Band of Flight honors veterans through music Published Nov. 3, 2011 By MSgt. Becky Taylor United States Band of Flight Public Affairs Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio -- The Band of Flight will present concerts on November 4 and 5 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in honor of Veterans Day. The program includes band works, marches and popular music selections. According to Band of Flight commander Maj. R. Michael Mench, "The concerts are a wonderful opportunity for the Air Force to pay tribute to the men and women who served our nation in times of war and times of peace. Although all our veterans will be celebrated through the concert, this year the Department of Defense will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. For our part this Veterans Day we will thank and honor those veterans of the Vietnam War, our prisoners of war and those listed as Missing in Action by including musical works about and of the period." The concert opens with "New Era: Overture for Band" by Emmy Award-winning composer, Bruce Boughton. Originally composed for the United States Air Force Academy Band, "New Era" represents present-day technology through rhythmic precision while using a simple, hymn-like tune to remind us of past traditions. An original composition by the Band of Flight's own arranger and horn player Staff Sgt. Scott Wise will be premiered. "A Legacy of Valor" tells the story of the 442nd Infantry Regiment. This World War II unit was composed of Japanese-Americans from Hawaii and the mainland whose families were either under strict curfew or in internment camps. They fought through prejudice and displayed their love of country with heroic feats in the southern European theater, becoming the most decorated unit in U.S. military history with 18,143 individual decorations in just two years of activation, including 21 Medals of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, and 9,486 Purple Hearts, in addition to seven Presidential Unit Citations. The Band of Flight will be joined by special guest, James Kimo Williams. He is a Chicago based creative artist and educator as well as a Vietnam veteran and retired Army Bandmaster. Williams holds an MA in Management and Human Relations from Webster University and a BA in Composition from Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2003, he co-founded the "Lt. Dan Band" with actor/musician Gary Sinise, performing for the USO worldwide. The Band of Flight will perform James Kimo Williams' "Symphony for the Sons of Nam." Williams describes the work as "a musical recollection of memories from my service in Vietnam and represents my personal catharsis." During the second half of the concert, Williams will perform on guitar and vocals. He will pay tribute to the Vietnam era through some original pieces and songs popular at that time. This program is one in an annual series presented by the Band of Flight at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The next set of performances will be the Holiday concerts presented on December 3 and 4. The concerts are free, but tickets are required. For more information regarding tickets, please call 937-255-5924 or visit http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/news&events/concerts.asp. In November, please join the Band of Flight in the Modern Flight Gallery for an inspiring evening honoring our nation's veterans. These concerts will be presented on Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm. The concerts are free and open to the public. No tickets are required, but seating is limited to the first 1,200 people. For more information about upcoming performances by your United States Air Force Band of Flight and to sign up to receive our electronic newsletter, please go to www.bandofflight.af.mil.