Donald Lines: Bringing A Little Enjoyment To All With The 76th Army Band

By Paula Anderson, Honor Flight Chicago Veteran Interview Volunteer

It was only 16 inches in length, but when light would hit it, either natural or artificial, it shone so brightly that a person was required to wear a pair of sunglasses to tone down the glare.  But the sounds that came out of it all but made up for that little inconvenience.  This was the duty weapon for Donald L. Lines during the Korean War, 1952-1954 – his beloved cornet he played with the United States 76th Army Band.

Donald was born in Morrison, Illinois, but moved to Fulton, Illinois at the age of three months where he lived until several years after the war,  and still has roots there today.

As a freshman in high school, his mother strongly persuaded him to join the band there.  A local resident had a cornet for sale at exactly the same time of his mother’s persuasion and thus, a horn player was born. 

After graduating high school in 1949, Donald began a job as a timekeeper with the local Curtis Sash & Door factory. It was in the spring of 1952, at the age of twenty that he was drafted for the Korean War, along with a buddy of his. He was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas for sixteen weeks of Basic Training. 

It was about ten weeks into his training that he learned of a band school at Fort Riley. He approached his commander about getting into the school and was sent to do so the very next day. He was told that he first needed to finish out the remaining six weeks of Basic Training, and would then get his orders for the eight weeks of band school thereafter. 

He was assigned after band school to Fort Sam Houston, Texas for only one week, followed by an assignment to Camp Polk, Louisiana for four months.  It was during this time that orders came down that more musicians were needed in Europe. He and a fellow band member, a saxophonist, were sent to Hamburg, Germany, then traveled by train to Munich, Germany, as they were “special services.”

After four additional months of  band training , he was then assigned to Orleans, France for the next 8-9 months. His weeks were filled playing with the band while weekends were spent sightseeing around France, especially Paris. “I got to see all the touristy spots: the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Moulin Rouge, just to name a few places. I had the time of my life during my service period.”

He had thought of extending his service time after his initial period was completed so as to rise up in the ranks from Private 1st Class to Corporal in order to make more money. He decided his widowed mother needed him back home in Fulton, Illinois instead. He ended up selling the cornet to a local kid when he returned and never played a musical instrument again. 

He went back to work at Curtis Sash & Door in Fulton, this time working his way up to customer scheduler where he worked until 1962. After moving to Forest Park, Illinois he began working for Chicago Northwestern Railroad for the next thirty years in the supply department.

On weekends, he would go to the Melody Mill Ballroom to “pick up chicks.” He met the love of his life there,  a young lady named Jean who was a Chicago fashion model, mostly for ladies hats.  They were together for over 25 years, until her death in 2002.

In his spare time when not tinkering around his house in Forest Park, “as there is always something that needs to get done”, Donald at the age of 90, still drives down to Fulton, Illinois once a month to his childhood home which he rents out. He enjoys visits with cousins and other relatives. He also enjoys a good garage or estate sale as he collects sports, music and tapestry items. 

His only regret was not having gone active reserve as he so many times had thought about.  He loved being in the military, just not on a full time basis. Otherwise, his time in the service had been one of the most memorable periods of his life. 

Thank you for your service Donald. Enjoy your Honor Flight day with your comrades!