An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Feb. 26, 2009

New Mexico quartet plays private concert for Vietnam vet

By Staff Sgt. Anna Doo New Mexico National Guard

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."

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Soloff, an infantryman with Charlie Company, 1st Brigade, 178th Infantry Regiment, Illinois Army National Guard, observes Polish Territorial Defence soldiers as they prepare range cards necessary for Javelin deployment during Javelin anti-armor ambush training at the TDF Training Center in Toruń, Poland, June 11, 2025. The Illinois National Guard and Poland are partners in the Department of Defense National Guard State Partnership Program, which pairs Guard elements with partner nations worldwide for mutual training and subject matter expert exchanges. Servicemembers with the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team spent two weeks alongside their Polish counterparts training on sniper operations, the Javelin anti-tank weapon system, combat medical care, and remote observer techniques.
State Partnership Program Enables Global, Shared ‘Peace through Strength’
By Maj. Jon LaDue, | June 27, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C.  – For more than 30 years, the National Guard has helped bolster the capabilities of foreign militaries, effectively broadening the pool of partners who are willing and able to support defense and security...

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Gary Keefe, the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard (MANG), observes the progress of the ongoing M1117 Armored Support Vehicle refurbishment initiative at the Kahawa Barracks in Nairobi, Kenya, May 30, 2025. This collaborative initiative between MANG and the Kenya Defence Forces underscores a decade of collaboration through the State Partnership Program.
Massachusetts National Guard, Kenya Strengthen Partnership
By Senior Airman Julia Ahaesy, | June 27, 2025
NAIROBI, Kenya - In 2025, the Massachusetts National Guard and the Kenya Defence Forces commemorate a decade of collaboration through the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.  Since its...

(From left) U.S. Army Col. Brian Martinus, Michigan National Guard State Chaplain; AFL Maj. Urias Zogaa, Chaplain General, Armed Forces of Liberia; U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, Adjutant General, Michigan National Guard; AFL Maj. Gen. Davidson Forleh, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia, U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. William Russell, III, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Michigan National Guard; U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Ravindra Wagh, Assistant Adjutant General, Michigan National Guard; CW5 Allen Robinson, State Command Warrant Officer, Michigan National Guard; AFL Lt. Col. Francis Gbodi, Military Advisor; Armed Forces of Liberia; U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Hopkins, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Michigan Army National Guard, stand for a photo in front of a white pine – Michigan’s state tree – dedicated near the Camp Grayling chapel to symbolize the strength of the Michigan-Liberia partnership
Michigan Guard, Liberia Mark 15 Years of Partnership
By Capt. Andrew Layton, | June 27, 2025
CAMP GRAYLING, Mich.—The Michigan National Guard and the Armed Forces of Liberia celebrated the 15th anniversary of their partnership in the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program with a...