The 451st Army Band
Inducted 2018
The 451st Army Band began in 1948 when the United States Army commissioned The 330th Army Band to be stationed at Fort Snelling in Minnesota as an Army Reserve unit. Over the years the band has been designated as The 330th, The 103rd, The 451st, and in late 2018 they became The 204th Army Band. An Army band’s designation comes from the assigned parent organization. The 204th Army Band is split between Fort Snelling in Minnesota and Vancouver, Washington. The first members came from the Concert Bands at The University of Minnesota and The University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities, aling with former service people and others who wanted to serve their country through an Army Band. Major General Hanford MacNider became aware of the band in the summer of 1949 and made it his 103rd Infantry Division Band. The band became The 451st Army Band when the 103rd Infantry Division was decommissioned. Through all its changes, the band has remained located out of Fort Snelling. The band has been in demand in the Upper Midwest for parades, concerts, ceremonies, and other special events. They always perform free of charge. In addition to the Minnesota area, the band has performed around the country and internationally. They were the first Army Reserve Band to perform at The United States Military Academy at West Point in New York state. They performed for The Commemoration Ceremonies of The 50th Anniversary of the WWII Allied Landings in Normandy, France in 1994. Out of the 34 Army bands performing at the Normandy Ceremonies, The 451st was the only Army Reserve Band. The band played for the 60th Anniversary of The WWII Liberation of Rome, Italy. They performed in Washington, D.C. for the 100th Anniversary of the Army Reserve. The band has also traveled to Germany, Las Vegas, and Alaska among other places. Members of The Reserve Band are high school and college graduates who want to continue playing high-quality musical performances. Some are members of other bands and symphonies while also serving in the Reserve, and others are going to college to earn degrees in music. The band also includes directors of high school, college, or community bands. The Citizen Soldiers of The 451st Army Reserve Band are proud of the sense of patriotism they bring to their performances. They have been referred to as “the best in The Reserve”, and they hope through their performances to convey their mission: to educate, to entertain, and to inspire.
