"The Green Beret" - March

[Pete]

A small discussion got started on another board about a song.

The title was "The Green Beret". It's identified as "The official march of the United States Army Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina". It appears to credit W.O. Ken Whitcomb as the author. Side A is the Concert version and Side B is the Quickstep version.

The original poster is pretty sure he picked it up at the Smoke Bomb Hill bookstore around 62 or 63.

I've never heard about an "Official March". All I've heard SF related while out on the parade field was "The Ballad of the Green Berets".

Earl J - you got your ears on? Your office got a copy or any info on it? Anybody?

[SF_BHT]

Never heard of this.....

Waiting for Richard's memory to kickin.....

[Pete]

Just a tid-bit - all I could find.....

http://www.philxmilstein.com/probe/pix/PostSadler/

Down near the bottom - ....."Paul Lavalle accepts citation from Major Daniel Baldwin of the U.S. Army Special Forces for being the first non-military band to perform 'The Green Beret' march (June 14, 1965)" (detail from LP back cover):.........

[RB]

http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixtie..._misc_A_M.html

Scroll down to "B".

The Ballad of the Green Berets [sheet music]. Words and Music by Barry Sadler and Robin Moore. New York: Music Music Music, Inc., (c)1963,1964 & 1966 [sole selling agents: Cimino Publications Incorporated].
[also includes on back page: The Green Beret ("The Official Song of the United States Army Special Forces"). Music by C.W.O. Ken Whitcomb, Words by P.G. Fairbanks. New York: Music Music Music, Inc., (c)1963, 1964.]

Have the album cover and the disc framed and mounted and didn't see anything about Whitcomb or P.G. Fairbanks.....

Mebbe I'm missing something.

[Stras]

Whitcomb and Fairbanks appear to be composers. As in tailoring the ballad for a string ensemble.

I found this link for Whitcomb (right side of page 2). http://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/cms/li...430%5B1%5D.pdf

But thats just my humble opinion.

[CSB]

Well, if has "Special Forces" and "March" you know it is bogus.

SF doesn't "march" (other than perhaps heavy rucks over long distances)

[curator09]

I ran across this discussion stream by accident about the Green Beret March. It was written by the United States Military Academy bandmaster at the time, W.O.
Ken Whitcomb. General Yarborough desired to have a melody put to the SF prayer and which would be appropriate for ceremonies. He approached the Army band and was put in contact with Whitcomb who had quite a reputation for composing music. The result was published by Music! Music! Music! and played by several bands around the country. It was praised by and accepted by Yarborough. Just a short time later, however, Yarborough heard "The Ballad of the Green Berets" at a gathering at Fort Bragg. He felt it needed some work, so approached Robin Moore, a novelist and a magazine reporter, who had just completed going through SFQC as a civilian. (This was the only way that Yarborough would give permission for the book.) Yarborough asked Moore to finesse the lyrics and Robin is attributed as co-author. The music then was published and became an "overnight" hit. Yarborough embraced the song as the official song for Special Forces and sent Sadler on the road.
The march was relegated to our files.

Roxanne

Roxanne M. Merritt
Director, JFK Special Warfare Museum
910-432-4272/DSN: 239
910-432-4062 (fax)/DSN: 239
merrittr@socom.mil

[Team Sergeant]

curator09 does not need an introduction, most of the SF on here know who she is.

Welcome aboard.

[JJ_BPK]

Is this the song??


link: The Green Beret · Paul Lavalle · Band Of America

[PSM]

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

Is this the song??


link: The Green Beret · Paul Lavalle · Band Of America

That's it! My link died. Or was killed. May have been suicide, though.

Pat

[WarriorDiplomat]

Originally Posted by PSM

That's it! My link died. Or was killed. May have been suicide, though.

Pat

The skin flute section was on it