Intelligencer Journal, 27 Sep 1995, page B-3
Col. George S. Howard, 93, of San Antonio, the "Father of Air Force Bands," died Monday night at the Health Care Center of the Air Force Village 1, San Antonio, of natural causes.
He was the husband of Sadako Takenouchi Howard, who died in May.
Born in Reamstown, he was a son of the late Hayden and Florence Sallade Howard and a graduate of Reamstown Central Vocational High School.
He attended Ithaca Conservatory of Music, where he became involved with its Conway Military Band School under Patrick Conway, a captain in the newly formed Army Air Corps.
Afer six seasons with Conway's professional band, Howard taught at Ohio Wesleyan University and earned a bachelor's degree in music education. He also earned advanced degrees from New York University and the Chicago Conservatory.
He developed a summer band program for high school students at Penn State University and developed a youth music program through President Franklin D. Roosevelt's National Youth Administration.
With the outbreak of World War II, Howard accepted a reserve commission and served as commander and conductor of the U.S. Army Air Force Band and Orchestra, taking the group on international tours and playing propaganda shows broadcast to German citizens. It was considered one of the best big bands of the era, and took over the concerts and broadcasts of the Glenn Miller Band following Major Miller's disappearance.
He also founded the Singing Sergeants, the Airmen of Note, the U.S. Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps, the U.S. Air Force Bagpipe Band, the Women's Air Force Band and the Strolling Strings.
After the war, the colonel remained with the band to form the peace-time Air Force music program. He served as Chief of Bands and Music for the Air Force, establishing the U.S. Air Force Bandsman School and becoming its first commandant. The group continued to travel the world, playing for heads of state in 50 countries on five continents.
He retired from active duty in 1963, and spent a decade with the Washington Metropolitan Police Band, using the organization as part of a police-youth relations program.
In 1970, Howard was elected president of the National Band Association, and was named Honorary Life President in 1986.
In 1982, he was honored at a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of Ephrata's founding.
He was the last of his immediate family.
Intelligencer Journal, 27 Sep 1995, page B-3
Col. George S. Howard, 93, of San Antonio, the "Father of Air Force Bands," died Monday night at the Health Care Center of the Air Force Village 1, San Antonio, of natural causes.
He was the husband of Sadako Takenouchi Howard, who died in May.
Born in Reamstown, he was a son of the late Hayden and Florence Sallade Howard and a graduate of Reamstown Central Vocational High School.
He attended Ithaca Conservatory of Music, where he became involved with its Conway Military Band School under Patrick Conway, a captain in the newly formed Army Air Corps.
Afer six seasons with Conway's professional band, Howard taught at Ohio Wesleyan University and earned a bachelor's degree in music education. He also earned advanced degrees from New York University and the Chicago Conservatory.
He developed a summer band program for high school students at Penn State University and developed a youth music program through President Franklin D. Roosevelt's National Youth Administration.
With the outbreak of World War II, Howard accepted a reserve commission and served as commander and conductor of the U.S. Army Air Force Band and Orchestra, taking the group on international tours and playing propaganda shows broadcast to German citizens. It was considered one of the best big bands of the era, and took over the concerts and broadcasts of the Glenn Miller Band following Major Miller's disappearance.
He also founded the Singing Sergeants, the Airmen of Note, the U.S. Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps, the U.S. Air Force Bagpipe Band, the Women's Air Force Band and the Strolling Strings.
After the war, the colonel remained with the band to form the peace-time Air Force music program. He served as Chief of Bands and Music for the Air Force, establishing the U.S. Air Force Bandsman School and becoming its first commandant. The group continued to travel the world, playing for heads of state in 50 countries on five continents.
He retired from active duty in 1963, and spent a decade with the Washington Metropolitan Police Band, using the organization as part of a police-youth relations program.
In 1970, Howard was elected president of the National Band Association, and was named Honorary Life President in 1986.
In 1982, he was honored at a celebration marking the 250th anniversary of Ephrata's founding.
He was the last of his immediate family.
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