Why does a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces such as the Coast Guard have a Pipe Band?
Although we are not, officially, a Coast Guard Pipe Band, the tradition of military pipe bands has a long history in the United States. In 1861, the 79th New York Infantry marched off to war wearing kilts to the accompaniment of their pipes and drums. President Lincoln became quite fond of them and they often played for him at the White House. During World War II, U.S. troops often served alongside Scottish troops and learned to appreciate the martial qualities of the Great Highland Bagpipe. Following the war, General Mark Clark organized a U.S. Army pipe band as part of the Sixth Army. Other divisions of the U.S. Army formed pipe bands throughout the 1940’s and 1950’s.
