[shove_it]

I did not know Dick Persich and he's not on TOGA roster. In those days The Old Guard was an infantry battalion - six companies of about 100 men each plus the Fife and Drum Corps and the Caisson Platoon.

It's pretty much the same today with the addition of a military police detachment and a public affairs staff. They do a lot of performances out of the D.C. area which we did not do back in the day. For us it was a big deal to do an arrival ceremony at Dulles National for some foreign despot from a banana republic. Now the Drill Team and Fife & Drum weenies travel all over the world. It's a lot different than when we were there.

As for the musicians, here's the pay scale from 1963, which I'm sure you'll fondly remember:

http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/militarypaytables/militarypaypriorrates/1963.pdf

They had to do something to attract them to the military bands.

[Graybeard58]

Our’s was the 1100th A.P. Squadron at Bolling A.F.B.. Squadrons were divided into Flights. A,,B. and C flights with 60 to 80 men each, (and they were all men, no women).

C flight,of which I was a member had the USAF Drill Team, among our regular duties and we did get to travel a bit.

Regular duties in those days were primarily funerals at Arlington. Toward the end of my tour there we were being slammed because of Viet Nam. I’ve been on as many as 5 or 6 funerals a day, 5 days a week. In those days they didn’t bury on week ends. Four primary details were the “Bearers”, “Colors” “Firing Party” and “Flights”, the A.F. band provided the bugaler. Two flights of 60 men each in the Ceremony for burial of officers only. E.M. got everything but the Flights.

My memory isn’t what it used to be but I’m fairly certain of those details.

In addition we had details at the White House, Pentagon and other places in and around D.C., including arrivals at Andrews A.F.B. I was there when Jackie and L.B.J. came back from Dallas.

The Army was at Ft. Meyers, the Navy at Anacostia, the Marines at the Marine Barracks down town D.C., I believe the Coast Guard was located somewhere in D.C. We had many many joint services and parades with all of them.

There’s a lot more but as I said, my memory is poor and that was 40 plus years ago.

B.T.W. I got out as an E4, which was about average. A few made E5 in only 4 years but it was rare.

[Graybeard58]

Also, as I’m sure you are aware, the spit and polish was outrageous, inspections were night mares, hair cuts once every week. On week days, I’d often have to shave twice a day. Which is one of the big reasons I let my beard grow after I got out. I’ve had it since 1967.

[Graybeard58]

From your link. I made $78 per month when I went in on 8 July '63. I've long told people that I made $69 per month - that's what old age does to you. It seems like I was at around $300 per month 4 years later when I got out as an E4 - but I wouldn't swear to it.

Thanks for that link.