2013 Rose Parade presented by Honda
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Marching Band Entry
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TBA
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GROUP NAME: |
West Coast Composite Marine Band
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REPRESENTING: |
San Diego, CA
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UNIFORM: |
United States Marine Corps Dress Blue uniform: White hat w/ Marine Corps emblem on front. The emblem has three parts: eagle – stands for the nation; globe – stands for worldwide service; and anchor – stands for naval traditions. The jacket is navy blue with red piping. You may have heard the term “Leather Neck” used in reference to a Marine. This term goes back to the days that Marines wore a stiff piece of leather. Some historians report that this piece of leather was to ward off glancing blows from swords, while others contend it was to ensure that the Marine always kept their heads erect. The jacket has a stiff neck in honor of the days that leather was worn. The gold buttons on the blouse have an eagle on an anchor adorned by 13 stars. The 13 stars represent the original 13 colonies. On the sleeves of the enlisted are the rank insignia on the upper arm. The pants are blue. Some have a red stripe down the sides. This stripe is for the Non-commissioned officers (Corporals E-4) and above, and represents the blood spilled at Chapultapec, one of the Marines' battles.
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BAND DESCRIPTION: |
122 total, 2 leaders, 1 drum majors, 60 brass, 17 percussion, 38 woodwinds, 22 US Marine public affairs personnel (2), attachment of Marines in period uniforms (20). .Each of the four Marine Corps bands that comprise the West Coast Composite Marine Corps Band maintain multiple performing ensembles to include: concert band, marching band, ceremonial band, jazz big band, jazz combo, party band, brass quintet, and woodwind quintet to name a few. Regardless of location, each band consists of 50 Marines and one officer. -Numerous professional sporting events to include San Diego Padres and Chargers and Oakland A's.
-Montana State Fair
-NFL Hall of Fame parade and concert.
-Portland Rose Festival, Portland, OR.
-Scottish Highland Festival, Pleasanton, CA
-Estes Park Highland Games, Estes Park, CO
-Marine Week, Chicago, IL
-Holiday Bowl Parade, San Diego, CA
-Numerous public relations tours in cities including San Francisco CA, Houston TX, Chicago IL, Pheonix AZ, San Antonio TX and Oklahoma City OK. The West Coast Composite Marine Band consists of approximately 120 Marine musicians from the Southern California Marine Corps bands. These four bands are the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar; First Marine Division Band from Camp Pendleton; Marine Band San Diego from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego; and Marine Corps Combat Center Band from Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twenty-nine Palms.
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PERSONNEL: |
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Hayes, director; Staff Sergeant Victor Ney, assistant director(s); Staff Sergeant Hugh Wurts, drum major(s); Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Hayes, unit leader(s).
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PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE ROSE PARADE: |
For the past 60 + years.
The band is one of six organizations that has a standing invitation to participate in the Rose Parade every year. Although it is not certain how many years the band has been performing, printed programs dating back to 1949 show the band performing every year since. Programs were not maintained prior to 1949.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: |
This year a detachment of Marines is accompanying the band. The uniforms that these Marines are wearing represent the eras of times gone by. Today's Marines have not always worn the uniform currently in use. This special group of Marines from the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is wearing uniforms that date all of the way back to 1775 and the Revolutionary war period. Other eras represented include the, War of 1812, Mexican American War (1846), Civil War (1861), Spanish American War (1898), WWI (1917), WWII (1941), Korean War (1950), Vietnam War (1969), Desert Storm (1991), and the uniforms of today. All members of the West Coast Composite Marine Band are combat-trained Marines. Annual weapons qualification ensures that Marine musicians are as proficient with weapons as they are with musical instruments. Many of the Marines in the band are combat veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, giving full meaning to the term “Marine Musicians.”
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