Forum Replies Created
-
Replies
-
I wasn’t there, but I know many who were “recruited” to play the ceremony with the 298th Army Band (those few who were still there, as the Band had been losing people to other units through attrition).
I believe the 298th Army Band page on Facebook has several photos of the ceremony. I don’t use Facebook, so I can’t post anything here.
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.In the mid to late Forties, the area surrounding Onkel Toms Hütte was a compound expressly set up for support troops, including WACs and the 298th Army Band. Attached is a photo of the area (courtesy of Sebby Papa, trumpet/euphonium who served with the 298th from 1947-48).
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.I re-read your Band account and should have had a street map handy to follow it! I wrote a 4th of July account long ago that was published in the Berlin Observer May 1999 issue. (I joined after Clyde Cates found me online. I had given up looking to see if there was a Berlin veterans’ group just before it got online.) My 4th turned out to have gotten me out of a month of Spandau guard duty during a time when my sister and her future husband were visiting Berlin, so I didn’t have it as bad as I first thought. 4th of July — 1969
Unfortunately, our archive of BUSMVA Observers doesn’t quite go that far back to May 1999. Will check out your linked article!
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.Without a doubt, the toughest duty day of the year for the 298th (that is, when we weren’t in the field). Inspections started at 0700, then off to the 4 Ring for the ceremony. First to hit the pavement, we provided pre-music for the ceremony then at 1000 when the ceremony kicked off, the march-on took place. That took about 35 minutes, including the Air Force contingent. Music or drum cadence going the entire time. The ceremony itself involved a Sound Off, Salute to the Union with cannonade, and speeches. At about noon when we marched off the 4 Ring, climbed aboard a bus and headed straight to the Harnack House where the USCOB had his garden party going. The band supported that activity by splitting up; some would play while others grabbed lunch and water, and then switched.
Following the Harnack House celebration, back to Andrews where the stage band (about 18 pieces) changed uniforms and headed over into East Berlin to the ambassador’s residence, again outdoors at a garden party. That gig lasted about 2 hours, then back to Andrews.
Change uniforms again to Class B’s and get ready to play the evening concert either at the duck pond at Dreipfuhl Park, or in 1983 my first year, at the Wannsee.
Setup all that sound gear, music stands, chairs, percussion, just about everything we owned. Sound check. Coordination with the battery for the inevitable “1812 Overture” which we always played, complete with cannon fire at certain parts of the music.
Tore all that stuff down in the dark, packed it up, and headed back to Andrews. Stored all that stuff away and usually, we went on blanket leave after that. In 1985, however, we were off on the duty train early the next morning to Holland to play a ceremony at the U.S. cemetery in Margraten.
By Independence Day, we had played so much in rehearsal and marching in the month of June (Allied Forces Day, the Brigade Review, and then Independence Day were the 3 biggies) that we pretty much had chops of steel. Almost 18 hours of playing that day, off and on, made for a very full Independence Day.
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.We in the 298th Army Band were told quite emphatically when we went out to the Zone on the duty train (usually the Frankfurt train, but on occasion the Bremerhaven train too) NOT to use the rest room when the train was stopped.
Somehow, I knew several bandsmen who would get a case of the turkey trots just as the train waltzed into the Soviet checkpoint at Dreilinden. And of course, the contents simply had to be excised down on the tracks just so the Soviets could get a waft of good ol’ American cooking after the fact.
In supporting the 11th ACR in the Fulda and Bad Hersfeld area (something we did quite a bit in the mid-80s), we would take the Frankfurt train but get off the train in Giessen at about 0400. Then we’d climb onto Army buses and head out to Bad Hersfeld or Fulda. The train did not halt very long, so we had to get off the train quickly, get our instruments out of the baggage car, and wrestle all that stuff down the track, into the tunnel, and up on the other side.
Sometimes, guys wouldn’t wake up when the train stopped and rather than simply hurry, they had to get frantic in getting off that train….
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.Coffee! Tea! Marblecake!
Tapping that coin against the glass of the compartment.
Who can forget that sound?
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.This particular forum (it’s called “bbpress”) is the most common used in the WordPress system. I selected it for its relative ease in use, but it has more than a few options such as the one you’ve used to post the DF.
bbpress does take a little study to learn how to use. The simple fact is there are many members who are resistant to change and when the old bulletin board went away not quite two years ago now, they have not embraced this new system. Consequently the forum has not been used as frequently as the old board.
It is what it is. The old bulletin board was archaic and prone to all manner of security problems, which we frankly don’t need. So I’m hopeful more can jump on the bandwagon and get the forum rockin’ again.
This isn’t the easiest bulletin board to navigate — and I run my own website on WordPress so some of it is familiar to me. I’m going to give it a test by attaching a sample of how the Army invites one to a picnic, and we’ll see if it gets posted.
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.The good ol’ DF. Then computers and word processors came along and POOF! No more DFs. They went to Memoranda, with very specific formatting rules.
We don’t need no stinkin’ carbon paper, onionskin, or carbon sets either!
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.Very well stated! Maybe the Reunion should wait till next year to be Safe?
The Board will be convening in the next week or so to debate this question and reach a decision whether to move forward with the reunion or cancel altogether.
My personal opinion is, given the new federal guidelines about reaching Phase III in Billings, MT, that should not be difficult to attain by September. Individual members will have to decide if they want to travel at that time – assuming that travel is permitted from the member’s location.
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.How many do far?
How many what? Registrations? If that’s your question, I suggest you contact the Reunion Director directly. I don’t believe he frequents the forums here.
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.With the last issue of the Observer asking to send in the Reunion registration form? I believe it’s to early at this time to commit at this time, because of the Covid 19 world wide outbreak! We should wait the end of at the earliest!
The purpose of registering at this time, without knowing more about the situation, was to gauge the amount of interest in the Billings reunion. If there are very few registrations by the end of April, the decision to cancel the reunion might be more likely. On the other hand, if there are 50 or 60 registrations by the end of April, not canceling the reunion becomes more probable.
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.Chuck – the author is a British historian, author, and publisher. He took the project on as a bit of a lark after some discussion with his family and three years later, this is the result. One thing that I think is very notable – it’s not a dry, historical account devoid of personality. He wrote the book based on people’s stories, which is, in my view, a far better way to lend an historical account. We can relate to stories about people far better than we can a bunch of numbers and dates.
I think it’s a great effort and Dr. MacGregor did a fabulous job. He solicited some stories from BUSMVA members as well.
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.I’m late to the party, but please add me to those who wish your “better half” all the best in recovery!
Webmaster
Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association, Inc.
