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In 1942, at the peak of his civilian career, Glenn decided he could better serve those in uniform by putting on one himself. By doing this, the band gave up a $20,000 a week income. Too old to be drafted at age 38, Glenn first volunteered for the Navy, but was told they didn't need his services. Not giving up, Glenn wrote to the Army's Brigadier General Charles Young on Aug. 12, 1942. Miller persuaded the Army to accept him so he could in his own words, "put a little more spring into the feet of the marching men and a little more joy into their hearts and to be placed in charge of a modernized Army band." Soon Glenn became part of the Army Specialists Corps with the rank of Captain. For the next year and a half, besides arranging music, Glenn created and directed his own 50 member band. Captain Miller's mission was moral building, bringing a touch of home to the troops, and modernizing military music. Glenn was also a talented fund raiser, and raised millions of dollars in war bond drives. He also attracted Air Corps recruits through his I Sustain The Wings weekly radio broadcasts. Still wanting to do more, Glenn arranged for overseas duty for the band. Arriving in London, the band was quartered at 25 Sloane Street, and area in constant barrage by German V-1 Buzz Bombs. Glenn was immediately concerned for the band's safety and arranged to have the band moved to their new quarters in Bedford, England. The band moved to their new quarters in Bedford on July 2, 1944, the very next day a Buzz Bomb landed in front of their former quarters on Sloane Street, destroying the building and killing 100 people. The Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band was extremely busy. In one month the band had played at 35 different bases, while performing 40 radio broadcasts in their spare time. On December 15, 1944, Glenn boarded a single engine C-64 Norseman aircraft to travel to Paris, France where he was to make arrangements for a Christmas broadcast. Tragically, the plane never reached France and was never found. The band, without Miller, performed the scheduled Christmas program under the direction of Jerry Gray and continued to perform, playing their last concert Nov. 13, 1945 at the National Press Club dinner for President Truman in Washington, DC. General Dwight Eisenhower and General Hap Arnold both thanked the band for a job well done. Glenn Miller will be remembered for many things; his musical style, hard work, perseverance, and much more. But his patriotism in giving up his number one civilian band and his supreme scarifice for his country have caused him to be remembered as Clarinda's and America's favorite musical patriot.
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