(Born: Mar 1, 1904 in Clarinda, IA, Died: Dec 15, 1944 in English Channel)

Only Glenn Miller’s decision to enlist in the Army stopped his orchestra’s success. He did the near-impossible and organized the finest military jazz band ever heard, his Army Air Force Band. By 1944, when it had relocated to London, it featured clarinetist Peanuts Hucko, pianist Mel Powell, drummer/singer Ray McKinley, trumpeter Bobby Nichols and sometimes a string section and a vocal group. Their version of “St. Louis Blues March” became famous and this group’s broadcasts and radio transcriptions are well worth searching for.  Glenn Miller flew across the English Channel in December 1944 with plans of setting up engagements on the Continent.  His plane was shot down (quite possibly in error by the Allies) and lost. ~AMG or December 15, 1944 a cold, wet and foggy afternoon,  Glenn Miller departed an RAF-Base, in England in a Norseman C-64 aircraft. The flight was to take Glenn Miller and other passengers to Paris.  However, the flight never made it.  It is believed the aircraft encountered icing conditions over the English Channel and crashed. Glenn Miller and his band had been performing for Allied Troops prior to the crash and was planning on putting on a show in Paris, France. ~AVSTOP.com