Big Band Magazine - Magazine - Page 5
Miller made public appearances on behalf of the Flying Training Command including
a cost-to-coast Army Hour broadcast originated by Montgomery radio station WSFA.
Miller was relieved of duty at Maxwell Field and assigned to the Technical Training
Command, Knollwood Field, North Carolina, with a station at Atlantic City on
January 1, 1943. He reported at Knollwood Field on January 2, en route to Atlantic
City. The AAF accurately promoted its Flying and Technical Training Commands as
"the world's biggest university." Gen. Barton Kyle Yount, a West Point classmate of
General Arnold, ran the AAF Flying Training Command. Gen. Walter R. Weaver was in
charge of the Technical Training Command, headquartered at the Pine Needles Inn
near Knollwood Army Airfield, Southern Pines, North Carolina. Appointing the
popular bandleader to the extraordinary position of Director of Bands, Weaver
instructed Miller to "just use my name" to cut through red tape, and Yount later gave
Miller the same extraordinary carte blanche authority On January 4, Miller submitted
a memorandum to Weaver dealing with the proposed function of an AAFTTC music
program and radio broadcasting activity. This is what Miller gave up his civilian
fortune to do, and Weaver enabled him to do it. Weaver approved and, for the most
part, implemented Miller's proposal, which included the formation of a second radio
production unit on the East Coast.
At TTC Basic Training Center #7, Atlantic City. New Jersey, Miller built upon the
personnel of the Twenty-Eighth and Twenty-Ninth AAF Bands to form the new radio
production unit and orchestra, including M/Sgt. Norman Leyden (leader and
arranger), Sgt. George Ockner (violin and concertmaster), Sgt. Hank Freeman
(alto saxophone) and obtained the transfers of Miller M/Sgt. Zeke Zarchy (trumpet),
Pvt. Herman "Trigger" Alpert (string bass) and Pvt. Bernie Privin (trumpet).
Bandleader and drummer Ray McKinley enlisted and came directly to Atlantic City,
soon joined by Miller's former chief arranger, Jerry Gray, and Benny Goodman's ace
arranger and pianist, Mel Powell. Miller also arranged the transfers of former film and
radio celebrities, singer Cpl. Tony Martin and actor/announcer Cpl. Broderick
Crawford to Atlantic City. Musicians from major symphony orchestras who were now
in uniform also found themselves transferred to Capt. Miller. In addition to
fast-tracking talent for himself, it was Miller's responsibility to build a network of
bands at airbases across the United States. Miller also arranged for his civilian
manager, Donald Haynes, to join officer training at Miami Beach.
Capt. Glenn Miller was preparing to make something very special happen.
To be continued …
