Other Memories
Claude Thornhill, like Sam Donahue, directed a "Band of the U.S. Navy Liberation Forces"
"The story of Glen Miller's military career is well known, but undeservedly less celebrated is that of the Bands of the U.S. Navy Liberation Forces led by Musician 2nd Class Sam Donahue and Chief Claude Thornhill."
Below is information on Donahue's Band:
The band was originally led by famous clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw who was promoted to Chief Musician shortly after his enlistment in 1942. He was tasked with assembling an all star dance band which included Sam Donahue, trumpet players Max Kaminski (later replaced by Don Jacoby), Johnny Best, Frank Beach and lead man extraordinaire Conrad Gozzo. Many critics consider this to be one of the best, if not the best big band trumpet section ever. Legionary drummer Davey Tough was also in the original band.
After organizing and rehearsing at the Navy School of Music in Anacostia the band was designated Navy Reserve Band 501 but was better know as The Rangers.
The band departed in 1943 for the South Pacific War Zone and played gigs in forward areas such as Guadalcanal and aboard various battleships and carriers. The effects of the tropical climate and enemy action resulted in the band being in a state of near collapse when they returned to Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. Shaw, Kaminski and Tough were granted medical discharges and the leadership of the band fell to MU2 Sam Donahue. Sam then spent time in Washington, DC successfully lobbying naval authorities to continue the band existence.
His first action as leader was to return the entire book to Shaw and do a rewrite with arrangers Dick Jones and Dave Rose along the lines of the Count Basie and Jimmy Lunceford bands. The more commercial Shaw book was replaced with swinging jazz charts that got the attention of the English music critics and jazz lovers in the western part of England. In 1944 the band dodged buzz bombs and an occasional air raid to entertain thousands of the troops headed for the invasion of Europe operating from their homeport in Exeter. In August the band finally made it to London in and played on the BBC, the Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme, the American Red Cross Program and from a studio near Piccadilly Circus the American Eagle in Britain program.
The British music magazine The Melody Maker finally recognized this band was no longer the Artie Shaw Melody Makers -but an entirely different brew served piping hot by Sam Donahue.
The historic head to head meeting of the Glenn Miller Army Air Corp Band and Donahue's hard swinging sailors on September the 21st left little doubt in the minds of those present. In typically understated British terms ". . . it was the consensus of opinion . . . that the blue jackets took the honours."? No kidding.
The broadcasts continued until March 1945 when the band returned to New York City. Here they recorded a series of "V Discs" for producer George Simon and then transferred to Los Angles and was billed as the AFRS (Armed Forces Radio Station) Orchestra.
On December 22, Sam was finally promoted to Musician First Class and discharged "leaving behind a legacy of recordings of one of the greatest swing bands of all time" according to Scottish jazz critic Alastair Robertson.
Sam taught arranging at the Navy School of Music and wrote several of the Navy Specials, charts many of the older of us are very familiar with. "The Ivory Tower Blues" was one of his better-known charts in the fleet, the ivory tower in question was the raised portion of the old school where auditions were held. One of his students was the late Gene Huddleston.
Sam was born March 8, 1918 in Detroit, Michigan and passed away March 22, 1974 in Reno, Nevada of complications due to cancer.
"It is now fifty years since the Navy Band set up for business in Britain as part of the greatest combined (military) operation in history. Memories of those dramatic days are beginning to fade like the photos of young soldiers, sailors and airmen awaiting their departure for France, but these performances are alive with the same vitality and optimism as they had all those years ago."
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description The American Theater was a minor area of operations during World War II. This was mainly due to both North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of conflict in Europe aThe American Theater was a minor area of operations during World War II. This was mainly due to both North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of conflict in Europe and Asia. Thus, any threat by the Axis Powers to invade the mainland United States or other areas was considered negligible, allowing for American resources to be deployed in overseas theaters.
This article includes attacks on continental territory, extending 200 miles (320 km) into the ocean, which is today under the sovereignty of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and several other smaller states, but excludes military action involving the Danish territory of Greenland, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Aleutian Islands. The most well known battles in North America during World War II were the Attack on Pearl Harbor (the first attack on US soil since the Battle of Ambos Nogales), the Aleutian Islands Campaign, the Battle of the St. Lawrence, and the attacks on Newfoundland.... More
Memories Dennis Day served in the United States Navy during World War II, from 1944 through 1946, as a LieuteDennis Day served in the United States Navy during World War II, from 1944 through 1946, as a Lieutenant. He sang with a Navy band under the direction of Claude Thornhill. Following his discharge in 1946, he quickly found a position as host of his own radio show. ... More
Criteria The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or,... The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or, an aggregate service of one year within the Continental United States during the same period under the following circumstances: On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States; or, On permanent assignment as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for a period of 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service outside the continental limits of the United States in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non consecutive days; or, For service in active combat against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat; or, For service within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of one year. MoreHide
Claude Thornhill, like Sam Donahue, directed a "Band of the U.S. Navy Liberation Forces"
"The story of Glen Miller's military career is well known, but undeservedly less celebrated is that of the Bands of the U.S. Navy Liberation Forces led by Musician 2nd Class Sam Donahue and Chief Claude Thornhill."
Below is information on Donahue's Band:
The band was originally led by famous clarinetist and bandleader Artie Shaw who was promoted to Chief Musician shortly after his enlistment in 1942. He was tasked with assembling an all star dance band which included Sam Donahue, trumpet players Max Kaminski (later replaced by Don Jacoby), Johnny Best, Frank Beach and lead man extraordinaire Conrad Gozzo. Many critics consider this to be one of the best, if not the best big band trumpet section ever. Legionary drummer Davey Tough was also in the original band.
After organizing and rehearsing at the Navy School of Music in Anacostia the band was designated Navy Reserve Band 501 but was better know as The Rangers.
The band departed in 1943 for the South Pacific War Zone and played gigs in forward areas such as Guadalcanal and aboard various battleships and carriers. The effects of the tropical climate and enemy action resulted in the band being in a state of near collapse when they returned to Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. Shaw, Kaminski and Tough were granted medical discharges and the leadership of the band fell to MU2 Sam Donahue. Sam then spent time in Washington, DC successfully lobbying naval authorities to continue the band existence.
His first action as leader was to return the entire book to Shaw and do a rewrite with arrangers Dick Jones and Dave Rose along the lines of the Count Basie and Jimmy Lunceford bands. The more commercial Shaw book was replaced with swinging jazz charts that got the attention of the English music critics and jazz lovers in the western part of England. In 1944 the band dodged buzz bombs and an occasional air raid to entertain thousands of the troops headed for the invasion of Europe operating from their homeport in Exeter. In August the band finally made it to London in and played on the BBC, the Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme, the American Red Cross Program and from a studio near Piccadilly Circus the American Eagle in Britain program.
The British music magazine The Melody Maker finally recognized this band was no longer the Artie Shaw Melody Makers -but an entirely different brew served piping hot by Sam Donahue.
The historic head to head meeting of the Glenn Miller Army Air Corp Band and Donahue's hard swinging sailors on September the 21st left little doubt in the minds of those present. In typically understated British terms ". . . it was the consensus of opinion . . . that the blue jackets took the honours."? No kidding.
The broadcasts continued until March 1945 when the band returned to New York City. Here they recorded a series of "V Discs" for producer George Simon and then transferred to Los Angles and was billed as the AFRS (Armed Forces Radio Station) Orchestra.
On December 22, Sam was finally promoted to Musician First Class and discharged "leaving behind a legacy of recordings of one of the greatest swing bands of all time" according to Scottish jazz critic Alastair Robertson.
Sam taught arranging at the Navy School of Music and wrote several of the Navy Specials, charts many of the older of us are very familiar with. "The Ivory Tower Blues" was one of his better-known charts in the fleet, the ivory tower in question was the raised portion of the old school where auditions were held. One of his students was the late Gene Huddleston.
Sam was born March 8, 1918 in Detroit, Michigan and passed away March 22, 1974 in Reno, Nevada of complications due to cancer.
"It is now fifty years since the Navy Band set up for business in Britain as part of the greatest combined (military) operation in history. Memories of those dramatic days are beginning to fade like the photos of young soldiers, sailors and airmen awaiting their departure for France, but these performances are alive with the same vitality and optimism as they had all those years ago."