Charles L. Booker

The Roar Of The Armor

ROAR OF THE ARMOR, written in 1982 while the composer was the Bandmaster of the 3rd Armored Division Band in Frankfurt, Germany, was inspired by the 'esprit de corps' of the U.S. Cavalry and the old 'tank corps', now known as the Armor Branch. The composer uses original melodies, to which is added traditional bugle calls in the second strain and thematic material from 'Gary Owen' and 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon', to create a new march in a very traditional style. It is dedicated to the U.S. Army's 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, who for decades guarded the Fulda Gap, one of the most dangerous points in Europe, where the forces of NATO and former Warsaw Pact nations faced off during the Cold War.