Enjoy a Patriotic Afternoon with the 94th United States Army Band
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Armory National Historic Site invites everyone to grab chair or a blanket and welcome the 94th United States Army Band. The concert begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21, behind the museum building. Admission is free. The concert will be cancelled in case of inclement weather.
Based in Windsor, Conn., the 94th has a long tradition. The band is a unit of the Army Reserve assigned to the Eastern U.S. The 94th, or Pilgrim Division, was formed during World War I and participated in the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns of World War II. Its band was created in 1943. The bands of the U.S. Army are the oldest in all of the military branches and have toured throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe, and the Far East.
Michael Deraleau, unit administrator, said the band, consisting of a woodwind and brass quintet, would be playing patriotic military music, along with selections similar to chamber music.
“Springfield Armory is the ideal place for this Army band concert,” said Chief of Interpretation Joanne Gangi-Wellman. “Having served the United States Armed Forces through 174 years of firearms production for the Army, now, the Springfield Armory NHS is pleased to invite the 94th Army Band to perform on Armory grounds.”
Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates and preserves the site of the nation’s first armory, established in 1794. Managed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Springfield Technical Community College, and the National Park Service, it is the home of the world’s largest historic American military firearms collection. The site is open daily, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
