The 44th Army Band is the State of New Mexico’s “Musical Military Ambassador.” The unit’s roots can be traced back to the “New Mexico Volunteers” of 1590, and it served during significant periods of the nation’s history, most notably during World War II as the 200th Coast Artillery Band. On April 9th, 1942, the band was surrendered to the Japanese and forced to march in Corregidor and on the Bataan Peninsula thus earning their name “The Battling Bastards of Bataan.” The band was deactivated in the 60’s and remained inactive until the late 70’s when it was reinstated as the 44th Army Band – “New Mexico’s Own” Army National Guard Band.
In 2011, the band deployed a small musical support team consisting of six musicians to Kosovo where they actively performed throughout the military and civilian communities of Kosovo. They integrated and performed with their National Symphony, performed and conducted music education classes in their public and private schools, performed for numerous NATO countries, their own NMNG soldiers as well as other soldiers from many other states located on Camp Bondsteel and other camps located throughout Kosovo.
In 2012, the 44th Army Band formed “Mariachi Adelante,” the first Mariachi band in the entire Armed Forces. Mariachi Adelante was invited to play in our Nation’s Capital in 2023 and 2024.
Today, the 44th Army Band’s primary musical mission is to support our troops and assist with local public and foreign relations around the world. The band consists of a full concert band, a 1950’s style jazz big band, “Green Chile Gumbo,” a New Orleans style traditional jazz band, “Breaking Brass,” a brass pop band, and “Mariachi Adelante.”
