Photo By Sgt. Marco Mancha | Sgt. Tim Hanna (front) of Wilson, N.Y. marches with the 2nd Marine Division Band down...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The 2nd Marine Division Band out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., kicked off their four-day tour through the Carolinas in support of the Greenville Scottish Games, the Coca-Cola 600, and Memorial Day Weekend.
Scottish, wool kilts and traditional bagpipes took over the streets of Greenville during Memorial Day weekend.
It was there the 2nd Marine Division Band out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., kicked off their four-day tour through the Carolinas in support of the Greenville Scottish Games, the Coca-Cola 600, and Memorial Day Weekend.
The weekend proved quite busy for the young Marines of the Division’s Own as they performed at several smaller venues as an entire band, and as the brass band and color guard. Sounds of clapping and cheering echoed from the heart of downtown Greenville as the Marines played their final notes of the Marines’ Hymn, and prepared to slowly march off the plaza filled with hundreds of enthusiastic spectators.
This opened the floor up for the more modern tunes of the brass band, which is known for its fun and interactive shows that allow the public to see a lighter side of the Corps. They entertained the large audience with several of their own renditions of When the Saints Go Marching In, Taio Cruz’s Dynamite, and many more.
“I think it was a great team effort overall by the entire band,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Pellon of Miami, and a saxophone player with the band. “They executed excellent and I think the people enjoyed dancing and singing along to the songs we played.”
The successful momentum carried them into the following day where they performed at the Greenville Scottish Games Parade led by a group of four Marines, or color guard, escorting the colors of the United States Marine Corps and the United States. Thousands lined the main street of downtown to honor the men and women of the armed forces as well as their Scottish heritage.
Still, their work wasn’t done yet. The following day they were presented as the honorary band for the Greenville Scottish Games, which took place at Furman University. They yet again marched out in front of thousands of people and performed several songs throughout the opening ceremony, and were joined by more than 50 bagpipe players from several other organizations.
Even with several prestigious performances like those, their most notable performance was at NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., where they performed for the thousands in attendance and the millions watching across the United States. The Coca-Cola 600 is NASCAR’s longest race sitting at 600 miles and is usually held on Memorial Day weekend.
“I know that NASCAR fans are about the biggest patriots you’ll ever meet,” said NASCAR fan and trumpet player with the band, Cpl. Samuel Adkins of Savannah, Ga. “It’s an honor to do it for people who love this country and love us, and it’s a good service to them. I appreciate doing it and I hope we can do it again.”
The Brass Band even took an extra half hour to give racing fans outside the complex a music-filled show as they awaited the start of the race. The Division’s Own performances seemed to be unforgettable experiences for both the Marines and NASCAR fans alike.
“It was perfect, loved it, very beautiful man,” explained NASCAR enthusiast Josh Hellis of Durham, N.C., after watching the band’s street performance. “It brings America closer together and showed there’s still people who care about America and her troops.”
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2012 13:42 |
| Story ID: | 89775 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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