This was made a rush order. Players were selected from the army ranks to form bands of from sixty to eighty men. Capable, experienced leaders were installed in camps to train numerous bandleaders in France and in similar camps in the United States, to make sure that additional bands would be prepared for service. From that time on the United States forces marched to the accompaniment of live, powerful music played by capable bands. And the General of the A.E.F. was proud of his Army Bands.
At the end of the War, General Pershing returned to Washington, D. C. as the U. S. Army’s Chief of Staff. One of the first things he did was to order the organization of a great United States Army Band for use in peace and war.
His command was at once carried out and a new band was built around the small group of honored bandsmen who had played in “General Pershing’s Own” overseas.
Under the leadership of Warrant Officer Francis Leigh the band entered training October 21, 1921, at the Army War College in Washington, D. C. Soon the formerly neglected Army Band was brought into its rightful place in the realm of music. The first public appearance of the U.S.A. Band was on November 21, 1921, when it led the funeral procession of the Unknown Soldier to the tomb in Arlington Cemetery.
Captain William J. Stannard who led the Army Band from 1923 to 1935, greatly increased the activities of the organization. A concert group and several small ensembles were formed within the band. During Captain Stannard’s leadership radio programs were initiated. Although these performances were much enjoyed by the public, they required many hours of planning and rehearsing.
However, not all the services of the U. S. Army Band have taken place within the United States itself. This was the first band ever sent out of the country by the government as an ambassador of good will.
In 1929 Captain Stannard and his men represented the United States at the Iberian-American Exposition in Seville, Spain. The band gave sixty concerts, including a command performance in Madrid, for King Alfonso XIII and the royal family.
The Pan-American Union in Washington chose the U. S. Army Band to be the official music ambassador on this occasion. They considered it excelled all other organizations in exploiting Latin-American music in the United States.
Captain Thomas F. Darcy, Jr., the third leader of the Army Band took office in July, 1935. He had a brilliant military record in World War I, during which time he had been wounded. At twenty-two years of age, as the leader of the 18th Infantry, First Division, A.E.F., Darcy was the youngest bandleader ever appointed to the regular army. He had received extensive music training in Europe and ranked high as a composer, conductor, cornetist and arranger.
Captain Darcy installed several new features into the band programs, especially in the radio performances. He also originated many attractive special ceremonies in connection with governmental functions.