It has come to my attention that in our rendition of the "Armed Forces Medley" we are making an error in the Army portion. I received from John Powers, a copy of an article from the June 30, 2003 Army Times. This article titled "It took 3 tries to come up with an official Army song" traces the history of the current official Army song, "The Army goes rolling along". Retired Major Harold "Bud" Arberg was involved in all three attempts to write an official Army song. Arberg, an Army musician, recalls that in 1947 an all Army song contest was held which produced 5 new candidate songs, none of which inspired the soldiers or the general public, and the effort faded. In 1951, Arberg was at the Pentagon as the new musical officer. He was summoned by military aide Lt. Col. Bryce Denno who informed him that Army Secretary Frank Pace Jr. wanted an official Army song because he was tired of going to functions where the Navy, Air Force and Marine songs were played and there was no Army song.

Arberg visited Irving Berlin, Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Loesser, Johnny Mercer and others who "were polite but unresponsive." Then he contacted Sam Stept, composer of "Don 't sit under the apple tree". Stept was invited to Ft. Benning where witnessing the simultaneous full firing of a reinforced rifle company inspired him to write a rousing marching song titled "The Army's Always There." A selection committee picked this as the official Army song and it was played at the inaugural parade for President Eisenhower in 1953.

Soon, however, officials decided the song was too similar to a well known English song, "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." Fearing legal problems, the Army dropped the song.

Thereafter the new Army secretary Wilbur Brucker decided the Army should adopt the "Caisson Song" written in 1908 by 1st Lt. Edmund "Snitz" Gruber and two other lieutenants. Incidentally, "Snitz" Gruber is a direct descendent of Franz Gruber, the composer of "Silent Night." John Philip Sousa had transformed the piece into the "US. Field Artillery March" and recorded it on Victor Records in 1917. Arberg wrote new lyrics and a verse to go with the existing refrain. The song became "The Army Goes Rolling Along" and was designated as the Army's official song in 1956.

Getting back to my opening comment that we are making an error when we sing the "Armed Forces Medley," we are still using the words from the old "Caissons" song. To be in accordance with the current (1956) "official" Army Song, the words in our Armed Forces Medley would be; "Then it's Hi! Hi! Hey! The Army's on its way. Count off the Cadence loud and strong, For where e 'er we go, You will always know, that the Army goes rolling along" Ok music committee, anyone agree we should get up to date?

Three Rivers Chorus at Church:

As a supplement to the usual varied sing-outs performed by the Greater Pittsburgh "Three Rivers Chorus" it was decided that singing at local church services could provide additional exposure and demonstration of the Barbershop style of singing. Hopefully, this exposure could lead to additional members for the Chapter. On June 20th, the Chorus sang at a service at St. Margaret Mary in Moon Township (see the photo montage "St. Margaret Mary Sing Out"). On August 2nd, the Chorus sang at services at St. Gerard Majella Church in Penn Hills, and then at North American Martyrs Church in Monroeville on August 17th.