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Glenn Miller

This article is about the swing musician. For other uses, see Glenn Miller (disambiguation).

Glenn Miller
Miller c. 1942
Born
Alton Glen Miller

(1904-03-01)March 1, 1904
Clarinda, Iowa, U.S.
DisappearedDecember 15, 1944 (aged 40)
over English Channel
StatusDeclared dead in absentia
December 16, 1945(1945-12-16) (aged 41)
Spouse
Helen Burger
​
(m. 1928)​
Children2
Musical career
GenresSwing music, big band
Occupation(s)Bandleader, musician, arranger, composer
Instrument(s)Trombone
Years active1923–1944
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army Air Forces
Years of service1942–1944
RankMajor
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsBronze Star Medal (posthumously; 1945)

Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904;[citation needed] disappeared December 15, 1944; declared dead December 16, 1945) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombone player, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the US Army Air Forces.[1] His civilian band, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra were one of the most popular and successful bands of the 20th century and the big band era.[2][3][4] His military group, the Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra,[1] was also popular and successful.[1]

Glenn Miller and His Orchestra was the best-selling recording band from 1939 to 1942. Miller's civilian band did not have a string section as his military unit did, but it did have a slap bass in the rhythm section. It was also a touring band that played multiple radio broadcasts nearly every day. Their best-selling records include Miller's theme song – "Moonlight Serenade" – and the first gold record ever made, "Chattanooga Choo Choo". The following tunes are also on that best-seller list: "In the Mood", "Pennsylvania 6-5000" (printed as "Pennsylvania Six-Five Thousand" on record labels), "A String of Pearls", "Moonlight Cocktail", "At Last", "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo", "American Patrol", "Tuxedo Junction", "Elmer's Tune", "Little Brown Jug", and "Anvil Chorus".[5] Including "Chattanooga Choo Choo", five songs played by Miller and His Orchestra were number one hits for most of 1942 and can be found on the List of Billboard number-one singles of 1942.[6] In four years, Miller scored 16 number one records and 69 top 10 hits, more than Elvis Presley (40)[7] and the Beatles in their careers.[8][9][10] His musical legacy includes multiple recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame. His work has been performed by swing bands, jazz bands, and big bands worldwide for over 75 years.[11][12][13]

Miller is considered to be the father of the modern US military bands. In 1942, he volunteered to join the US military to entertain troops during World War II and ended up in the US Army Air Forces.[1] Their workload was just as heavy as the civilian band's had been. With a full string section added to a big band, the Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra[14] was the forerunner of many US military big bands.[15][1]

Miller went missing in action (MIA) on December 15, 1944, on a flight over the English Channel.[1] In keeping with standard operating procedure for the US military services, Miller was officially declared dead a year and a day later.[16][1][17] An Army investigation led to an official finding of death (FOD) for Miller, Norman Baessell, and John Morgan, all of whom died on the same flight.[18] All three officers are listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in Cambridge, England.[1][19] Since his body was not recoverable, Miller was allowed to have a memorial headstone placed at the US Army-operated Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.[20][1][21][22][23][24] In February 1945, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shenkle, Kathy, Glenn Miller: America's Musical Patriot, US Army, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, 1993 which includes information used for exhibits, news articles (Iowa, Colorado and military papers), and the ANC website. Retrieved September 11, 2022. The Army refers to Glenn Miller as having a finding of death (FOD) and having been missing in action (MIA) with remains not recoverable since December 15, 1944. "Glenn Miller". Arlingtoncemetery.mil. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
  2. ^ "Glenn Miller's Top 10 Hits". American Music Research Center. September 22, 2017. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  3. ^ Team, Retro Gazing (August 16, 2021). "What Is Glenn Miller's Most Popular Song?". Retro Gazing. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "You Will Not Believe How Many Hits the Glenn Miller Orchestra Will Perform on Wednesday". Westmount at Three Fountains. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  5. ^ "Song artist 11 – Glenn Miller". Tsort.info. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
  6. ^ "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart – Week Ending January 2, 1942". The Billboard. 54 (2): 12. January 10, 1942. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  7. ^ "Achievements". Graceland.com. March 28, 2022. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  8. ^ Whitburn, Joel. Pop Memories (1900–1940). Record Research.
  9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2015). Pop Hits Singles and Albums, 1940–1954. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-198-7.
  10. ^ "Achievements: All About Elvis". Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  11. ^ Shenkle, Kathy. Legacy, Special Festival Extra, Clarinda Herald-Journal, Clarinda, Iowa. 1993–1994.
  12. ^ Shenkle, Kathy. Interviewed on Glenn Miller's Birthday on WPFW-Radio by Askia Muhammad, Washington, D.C. March 1, 1995. https://afro.com/in-memoriam-renowned-black-journalist-broadcaster-askia-muhammad-dies/ Archived October 31, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "All Iowa, US, Births and Christenings Index, 1800–1999 results for Alton Glen Miller". Ancestry.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2022. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  14. ^ Leyden, Norman; Shenkle, Kathy (1994). "Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra Veterans Association Memorial Tree Request". Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra Veterans Association. Portland, Oregon.
  15. ^ "US Air Forces in Europe Band". Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  16. ^ "Glenn Miller". biography.com. September 3, 2020. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  17. ^ Shenkle, Kathy. Washington Historian Vacations at Glenn Miller Festival, Brings Own Exhibits. Clarinda, Iowa: Clarinda Herald-Journal, 1993, 1994
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference :16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ "Tablets of the Missing list". Cambridge American Cemetery. January 1956. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  20. ^ Department of War, U.S. Army Air Forces, Finding of Death for those who were Missing in Action, World War II to 1946, Finding of Death (FOD) list includes Major Alton Glenn Miller, U.S. Army (Air Corps), listed as Alton G. Miller.
  21. ^ Army (and Air Force) Historian Kathy Shenkle Interview for On the Road with Charles Kuralt, CBS Sunday Morning, 1993
  22. ^ Shenkle, Kathy. Interview of Historian who attends Glenn Miller Festival in Clarinda. Des Moines Register, 1994
  23. ^ Shenkle, Kathy. Exhibit:  Glenn Miller: America's Musical Hero, US Army Center of Military History Archives, Fort McNair, DC, 1993.
  24. ^ Shenkle, Kathy. Glenn Miller: America's Musical Hero, World War II Veterans article series, Pentagram, Department of Defense, Washington, DC, 1993.
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