| Anchor & Star | |
|---|---|
| by John Philip Sousa | |
 | |
| Year | 1918 |
| Genre | March |
| Published | 1918, New York |
| Publisher | Carl Fischer |
| Audio sample | |
United States Marine Band performing the march | |
"Anchor & Star" is an American military march composed by John Philip Sousa in 1918, while he served as leader of the U.S. Navy Battalion Band at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center during the First World War. [1]
On May 31, 1917, not long after the United States declared war on Germany and entered World War I, Sousa was commissioned as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving as leader of the Navy Band at the Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago, Illinois. [2] While "known most often" [2] for his service as leader of the U.S. Marine Band, Sousa's commission as a naval Lieutenant Commander was the first time he had served as a commissioned officer in the military; it also was the first time in history that any U.S. Navy musician had become a commissioned officer. [2] At the time he entered the Navy, Sousa was 62 years old. [2]
Sousa composed "Anchor & Star” in 1918 while serving as bandleader for the U.S. Navy Battalion Band at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. [1] Sousa dedicated his march “To the U.S. Navy." [1] Much as his march "Globe and Eagle" was named after the Marine Corps emblem, Sousa named "Anchor and Star" after the emblem of the U.S. Navy. [1]
Sousa's naval service was a great success, as "young musicians rushed to enlist and learn under him in the recruit training band." [2] He formed a large band of 350 members, and toured with it in cities in support of "Liberty Loan bonds, the Red Cross, Navy relief and recruiting." [2] Sousa's navy tours ultimately raised over $21 million for the war effort. [2]
"Anchor & Star" is often compared with another Sousa march, "Semper Fidelis" (the official march of the U.S. Marine Corps), as the two pieces have "a resemblance in construction, rhythm, key, and contrapuntal devices." [1]
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to distinguish him from his British counterpart Kenneth J. Alford. Among Sousa's best-known marches are "The Stars and Stripes Forever", "Semper Fidelis", "The Liberty Bell", "The Thunderer", and "The Washington Post".
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a military hierarchy. It incorporates the principles of exercising power and authority into the military chain of command—the succession of commanders superior to subordinates through which command is exercised. The military chain of command constructs an important component for organized collective action.
The flag of the United States Marine Corps is the flag used to represent the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as its subsidiary units and formations.
A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire department, or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. Foot drill, military step, and marching are typically taught by drill instructors.
The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned and appointed United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an "Officer of Marines." The Basic School is located in Stafford County, Virginia to the south-west of the Marine Corps Base Quantico complex. Each year, over 1,700 new officers are trained, representing such commissioning sources as the U.S. Naval Academy, Navy ROTC, Officer Candidates School, and Marine Corps Limited Duty Officer (LDO) and Warrant Officer, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy accession programs.
The Dental Corps of the United States Navy consists of naval officers with a doctorate in either dental surgery (DDS) or dental medicine (DMD) and who practice dentistry for Sailors and Marines to ensure optimal oral health.
The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States. Today, the Marine Band includes the Marine Chamber Orchestra and Marine Chamber Ensembles.
LeRoy Philip Hunt was a highly decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of general. A veteran of World War I, he was decorated with the Navy Cross and Army Distinguished Service Cross, the United States military's two second-highest decorations awarded for valor in combat.
The Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) is an enterprise-level shore command of the United States Navy with more than 19,000 military and staff personnel at more than 1,640 subordinate activities, sites, districts, stations, and detachments throughout the world. NETC recruits, trains and delivers those who serve the nation, taking them from "street to fleet" by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat ready warfighters.
Fleet Band Activities (FBA), formerly the Navy Music Program (NMP), is the central management office for nine active-duty fleet bands of the United States Navy. It is located at Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee. FBA has the responsibility of coordinating the assignment and distribution of personnel, equipment and funding to the worldwide activities of navy military bands. It also is responsible for managing the application and audition process for potential navy musicians. Personnel from the FBA work directly with the Bureau of Naval Personnel to meet our musician requirements for the fleet.
Mustang is a military slang term used in the United States Armed Forces to refer to a commissioned officer who began their career as an enlisted service member. A mustang officer is not a temporary or brevet promotion but is a commissioned officer that receives the same pay and command responsibilities as all other commissioned officers.
The Naval School of Music is a United States Navy school located at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The school's mission is to provide specialized musical training to musicians of the Navy and Marine Corps military bands. The school does not provide training for musicians of the Air Force or Coast Guard. The school no longer provides training to Army musicians, although the Army school is co-located with the Navy school and they share facilities.
The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for operation under the command of the unified combatant commanders. The Marine Corps is organized into four principal subdivisions: Headquarters Marine Corps, the Operating Forces, the Supporting Establishment, and the Marine Forces Reserve.
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combined arms, implementing its own infantry, artillery, aerial, and special operations forces. The U.S. Marine Corps is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.
Ralph Stover Keyser was a highly decorated officer of the United States of America with the rank of major general, who is most noted for his service as the 15th Assistant to the Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps and a distinguished marksman, who participated in world matches. He was the recipient of Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat.
Merwin Hancock Silverthorn was a highly decorated Lieutenant General in the United States Marine Corps, Navy Cross recipient.
The Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) is a one-star echelon III command of the United States Navy that is responsible to the Chief of Naval Education and Training for the indoctrination and training of all new accessions into the Naval Service, with the exception of Midshipmen who access through the United States Naval Academy. This includes all new recruits through Recruit Training Command, the Navy's only enlisted recruit training location and all Officer "Candidates" who are seeking a commission through the Officer Training Command at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. Also under its purview is the operation of the various Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) units in universities across the country.
John Thaddeus Walker was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps, who reached the rank of lieutenant general. He is most noted as commanding officer of the 22nd Marine Regiment during Battle of Eniwetok. He later served as director of personnel or commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Lester Adolphus Dessez was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is most noted as commanding officer of 7th Defense Battalion during World War II.
Garry L. Parks is a corporate executive and retired United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General whose 35-year career included service as Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Commanding General of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command and Commanding General of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
