of my first year in college and didn't know what I was doing in the band. All I knew is that I had found the best bunch of brothers I had ever met in my life. Man, did we have fun.

Rookie night consisted of having to do some crazy things. You guys were so easy on me. Except for the frog that Chachi (Scottie) put down my back during a slow dance at one of our "many" party nights. I was Rookie of the year and still have the pewter stein to prove it!!!!

Those were some of the best years of my life and I now share them with my children. Well....at least SOME of those times...of course, not all.

I will never forget coming home from one of our parades, drinking beer on the bus and having to go to the bathroom so badly, I made the bus driver stop just on the other side of the bridge at a gas station. When I came out, you all embarrassed the living >>>> out of me. My brothers, that's who you were.

Band practices at the armory.....the barbershop quartet with Dick, Brian, Bobby and Dewitt...."What's your name...what's your name...are you Mary...or Sue?" Wow!!! If we could turn back the time and just live it out one more time.. Oh.....#$(*(*&@#$)!!!!!! GOMFB!!!!! Then there was always DeWitt's famous joke during break times....aahh... I think the whole drill day was a break. Didn't we start with Cocktails and continue on???? "Am I too late for the trash? No, jump in!!" Do you know I tell that to my kids now? Some things will never die, like we soldiers, we just fade away....I remember singing that with all of you like it was yesterday. Then there were the cemetary drills in where it was so hot I was usually the one fainting.

Let's get together for a reunion. I really would love to see you all again. I got married in 1988 and travelled to Africa several times. Have 4 beautiful children and live in .....iowa???????? How about coming home from a gig with Scottie, getting stopped on the way by the cops and telling the cops the reason why you were speeding is because your wife is pregnant and is having problems so you're rushing her to the hospital. Hey, what can I say, it worked!!!!

Does anyone remember doing pidgeon calls? I hated that part of guard. How about those times when the helicopters would fly above and all of us would break out in the MASH theme song.

All kinds of great memories. I'll pull my pictures and scan them and send them to you for your photo album. What great times in our lives. Miss you all, Nick was great!!! What a godfather he was. Did we give him enough stress or what??!!!! May his soul rest in peace. Hope to see you all soon. Stay in touch!!! Back to top.

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Returning from a band pre-production reconnaissance in up-state New York one summer camp, my Ops team and I realized we would miss the evening Mess Call at Ft. Drum. Spying a small but inviting restaurant along the way, we decided we had better “chow down”. As we ate we became acquainted with the owner of the restaurant and her very amiable crew. Complimenting the establishment, we mentioned that the YD Band would be performing in a community concert in the next town the following evening and had a need to feed the band members following the late event. After assuring the proprietor of the timeliness of government voucher payments she agreed to host our group. Returning to Fort Drum that night we hinted around to the band members that the band’s supper the following evening would be in a quality establishment, whose name we wanted to be a surprise. All we would tell them that it would be “the right spot” to enjoy a meal.

Throughout the following day as the band prepared for the evening concert I was questioned left and right by the members, “What’s the name of the restaurant Frank, you can tell me.” I was delighted to have piqued their curiosity and the Ops staff played right along with me. All I would say was “Believe me, you will all agree that it’s “the right spot” for a meal.” Well, we played our concert to an appreciative audience and decided we had earned our supper. We loaded up the bus and headed down the road and as we traversed a slight curve you could hear the moans and groans as the band members eyed the name of the restaurant ahead. We pulled into the parking lot right under the telling sign…..THE RIGHT SPOT.

It was a great meal and a great chance for camaraderie. The owner had brought in her whole family to handle the likes of the Y.D. Band. I think she took the rest of the summer off as a result of our financial disbursement And a bonus for us was being able to watch the Celtics win the playoff that night on a television in a nice little upstate New York restaurant at just THE RIGHT SPOT. Back to top.

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How many people remember that weekend training at Ft Devens? It was scheduled far in advance but of course it had to fall on a blizzard. We were SUPPOSED to pitch tents Friday night in the snow, do that stove thingy to keep warm, and sleep...OUTDOORS of all things. It wound up our bus pulled up and no one would get off. We were "toasted" before we got there and we intended to stay that way. The rest of the Company was out there in their tents and we were on the bus 50 yards away drinking and singing songs. An officer had to come out to our bus to tell us to shut the hell up. I can't remember how long we stayed but I don't recall doing any training. Back to top.

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5/5/05 - John Sullivan - "IN Chicago".

When the decision was made to disband the Drum & Bugle Unit the majority of the Corps members matriculated over to the Band doubling the Band membership while at the same time bringing the sprit of the Drum & Bugle Corps into the Band. Of all the sections probably the addition of the corps drum line had the biggest impact on the 26^th Band. With years of top notch Drum Corps experience the new drum line upgraded the Band’s street presence and added a new element of rudimental interpretation and perfection to the Band’s parade and ceremony package. The new drum line not being of regular Band Lineage and with little or no music reading ability had to come up with their own drum parts to the Band’s marches and tunes rather than using the standard written music. Using the Drum Corps rudimental approach rather than the traditional Band street drumming technique the drum line was able to come up with novel and lively drum interpretations to these songs played in parades and other Division ceremonies.

One downside of this interpretation was the rather “loose” understanding by the new drum line of what the March titles actually were. One march that sticks in my head is the familiar and often played Invercargill march. Somehow Sgt. Faherty and the rest of the Drum Line mangled the title referring to the march as “In Chicago”. Marching in numerous parades next to the stoic and “Band Traditionalist” Harry Lear I would always see him wince a bit when, preparing for a roll-off, the “what’s next” could be heard coming from the drum line. The muted response from someone in a non-drum line section would be “It’s Invercargill” followed by Sgt. Faherty's relay to the rest of the Drum Line as “Ok, In Chicago is next”. I’m sure there were more but that is the one that stick in my head. Back to top.

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I have been reading about past tents about what everyone did in the band. Well here is my side of the story. I started in the band in summer camp 1975. I was the base drummer for the band. Nick was the drum major and Charlie price was one of the trumpet players and also the 1st sgt. John Shea was the band master. I can remember Nick C sending me all over drum to retrieve the keys to the parade grounds. I went all the way up to Division to get a foot locker key. 1st Sgt Gerard was AG Co's 1st sgt. boy was I stupid in those days. I can also remember all the pictures I had in the base drums. You know I was always looking in the breather hole of the drum and I had my own peep show. I can remember a pass and review with General Hurley coming over to see what I was staring at in the drum. He looked and he said well at least someone has a good sight here. I thought John Shea was going to kill me when he looked in the base drum and saw the picture I had. Please excuse my miss spelled words. Remember I was in the drum line. We didn't have to now how to spell just play. Some of us new how to read music and some didn't. We just adlib and we did a good job at it also. Oh I can go on and on and on. Most of the memories that everyone has. I was also there living them also. Remember after the State AG got rid of the bars in the Armory. We had the only one still in operations. We use to take an empty base drum case in the bus and go down to Kappy's to get another Keg of beer and hid it in the base drum case and brought it back up stairs. Those were the covert operations that the drum like did. I was there, I was involved. I see Scott Carrier all the time. He is a Captain on the Peabody Police force here. I don't remember ever calling Dick Hogan (Beaver)? I can remember one time, when I went to the mess hall at drum to eat. Leon Lewis asked me if Billy Dewitt was coming to chow. I told Leon that he was sleeping in. So Leon made up some breakfast for Billy. Two eggs sunny side up, toast, bacon and a lot of SOS. I brought it over to Billy and said that Leon made a special for you. Billy replied owe thank you Skippy. When ever Billy lifted up the plate covering the food. All of a sudden, his eyes got really big and he almost lost everything. Bill was hung over from the previous night with the boys. I can still remember that time. I still laugh about it. I was laughing about it as I was typing it right now. Remember the three rings of marriage, the engagement ring, the wedding ring and the suffer ring. One of Billy's great ones. Ask me some question from the other band member and I will squeeze my brain to react to an answer. Back to top.

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3/23/04 - Dick Hogan (Beaver) - Ballet of the Bubble. (2)

I just wanted to talk about the real original "Ballet of the Bubble". Most of the band people won't remember this but the original "Ballet of the Bubble" was done by the drum corps at the "AG" company party. We always did a skit at the party and this year it was the "Ballet of the Bubble". If I remember it was Brian, Bubba, and Bob Delaney that did it . They came into the Mess Hall with only there underwear and hair nets .
They blew-up a surgical glove about the size of a basketball and danced around with them holding it up in the air. We drank all there beer and left after the performance. We went back to the barracks and started our own party. This was an all nighter because we had to do the "Horribles" parade in the morning at about 5:00AM. So we all stayed up all night. So we go out in our horrible uniforms to wake up the officers!! Nick calls for a roll off and we start playing. Well that didn't last long. He cut us off and turned around and said you guys are suppose to look 'HORRIBLE" not sound horrible. Well this was the typical parade we did after the big party. Back to top.

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3/23/04 - Hilary (Smyth) Walton - Ballet of the Bubble.

Chemical Warfare Training just wasn't the same after leaving the YD. Who would have believed we were training as we pranced and danced around in MOPP 4. I will never forget Billy and Company doing what looked like synchronized swimming in full chemical gear. Active duty was a bit too stuffy for that. Too bad we don't have video from those days. Back to top.

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3/08/05 - Hilary (Smyth) Walton - In The Beginning.

I joined the YD band after hearing an advertisement for free tuition. There must have been a really great recruiter because I didn't even qualify for the free tuition, but I took my "ASVAB.", signed up, and was gone...all within a month. I had been wondering what to do with my Summer vacation. I don't remember having any contact with the band prior to leaving for Basic and when I arrived for my first drill I was terrified. Imagine being scared of Billy DeWitt, Billy Sylvestri, Bobby Delaney, Gil, Harry....and the rest of the members of the "Sour Note Club." Early that morning we had to play a ceremony downstairs. It was my first experience as a military band member and I will probably never forget the view I had from the center of the band. Dick Putnam marched directly in front of me. I can't remember if we actually went in the right direction on the counter march...I just followed "Putty." Later I found out, so did most of the band. He was a most interesting gentleman. Back to top.

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One of the more interesting and endearing traditions of the 26^th Division Band was how they treated the brass when they came over to thank and congratulate the Band. Whether it was the Division General or some other high ranking officer the Band would always stand at attention while the usual praise of hard work, morale and thanks were given to the Band. At the conclusion of the words Sgt. LaFleur as Drum Major would always go over, thank the General or Senior Officer and shake his hand. Something like “thank you General and we are honored with your kind words however the Band has been less than perfect lately and therefore I am announcing that tonight back at the barracks there will be no beer”. With that in perfect unison the Band would holler at the top of their lungs “WHAT, NO BEER, AWWWWWWW S… (expletive removed)”!!! And then again in perfect unison remove their caps and slam them to ground with a loud TWHACK!! The response would usually startle the hell of whomever the dignitary was who then would realize the joke and laugh along with the Band. Back to top.

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Looking back I can tell that what was a fantasy life for most members of the band was probably a nightmare for Nick, the Godfather, Camelio. If I could apologize to him for making life so difficult, I would.
  Mr. Camelio was the best Commander of any military band I have been in, including The US Army Europe Band which has a Lt. Col. as a commander. He would probably never have been hired by the "real" Army Bands because he wasn't the most competent musician. What made him great was his humility in that area and his complete competence in every other area. (Well, maybe discipline was a problem...but it was the 80s). He was a master at delegating and getting us to be involved in running the unit. He and Dick LaFleur seem, in hindsight, to be like night and day, different as can be in their leadership styles but both necessary and perfect for their positions. They worked together with Frank, Jack, Harry and so many others to change the nature of the band and it's effectiveness. I am sure there are others who remember the letter, "Ducks and Dummies no more."  (I think that is how it went. Perhaps there is a copy of that floating around.) That was in reference to the audiences we played my first year, 1980. When I left in 1986 we had played to a huge crowd somewhere South of Boston where we were part of something big. My memory stinks but I think it was the beginning of Constitution ratification celebrations.
  I remember Mr. Camelio fondly. I can picture him getting on to the bus with the Godfather theme being hummed by everyone aboard. I remember the day he had reached his limit of tolerance, opened the back of the bus and kicked the cooler (filled, of course, with Cape Codders and other adult beverages) onto the highway, oblivious to the fact that we were traveling at 55 mph. I can picture him standing in front of the band, always immaculate in his uniform, conducting a march which was not the one he was expecting (he never flinched...try that with an active duty commander).
  I wear an Air Force uniform these days but will always be attached to Army Green because of my experiences with the 26th YD Band and Mr. Nicholas Camelio. I salute you, Chief!!    Back to top.

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In the summer of 1980 the decision was made to split the Division AT between Drum and Ft. Devens in Ayer. The Band was assigned to Ayer and headed west to the foothills of Central Ma. In conjunction with the training there was to be mixed rehearsals and ceremonies with the regular 18^th Army Band stationed at the Fort. Although the 18^th Army Band was made up with more talented individuals it soon became apparent they lacked the sprit and comradeship of the 26^th. One of the highlights of the training was to be a retirement ceremony with both bands participating as a combined unit. A rehearsal was scheduled to go over the music to be played and both bands crammed into the small 18^th Army rehearsal hall to go over the planned ceremony.
The highlight of the ceremony was to be the playing of “Old Soldiers Never Die” with the combined bands singing the chorus (old, soldiers never die, never did, never die) with only the drums and Tuba’s playing. For demonstration purposes the regular Army Bandmaster had just the 18^th Army Band sing the chorus so the 26^th could get the hang of it. After a few times he announced that we would all try it together. Obviously enjoying the big sound of the combined bands the Bandmaster directed with a smile on his face until the singing part of the march arrived. Halfway through the trio a look of disbelief came across his face. The smile disappeared and his conducting stopped. Looking right I saw the object of his concern. Sgt. Owen Woods, 26^th Division Trombone and resident cutup was hard at work. With hand over his mouth he was doing his own version of the sing-a long producing his complete repertoire of bathroom sounds happily playing along. Gradually the music ground to a halt yet Sgt. Woods continued his merry sound effects. The look of horror continued on the Bandmasters face until Sgt. Wood finally finished. Owen, flashing his big smile looked around as if he had just finished playing a solo at Carnegie Hall. Finally after a few moments the flustered Bandmaster finally pleaded, “Soldier, what the hell are you doing?” Owen just shrugged, and said, “just playing the song sir”. The entire room just cracked up. That was Owen Woods. Back to top.

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I am not sure of the exact year but it had to be 1975 or 1976 when the Drum and Bugle was still part of the YD Band. At that time the two operated as two separate groups with little or no interaction between the two units. The Band, including the Drum Corps, was scheduled to spend the first week in Boston rehearsing and doing jobs with the trip to Drum scheduled for what I remember as an early Friday getaway. With much prior planning the Band Leadership carefully crafted the plan so the two groups would ride together mixing the groups on the two buses apparently part of some master plan of interaction. At roll call that morning the names were called noting your assigned bus being A or B. A short time later the buses arrived and within moments the entire Drum Corps had just boarded the same bus with the remaining Band standing around wondering what to do. One by one the remaining group boarded the empty bus and off we went to Drum with one bus dozing or getting into a good book while the other “party on wheels” began celebrating a week away from work and the pressures of family life. Pulling out of the Armory I can remember just watching John Shea, Nick and Charlie Price shaking their head. Back to top.

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