The USMC has honored Colonel Truman Crawford by dedicating their newly rebuilt music facility in his name. DCI recently posted a report (including a video) on their website about this. You can check their website (www.dci.org) or use this link (copy and paste) to get to the report:

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=b7e968aa-c96e-4b43-ab32-bcb2612dc957

Many Imperials alumni remember Truman Crawford as the arranger and head brass instructor for the Royal Airs junior corps.

Some also remember him as the arranger for the Royal Airs Reunion Corps of 2002 and 2003.

I also remember him as a great brass and music judge. A fine fellow.

And those of us from 1972-73 remember him working with the horn line! He came out several times during the winter (when judges were allowed to do that), and even resurrected his RA arrangement of "John Brown's Body" in 1973 - which was just as big a hit with the crowd then as in 65-66.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arrnager

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

A nice tribute. Best that DCI has done in a while.

My strongest recollections of Crawford were from the 1965 and 1966 seasons. The Royals in 1965 were of course at the top of that era but his best job was 1966 when the corps was depleted by age outs and the Vietnam War Draft. Not the same talent level but he changed arrangements (simplied) and got them to place fifth at nationals.

I also recollect an event at the contest at Streator in July 1965. That night the Troopers won the contest by about 2.5 points, the Royal Airs were second and we placed third right behind the Royal Airs. We'd topped the Troopers the previous night at a show in Rockford and weren't pleased with the results. In those days after the scores were announced the corps left the field in reverse order of finish playing one of their numbers and passing by the winning corps as a salute. We were lined up next to the Troopers and after passing them, we'd also pass the Royal Airs. We left the field playing our closer "High and the Mighty" and as we passed the Troopers we were only just starting the song. When we got to the Royal Airs we stopped and turned toward them to finish the number including the closing fanfare. At the next practice Rick Maass read a letter from Crawford thanking us for that gesture. I remember that as the salute was my idea although it wasn't difficult to talk the drum majors into doing it.

I did see Truman Crawford at a DCA show in Baltimore in 1975. He was arranging for the Yankee Rebels and I think a number of his Marines were marching with them.

I've always been curious as to how Truman got a commission as a Lt Colonel (later promoted to full Colonel). He'd been a Master Sargent in the Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps in the 1960s. I assume it was some kind of special deal as the Army, Marine, Navy and Air Force musical units based in Washington DC aren't expected to blowup things and fire weapons.

John Anderson said:

I did see Truman Crawford at a DCA show in Baltimore in 1975. He was arranging for the Yankee Rebels and I think a number of his Marines were marching with them.

............Yes, quite a few of the Marines from the barracks marched in the Yankee Rebels too.
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I've always been curious as to how Truman got a commission as a Lt Colonel (later promoted to full Colonel). He'd been a Master Sargent in the Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps in the 1960s. I assume it was some kind of special deal as the Army, Marine, Navy and Air Force musical units based in Washington DC aren't expected to blowup things and fire weapons.

............Truman didn't start as a Lt. Colonel in the Marines. He started a lot lower .. might have even been as a Master Sgt.

...........BTW, the members of the marine D&B corps are officially
a rifle platoon and are expected to go to annual camp for retraining/ certification as riflemen. One year, they had a summer tour interrupted when they had to leave for a military assignment. This doesn't happen very often though.

My recollection is that he was a Master Sargent in the Air Force. I know he was a Lt. Colonel in 1975 as that is how he was introduced at the show. If he went into the Marine Corps in about 1970 it's a pretty rapid rise from an enlisted man to a Lt Colonel in five years. To my knowledge that didn't happen in World War II.

I expect there was a direct commission that went along with the position. He probably went in as at least a captian but more likely a major.

I know guys who were West Point Grads who didn't make full Colonel until they had about 16 to 20 years of service.

Things are a bit different than normal in the ranks of military musicians. Here's the chronology, according to a posting on leatherneck.com:

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In March 1967, Crawford initiated his third career, having been selected by the Commandant of the Marine Corps for special assignment as the arranger/instructor of "The Commandant's Own," the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Entering the Marine Corps as a staff sergeant, he quickly rose to the rank of master sergeant prior to his subsequent appointment as a warrant officer in December 1973.

In April 1977, Crawford was awarded a presidential appointment to the rank of captain. "At the time, there was no provision to promote officers in the "Commandant's Own" above the rank of chief warrant officer 4," according to Maj. Harrison. "He set a precedence when he was commissioned a captain." He was promoted during a special ceremony conducted by the 26th Commandant, Gen. Louis H. Wilson.

"When the Drum and Bugle Corps split from Headquarters and Support Company and formed a company of its own, the table of organization was changed to reflect the CO's billet be filled by a major," said Maj. Harrison. Crawford was awarded his second presidential appointment in August 1982, and was promoted to the rank of major by the 27th Commandant, Gen. Robert H. Barrow. In March 1989, Crawford was awarded his third presidential appointment and was promoted to lieutenant colonel by the 29th Commandant, Gen. Alfred M. Gray. In Sept. 1994, Crawford was awarded his fourth presidential appointment, and was promoted to the rank of colonel by the 30th Commandant, Gen. Carl E. Mundy Jr. "Col. Crawford's promotions to lieutenant colonel and to colonel were unique and justified by his contributions to the Marine Corps," Maj. Harrison explained.

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Maj. Harrison is the current USMC D&BC commander, now LTC Brent Harrison. He was the Drum Major when Truman commanded the unit.

It is apparent that Truman was so important to the ongoing success of the Marine Drum & Bugle Corps that he was promoted in order to retain him, reward him, and give him a raise.

Also from the leatherneck.com posting: Colonel Crawford's military career spanned the terms of nine U.S. presidents. Before he retired from the Marine Corps in 1998 at age 64, he was the oldest Marine on active duty.

I never met COL Crawford, to my dismay. I regret having missed out on the opportunities which I didn't know about until after he was gone.

Larry

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965

Larry .. thanks for "the rest of the story". It is great to see this.

I thought that kind of presidential commision stuff only happened to civilians who were recuited as specialists during war time generally spies and other nasty stuff.

Anyway he got to do what he wanted which doesn't happen to a lot of people.

Cool story!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arrnager

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79