"Christmas in Killarney" Dempsey and the 1st AD band

« Hersh article on the JCS, the Borg and Syria | Main | "Fighting Joe" Dunford, USMC »

20 December 2015

"Christmas in Killarney" Dempsey and the 1st AD band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kxc5Inqo7U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfmhyOA2osk

Posted at 04:20 PM in The Military Art | Permalink

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

I served with the 1st Medical Co, !st Armored Division from Jan 1956 to June 1956 at Ft Polk, LA. At that time I considered it my foreign assignment. I was transferred to the USAPHS at Camp Wolters, Tx after that.

Posted by: r whitman | 18 May 2012 at 04:57 PM

Col. Lang:

The man can sing! And he obviously enjoys doing it. Thanks for the tip.

Posted by: alnval | 18 May 2012 at 06:03 PM

alnval

Like a trp to the Grand March in "Fort Apache." pl

Posted by: turcopolier | 18 May 2012 at 07:58 PM

Would it be out of line for me to note that there were quite a few rather attractive ladies in the 1st AD Band? There's something about a woman in uniform.

Posted by: Medicine Man | 18 May 2012 at 09:27 PM

Col. Lang:

Yep. Henry Fonda and Ward Bond were good but could they sing like Dempsey? Probably not. There is a specialness about Dempsey that shows up when he sings that suggests to me that he's more than just a general officer. He has a renaissance man quality to him that you only get glimpses of when he's speaking or testifying. A lot of right brain stuff. ENFJ? Fascinating aspect of the man's life.

Posted by: alnval | 18 May 2012 at 09:28 PM

Very enjoyable. I found this when I goggled for more on Dempsey speeches. The man can sing and he feels quite comfortable doing it.

Posted by: confusedponderer | 19 May 2012 at 02:38 AM

Yes, and here he is singing to his own people as their leader. There is a homeric quality in this. pl

Posted by: turcopolier | 19 May 2012 at 07:16 AM

I found him singing to the the troops of the 69th a song about and from their units history, making it palpable for his men, as their commanding officer ... for lack of a better word ... inspiring. That man is a rare bird.

When I next have one of my Irish Whiskey's, I'll toast to him and men like him.

Posted by: confusedponderer | 19 May 2012 at 09:24 AM

Link? pl

Posted by: turcopolier | 19 May 2012 at 01:18 PM

It was in the highlighted 'this' ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPtTce7cO18&feature=related

Posted by: confusedponderer | 19 May 2012 at 05:44 PM

I don't know if this the same version that CP is talking about, but here's General Dempsey singing "The Fighting 69th" on Saint Patricks Day 2012 in NYC. On this occasion, he actually says "You guys suck!" to the assembled troops when they couldn't carry a tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee-WBj4wNBY&feature=related

He also sings a mean "New York, New York."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX6-S3v3aTQ&feature=related

If you search for "General Martin Dempsey" on the YouTube page, you will find a slew of his speeches. It's a great way to learn more about the man.

Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 19 May 2012 at 07:13 PM

Thanks so much for re-posting this! What a pleasant surprise that Dempsey is a good singer.

Tonight I will be toasting this "hero of Republic" with the best Irish whiskey I have in the house (Black Bush). Wish it could be with 15 y.o. Red Breast as that is what his service merits, but that is so pricey I only by it once a year around St. Patty's day... and it's long gone by now :)

Posted by: Valissa | 20 December 2015 at 05:27 PM

Valissa

Perhaps the lesson should be that an Irish Catholic cavalryman with a Ph. D in literature (Yeats) might hear some other voice than that of POTUS. pl

Posted by: turcopolier | 20 December 2015 at 05:34 PM

Aye... and Sláinte!

Posted by: Valissa | 20 December 2015 at 05:39 PM

Wonderful

Posted by: gemini33 | 20 December 2015 at 06:39 PM