Loud Pipes Save Lives



So says the sticker you can buy to place on your Harley or your leather jacket. Sometimes they need to be loud to be heard over the roar of jet engines as Capt. Hesketh Miller, USAF has no doubt found when he plays the Great Highland Bagpipe at Aviano air base in Italy.

Neither Italy nor the United States Air Force are complete strangers to the pipes. The Air Force at one time had the only pipe band authorized by the American services who played as part of their duties. Sandy Jones, who up until a couple of years ago was Pipe Major of the Citadel Pipe Band in South Carolina, was at one time P/M of the Air Force Pipe Band. A fine band, one of the best in the U.S. at the time, it was axed during the Johnson administration as an economy move.

As for Italy, well you might start here. (But this week only! By October 4th the picture shown at this link is likely to be totally irrelevant. That webmaster changes his "Piping Pictures of the Week", well, weekly.)
For a more formal kilted look, try the City of Rome Pipe Band.

Thanks to Mark for the link to Capt. Miller and getting me started on this tangent.