ALBUQUERQUE, NM - On a cold and wintry afternoon in January, members of the 44th Army Band warmed up a Vietnam veteran's heart and home.
The "Darn Saxy" quartet of the New Mexico Army National Guard's 44th Army Band filled the air with marches, the service anthems of the Navy and Air Force and some toe-tapping Glen Miller tunes.
Band members said the recipient of the gift of music, retired Col. Frank Hines, tapped his foot, grinned from ear to ear, and held his family close throughout the private concert.
Hines is an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran, who served in both the Navy and the Air Force during his long military career.
When Hines learned of the severity of his medical condition, he requested live music to be played at his funeral.
His daughter, Elizabeth Hines of Bellingham, Wash., did not want him to wait for that moment to hear his favorite tunes. So, she phoned in a request for a special concert through Kirtland Air Force Base public affairs office on behalf of her terminally ill father.
Without an Air Force band at Kirtland, the 44th Army Band was quickly called upon to support this special request.
Once the concert was scheduled, Elizabeth flew in to be with her father and other family members as the "Darn Saxy" quartet gladly spent the afternoon regaling Hines with various marches and tunes that he had heard during his active career in the military.
Chief Warrant Officer Wendy Franchell, the 44th Army Band commander, has performed many concerts during her military career but said this one is the most memorable.
"It is moments like this that make what we do well worth every minute of struggle in order to perform for veterans like this," she said. "What a great honor and memorable performance moment in history this was for the band."
Sgt. Christopher Gutierrez, an alto saxophone player in the "Darn Saxy" ensemble, said that this performance was the most humbling of his eight-year military career.
"The family members were thrilled to have 'Darn Saxy' play," he said. "Mr. Hines seemed to be enjoying the performance with a smile on his face and toes tapping. We were able to shake hands with him, and his family thanked us for being there."