May 09, 2005

U.S. Military Band Marches on Moscow

When someone called to strike up a stirring military march for a parade through central Moscow, hardly anyone ever imagined it would be "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

Or that the Stars and Stripes itself, hoisted aloft by an Army sergeant, would lead the U.S. Army Europe Band up the Russian capital's main thoroughfare, past cheering crowds, to greet a train full of Russian war veterans.

"I've met every president. I've met hundreds of kings and queens. But marching through Moscow behind three of my soldiers carrying the American flag is pretty much the highlight of my career," said Lt. Col. Thomas H. Palmatier, commander of the Army band, which came here along with President Bush and other U.S. officials to help mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
"We played inside the Kremlin walls! We played 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' on the streets of Moscow! It was a pretty emotional experience," Palmatier said.
[...]
On Sunday, though, it was the U.S. Army that was the big crowd pleaser in central Moscow. Though it wasn't the first performance by an American military band in Russia, it marked the first time such an ensemble has played inside the Kremlin, or marched down the streets of Moscow behind the American flag. Enthusiastic onlookers applauded, hung over balconies and stopped members of the band to take photos.

"The crowd seemed overjoyed to see us," said Sgt. Daniel Halsey, a 32-year-old New York native who carried the American flag, flanked by a two-member color guard. "People in the street were coming up to us. I personally had over 100 pictures taken of me with the flag, by everybody from vets to young children."
[...]
The Russian band warmed up Sunday with "The Holy War," a deafening call to arms against the German forces of World War II: "Rise up, great country/ Rise up for mortal combat/ Against the dark fascist force,/ Against the damned horde!"

Gerhard Schroeder was there, you know...I'd give a pfennig for his thoughts when they struck up "The Holy War!"
I know that President and Mrs. Bush just loved our band marching down the streets of Moscow and in the Kremlin behind the Stars and Stripes playing "Stars and Stripes Forever" and somewhere in Heaven, Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill were smiling to beat the band!
U.S.A.! U.S.A.--victory over both the Nazis and the Soviet Communists is sweet indeed.
The V-E day celebrations have occasioned a host of strange sights, not just that of our Army band marching with the flag in the Kremlin.
There were also moments like this, when Basil Fawlty could remark, "We're all friends now!":


President Bush loves PM Koziumi, but isn't it remarkable to think that 60 years ago, the Japanese were our hated enemy?
(Check out that backstabbing snake Chirac grinning like a fool, too!)

The night before, I got a big kick out of seeing President Bush driving Pooty's 1956 Volga:


To Vlady, this must be like having a classic T-Bird!

Could be he's returning the favor of George Dubya riding him around Crawford in his pick-up (It's a guy/car thing!)