The 519th Port Battalion band

The 519th Port Battalion band playing in Massachusetts, 1943.

I met with Bruce Kramlich yesterday. He lent me this great photo of the 519th Port Bn. band. My grandfather has some shots of the band, but none this close-up. The 519th Historical Report chronicles the band's activities in Antwerp:

Battalion weekly parades were inaugurated with music by the excellent military band of this organization. The military band was called on frequently for various reviews and presentations, and from the hard work that each individual member and the director put in to form this band came one of the best military bands in the Port Area, to ably represent the 519th Port Bn. The Battalion dance band was engaged in various Service Clubs and separate organizations sponsoring unit dances. This group also gave a day of their services each week to the 30th General Hospital, as did the military band when called upon.

My grandpa says he remembers an Al Levinson playing in the band. Dallas Rudrud leads the band. James "Red" Ruidl is playing the tuba. I've learned something from looking at all these old Army photos: if you want someone to recognize your face 65 years later, don't hide under your helmet or behind a tuba.

Update: In October 2010, Mark Newman emailed me photos from his dad's WWII album. His dad Marvin B. Newman painted the bass drum seen in this shot of the battalion's dance band, The T.S. Capaders. I assume that the dance band was made up of some of the same members as the military band.

Photo of the 519th Port Battalion dance band, by Marvin Newman.

Photo of the 519th Port Battalion dance band, by Marvin Newman