To kick off the 75th Anniversary celebration of Camp Bowie, the 36th Infantry Division Band will perform at the Lyric Theater on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.  This performance is free to the public.

The 36th ID Band is made up of about 55 soldiers from all walks of life, who are a National Guard unit out of Austin, Texas, that perform across the state of Texas.  As a mostly part-time force, the band focuses on the musical needs of the military in Texas, and patriotic citizens or civic organizations that have a need for musical support in festivals, patriotic events, and educational outreach programs.  This 50 piece band provides a wide variety of patriotic and entertaining music by performing in the following ensembles:  concert band, marching band, the Jazz Band/R&B “Little Big Band,” Rock Band, and Brass Band and Brass Quintet & Clarinet Quartet.

The 36th ID Band was first formed on April 1937 in New Braunfels, Texas as an element of the historic 36th infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard.  The band, along with the entire 36th Infantry Division, was federally activated for WWII, becoming the first American Division to touch European soil during the invasion of Italy.

After serving in Europe for the remainder of WWII, the unit was deactivated from federal service on February 15, 1946 in Europe, later to be reorganized in 1947 in New Braunfels.  The location of the band was changed on June 1, 1968, from New Braunfels to Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas, at which time both the 36th Infantry Division Band and the 49th Armored Division was deactivated, and the unit returned to its original designation as the 36th Infantry Division Band, Texas Army National Guard.

The 36th ID Ban’s most recent honors include the awarding of the prestigious COL Howard Award for Military Concert Bands, both in 2008 and 2012.  Since returning from Basra, Iraq in 2011, the “Lone Star Band” and its citizen soldiers continue to be the most visible public element of the Texas Military Forces, representing the Texas Army National Guard in both military and civilian events across the great state of Texas.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3278 and the VFW Auxiliary with the Men’s Auxiliary will host the 36th Infantry Band for lunch at 11:30, 12 September at their Post Home at 2300 Stephen F. Austin. The VFW embraced this mission to support the community’s 75th celebration of the founding of Camp Bowie.

Pictured above are members of the 36th Infantry Division Band performing at Sun City, Texas on Memorial Day.  Below is the 36th ID Band marching.