Glen Miller

What with Memorial Day and D Day recently, my thoughts drifted back to a man named Glen Miller. He had a band in the late 1930;s and early 40’s that was #1 in the nation. They had more #1 hits and more top ten hits on The Hit Parade than Elvis Presley or The Beatles had in their time.  That Band had a romantic sound like no other band. It was achieved by having a clarinet play the lead and well, it just made fellows want to hug the girl they were dancing with and their partners wanted to hug back.   With all those hit songs selling so many records the money was just rolling in for Glen Miller and what did he do?  He broke up his band and joined the United States Army. 

World War !! had broken out and he had a dream.  Glen wanted to update the sound of the United States Army marching bands.  The folks in charge of Army Music didn’t think much of the idea but some top Generals did and with their help Glen soon had a marching band playing his arrangement of The St. Louis Blues March.  He formed a fantastic Army Band that they began broadcasting in England. Then when he made arrangements to visit France and entertain Allied Troops he boarded a small plane and on December 15, 1944 flying across the English Channel the plane was lost.There was poor visibility and it was freezing and they never found that aircraft nor the pilot nor the body of Glen Miller.  They were missing in action.

I figure Glen Miller gave his life for his country. I went online and pulled up Glen Miller and I listened to that great sound of the band and their theme song, Moonlight Serenade.  Then I listened to In The Mood because it is one of my favorites and finally, I listened to the Saint Louis Blues March and in my mind I pictured a company of G I’s marching down the field. They marched  to Glen Miller’s arrangement and they looked sharper and prouder and happier. May he rest in peace.