CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Combined personnel of the 56th Army, 1st Cavalry Division, 25th Infantry Division and 34th Infantry Division bands performed patriotic songs for Soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Basra June 27.
It was the first stop on a four-show tour of across Iraq, and the first time all the Army bands in Iraq collaborated in the same place at the same time.
Spc. Charles Curry, a Wapakoneta, Ohio native and percussionist with the 34th Infantry Division Band, plays on the tympanis during an Independence Day concert in Contingency Operating Base Basra June 27. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. J.Princeville Lawrence) “This is historical,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 John Fraser, a Brooklyn, N.Y. native. “This has never been tried before.”
“I had this wild idea even before we deployed,” Fraser said. “Then it was just an idea. I never thought we could actually put it together, but with the cooperation of the other band members and their commands we put it together.”
Members of the band said they enjoyed collaborating with people from other units.
“You always have that common language,” said Spc. Charles Curry, a Wapakoneta, Ohio native and percussionist with the 34th Inf. Div. Band. “You share the same experiences, get the same jokes.”
Spc. Aaron Bedford, a percussionist with the 34th Infantry Division Band, plays the cowbell during an Independence Day concert in Contingency Operating Base Basra June 27. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. J. Princeville Lawrence) Curry said he looked forward to traveling around Iraq to celebrate the Fourth of July with Soldiers.
“Hopefully, you boost a little spirit, remind people of home,” said Curry. “We all have a spark of patriotism within us and we’re going to bring that to the fore.”
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment