The Forties
1940
Director James W. Holt DMD '42, Manager W.P. Bernton '41, Drill
Master M.P. Brown MBA '42, Drum Majors J.S. Lanigan '39 and S.
Cowan '42. R.D. Fosberg '41 arranges medleys for Amherst,
Michigan, Dartmouth, and Brown games, later featuring "Little
Brown Jug" as fugue. Joing drill with Michigan band at
Cambridge. The British invent radar. Draft regulations produce
"We're in the Army Now" at Army game. Joint H and Y perform Star
Spangled Banner together for the first time at Yale.
1941
Director James W. Holt DMD '42, Manager T.C. Peebles '42, Drill
Master M.P. Brown MBA '42, Drum Major S. Cowan '42. Band salutes
Red Cross (a departure from rule of never supporting national
organizations). Spells "Keep 'em Flying" for Navy and forms
airplane with drum major twirling baton as the propeller. Japan
bombs Pearl Harbor and the U.S. enters the war.
1942
Director Malcolm Holmes '28, Manager J. Mead '43, Drill Master
G.V. Slade '32, Drum Major S. Cowan '42. Band leads 4,000 men from
Harvard units onto field for Army game; new Service Medley by
Anderson dedicated to all Harvard men in uniform. U.S. wins the
Battle of Midway; invades North Africa. Band plays two Yard concerts
with Glee Club in May, meets informally during summer and twice plays
twilight serenades for Navy in Yard.
1943-1944
Naval unit band takes over. Ed Chastagner, member of Pierian and
Band, serves as drum major and drill master. Naval unit band includes
civilian members, among them John Finnegan '47. Allies invades Italy
in '43, then Normandy in '44; the Philippine Islands are recaptured.
1945
Transitional period. Ersatz group performs at ersatz football season
(two games). Allies win the war.
1946
Director Malcolm Holmes '28, Manager T. Howard '47, Drill Master G.V.
Slade '32, Drum Major J.A. Finnegan '47. Band reformed after three-year
lapse by Tom B. Howard '48, french horn, and Jay Skinner '48, baritone
horn. Malcolm Holmes and Guy Slade are persuaded to return to revitalize
the Band. Nazi leaders put on trial at Nuremburg. Band records "Ivy
League" album. John Finnegan, later Band arranger for twelve years,
joins the Band.
1947
Director Malcolm Holmes '28, Manager W.J. Skinner '48, Drill Master
J.R. Overcash '49, Drum Major W. Reinhardt '47. Band performs
concert in Richmond before Virginia game, with a brief performance
on the Capitol steps in Washington during the same trip. Holst's
"Suite in E Flat" and Anderson's "Radcliffiana" performed in Symphony
Hall in concert with Radcliffe Choral Society. Chuck Yeager breaks
the sound barrier. Paul Touchette, Cambridge fireman and future bandie
for fourteen years, joins the Band.
1948
Director Malcolm Holmes '28, Manager J. Borgatti '49, Drill Master
J.R. Overcash '49, Student Conductor R.E. Herrman '50, Drum Major
W. Reinhardt '47. Band plays Symphony Hall concert, featuring C.
Rossiter '52 as bagpiper. Jack Finnegan's new medleys for Boston
University and Rutgers are played. The nation of Israel is established
in Palestine.
1949
Director Malcolm Holmes '28, Manager P. Finney '50, Student Conductor
R.E. Herrman '50. Band holds 30th reunion at Army game. Communists
under Mao Tse-tung are victorious in the Chinese Revolution. Football
Band is 150 strong. Band records Cushing Academy songs, arrangements
by Jack Finnegan. Performs in New York for National Association of
Manufacturers.
