http://www.history.com/news/5-facts-about-pearl-harbor-and-the-uss-arizona
http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=57575
On the battleship USS Arizona, there was a band. The band was responsible for playing music daily when the flag is raised. There were 21 members in the band. The band was called U.S. Navy Band Unit 22. The entire band was on the deck when the attack started. All 21 died during the attack.
The band was a part of a “Battle of Music” competition. This competition was between different military bands from the U.S. ships at Pearl Harbor. The last round of the semi-finals of the competition was the night before the attack. NBU 22 did not perform at this competition. They had already qualified for the finals that were supposed to take place on December 20, 1941.
Because they all died during the attack, NBU 22 was declared the winner of that year’s competition. It was a unanimous vote. Also, the name of the award given to winners was changed to the USS Arizona Band Trophy. This was and still is the only time in our history that all of a military band has died. There were 1,177 shipmates that died along with the band.
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