Drum Corps and the Kennedy Funeral, Nov. 24, 1963

[steelcityrabbit]

You can find it at, www.jvmusic.net/11thWingKennedyFuneral.html

Great read, thanks Dan.

Let me start another point.

When I was in the USMC D&B, I had the honor of playing taps for the last true "GUNNER" on active duty. These were the guys who had a bursting bomb on one collar and a WO bar on the other.

They said there were over 30 stars(generals) at his funeral.

I cracked a note , but was later asked by a General if I did it because of the JFK funeral legend.

He said that when an enlisted man plays taps for an officer, they crack a note on purpose. I believe his expalnation was to show that officers are human also.

I had never heard of this, but agrred with the General that I did know of it, whos to argue with a man with stars on his shoulders.

Anyone else ever hear this?

If you listen to the Army Bugler, he cracks a note at the JFK service.

[dusti]

I found this in a search about John Kennedy and the Boston Crusaders. It is from a post back in 2003 Author Brian Tolzmann

Since November 22 is the 45th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination, I thought it would be a good time to remember JFK's ties to drum corps. The Boston Crusaders marched in JFK innagural parade in Washington.

Kennedy was an honorary member of the Boston Crusaders, and met with the corps just a few weeks prior to his assassination. The Crusaders served as Kennedy's official drum & bugle corps while he campaigned.

The Crusaders lost their Hyde Park sponsorship at the end of the 1958 season, and, hence, also lost their equipment and uniforms. Then U.S. Senator John Kennedy arranged for the Crusaders to buy (at a HUGE discount!) uniforms from West Point. The Crusaders wore those uniforms until they were later able to purchase their old uniforms back again.

When Boston marched in the inaugural parade of President Lyndon Johnson in January of 1965, all the corps were told not to drum in front of the President's viewing stand, because the sound could cover up a potential assassin's gun fire. That was a sad statement of how the world changed the weekend of November 22, 1963, in Dallas.

Here is a photo of JFK with the Boston Crusaders. You have to scroll to the bottom of the page to see it:

http://mastersmarchingarts.com/photo_page_1.shtml

Edited May 26, 2008 by dusti

[RodneyGoodhartsFriend]

Wonderful scene today at the celebration of Rod Goodhart's life with his USAF Drum Corp contemporary Jim Dinkins sharing stories about Rod with Rod's family.

[sarnia sam]

Good thread. I remember watching the Kennedy funeral on TV like it was yesterday. The day after Rodney died, someone mentioned his connection; I knew about it, but had forgotten.

Reading this thread is humbling. Rodney never wrote down a tick while standing in front of my section, rather proud of that. Two others from the Air Force drum line have crossed my path as well. I met John Bosworth in April, had a beer with him. John also drummed at the funeral. Some of you may not know, but all those links your non-drumming friends send you about Top Secret, well that's John's little project. John Flowers has had a long history with the group I play with now, CADRE. So it turns out I have a thin connection to the Air Force drum crops, and to the Kennedy funeral.

I think I knew even then Kennedy's assassination was a major turning point in history, even here in Canada. With my interest in political history I'm convinced now it is. To realize I've met two people involved with the funeral, and a third who played in the same line feels strange.

Thanks for starting this thread Dan.

Regards,

John

[rbmango]

The author of the JFK Funeral cadence and the leader of the drum corps that somber day...  

Vincent Battista
October 2, 1921 - November 29, 2010
BATTISTA – Vincent “Jim,” 89, Mount Pleasant, S.C., formerly of Ebensburg, died Nov. 29, 2010, in Mechanicsville, Va. Born Oct.
2, 1921, in Ebensburg, son of Pasquale and Anna Battista. Preceded in death by wife, Phyllis (Gatto); parents; brothers, John,
William, Frank, Joseph and Domenic; infant brother, Angelo; and sisters, Katherine Battista, Dominica Stiles and Mary Gray.
Survived by son, Barry, and wife, Tammy, Mechanicsville, Va.; and grandchildren, Kelly and Kevin. Also survived by sister,
Anne, wife of Colman Anna, Ebensburg. A graduate of Valley Forge Military Academy and George Washington University. He
was a percussionist in the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C., for 29 years. During that time, he composed and performed
the Kennedy funeral cadance and lead the Army Band in the president’s funeral procession. The antique-style Grand Republic
Drum, which he played in the funeral procession, was presented to the Smithsonian Institution and is displayed with the slain
president’s memorabilia in the Smithsonian’s history branch....

[Bucbari]

On 3/17/2008 at 7:10 PM, LancerLegend said:

Hey Dan and others - you must remember "Jimmy" Dinkins as well. He thought he was the greatest percussion judge that ever came out of Atlanta. One other thing about Rodney - his wife and daughters were gorgeous. I know at least one of his daughters marched in Spirit's guard - I think in 1981.

5th from the right....is that John Flowers the percussion arranger?  If so he had some killer drum lines with Reading in the early 70s.

[Dennis Johnson]

The Jimmy Dinkins that was mentioned in this thread was not from Atlanta.

He was from Montgomery, Alabama- about 2.5 hours down the interstate 

from Atlanta. Jimmy was a fairly frequent consultant for our band when I

was in high school and he was influential in my development as a young

drummer in high school. I marched in the snare line under Tom Float in

the Spirit of Atlanta in 1980 (the best year!) and Jimmy was often on the

judging panel as we were on tour. (which made me a bit nervous!) We tied

for high percussion at finals that year with Delucia's Bridgemen. (first ever

tie in D.C.I. history). Goodhart judged us a lot too. He actually came out on

the field after a show and shook our hands because of the show we drummed 

that night. This was at the Huntsville show close to finals that year in

Birmingham. Lots of find memories. Dennis Johnson