USS Arizona’s Last Band: The History of US Navy Band Number 22 by Molly Kent details the life and death of the members of the last US Navy band ever to serve aboard the USS Arizona. As the sister of Mus 2/c C. R. Williams, a member of USS Arizona's Last Band, Molly Kent is well qualified to write the history of this ill-fated US Navy Band.

Members of the Band

USS Arizona’s Last Band was born at the United States Navy School of Music in Washington, DC in January 1941. It died in its entirety on 7 December 1941, a victim of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Molly Kent last saw the musicians of USS Arizona’s Last Band at the Washington, DC Navy Yard. It was May 1941 and Arizona’s new musicians were boarding a steamboat on their way to join Arizona. She vividly remembers how very excited they were to be assigned to the USS Arizona and to be going to Hawaii.

Six months later all 21 of those young musicians were dead.

In Hawaii, under the competent direction of bandmaster Fred Kinney, the Arizona Band soon became very popular and was known as “the best US Navy band in the whole Pacific Fleet.”

Despite what you might have heard or read, Arizona’s band did not participate in the second semi-final Battle of Music 1941 on 6 December at Bloch Arena. Arizona’s band had already placed in the first semi-final contest and was not eligible to participate in the second competition. The first and second place winners of each semi-final contest were scheduled to compete on 19 December.

Obviously, that final contest was never held.

And despite what you might have heard or read, Arizona’s musicians were not in their beds asleep on the morning of 7 December when the Japanese attack began.

Seven battleship bands, including Arizona’s, were lined up on the fantail ready to play for colors.

Immediately after the Japanese bombs began falling, all the musicians, including Arizona’s, ran down below to their battle stations in their ships’ ammunition holds, as they had been trained to do.

Just as Arizona’s musicians reached their battle stations, the Japanese bomb struck their ship.

And in that instant Arizona died, along with most of her crew, including her entire US Navy Band.

During the five short months the band served aboard Arizona, her musicians practiced long and hard to improve both their musical skills and their Navy training.

Their reward for all their hard work has been more than 65 years of lies, ridicule and scorn.

How very sad.. (Read an online excerpt - Adobe Reader Required)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Molly Kent and her only brother Clyde Richard Williams were raised in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Molly worked in the Pentagon Building in Washington, DC during World War II. She now lives in Kansas City, Kansas with her husband of more than 60 years.

She has been a legal secretary, artist, author, and homemaker for her husband and their 3 children.

Molly has worked for many years trying to eradicate the lies about the last US Navy band ever to serve aboard the USS Arizona.