Seeking information about Marine Band at the World Fair

Dear Ms. Burns,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We searched the National Archives Catalog and located General Correspondence, 1913 - 1938 in the Records of the U.S. Marine Corps (Record Group 127) and General Files, 8/1926 - 6/1940 in the General Records of the Department of the Navy (Record Group 80) that may include correspondence regarding the participation of the Quantico Marine Corps Band in the 1933-1934 Century of Progress International Exposition at Chicago (aka Chicago World’s Fair). For more information about these records, please email the National Archives at Washington, DC - Textual Reference (RDT1) at Archives1reference@nara.gov.

We also located General Correspondence, 1932 - 1934 and Reports of Government Agencies on Participation in the Fair, 1933 - 1934 in the Records of International Conferences, Commissions, and Expositions (Record Group 43) that may include information on Marine involvement in the fair. For more information about these records, please email the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2)

at Archives2reference@nara.gov.

In addition, we located Expositions and World's Fairs in the United States, 1892 - 1939 in the Records of the Public Buildings Service (Record Group 121) and United States Exhibits at International Expositions, 1888 - 1934 (Record Group 43) that include photographs relating to the fair, although it is not clear if they might include photographs of the bands or if they are strictly confined to buildings and exhibits respectively. Next, we located General Photographic File, 1900 - 1941 and General Photograph File of the U.S. Marine Corps, 1927 - 1981 that potentially could contain photographs of Marine involvement in the fair.  For more information about these records, please email the National Archives at College Park - Still Pictures (RDSS) at stillpix@nara.gov.

Plus, you may be interested in receiving a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and medical records of officers and enlisted personnel of the U.S. Marine Corps who were separated from service after 1904 and prior to 1958 are located at NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO  63138-1002.  To request these records, please mail a completed GSA Standard Form 180 to NPRC.  For more information see Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Records Requests

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RDT1, RDT2, and RDSS. Also, the National Personnel Records Center is is currently only servicing emergency requests and will soon expand its service to include time-sensitive requests from veterans for records needed to secure VA home loan guarantees and employment opportunities. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.

The main archive for the Century of Progress International Exposition, including the official records from the event and the papers of Lenox Lohr, general manager of the fair, are housed in Special Collections & University Archives at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Their finding aids for these records are here. In particular, A Century of Progress, Series 2: Government Correspondence includes a file entitled “United States Marine Band, ca. 1933-1934.” It is not clear from the file title if this is referencing the Quantico Marine Corps Band or the United States Marine Band (aka “The President’s Own”), which are two distinct organizations.

Next, we located collections relating to the exposition at the University of Chicago Library and the Chicago Public Library.

Finally, you may wish to contact the National Museum of the Marine Corps Museum, the Marine Corps History Division, and the Quantico Marine Corps Band.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!