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site design . On a winter's night in the early 1950's, the Amityville American Legion Post was the scene of a stormy, 5-hour long meeting. The major point of contention was the proposed formation of a pipe and drum band. The Post had for many years been hiring outside bands for parades and other events. This had become a costly undertaking over the years, and it had been suggested that the Post form its own musical group which would, in time, pay for itself. A member of the Post, John Magee, had attended a Legion event in Williamsburg, Va., where he had been very impressed by a performance of the Virginia Highlanders, the first Legion-sponsored pipe band in the United States. While there, Magee had struck up a conversation with the Highlanders' 80-year-old bass drummer, a native of Scotland, who gave Magee a picture of himself as a young man wearing Royal Stewart piper's regalia. It was this chance meeting that resulted in the conception of the band, and of its name and uniform, as well! When the idea turned into a formal proposal at a Post business meeting, it was met with a certain amount of resistance; after all, the Post had none of the required equipment, and there was not a Legionnaire present who had the slightest idea how to play a bagpipe! Nevertheless, the bold resolution passed, and the Post generously put up $10,000 for the venture. Two Post members, Joe Lauria and Hugh Hardie, were experienced drummers, and they became the nucleus of the new band. Tom Connelly, whom Magee had known from his job, was "hired" as the first piping instructor (he came out from the city to give lessons and received no pay). Drumming instructions were also arranged. Meanwhile, equipment and uniforms were ordered from Scotland. There was an unforeseen complication here because if the band wished to pattern itself on the Highland regimental pipe bands, with pipers wearing the Royal Stewart tartan, it had to first obtain approval from no less than the Queen Mother of England! Her permission was duly received, but, unfortunately, this unique document was lost when a fire destroyed the original Legion Hall in 1963. Finally, one day, uniforms and equipment arrived in crates on a Manhattan pier, where Joe Lauria personally picked them up and transported them to Amityville. The band was in business! The band's debut performance was a Memorial Day parade in 1953. That October, the first Tartan Ball was held in the Legion Hall, a tradition that continues to this day. For many years, the band also hosted an annual Scottish/Irish night, which was held in April. On August 31, 1954, the band was en route to a Legion convention in Washington, D.C. when Hurricane Carol struck. The intrepid musicians were aboard the only plane to depart Idlewild Airport that day, for which they received the nickname "Hurricane Highlanders". The band has played for most of the Legion posts and fire departments on Long Island, as well as, for state and national Legion conventions, including a memorable trip to Hawaii in 1973. Other exotic locations visited by the band have included Atlantic City; Newport, R.I.; Forest City, Pa.; Philadelphia; West Point; and Ebbets Field (home of the Brooklyn Dodgers). The band has also served as the opening act for the actual Black Watch at Nassau Coliseum. The band's uniform has remained basically unchanged. Pipers wear a kilt of the Royal Stewart tartan with a blue tunic and dark blue glengarry cap or a feather bonnet. Drummers wear a Black Watch, or "42nd" tartan, a balmoral cap, and a scarlet tunic. The color guard originally wore a white tunic, but now wear a red tunic, Black Watch tartan, and glengarry. The drum major's commands (wheel, mark time, form circle, etc.) are those used by the Black Watch, which sets the band apart from virtually all American pipe bands. SOME MAJOR AWARDS WON: Best Pipe Band, St. Patrick's Day, New York City - 1981 Best Pipe Band, Rockville Centre St. Patrick's Day Parade - 2000 Best Appearing Band, 7th Battalion Parade, Uniondale - 2000 2nd Place Best Band, Amityville Fourth of July Parade - 2000 Best Pipe Band, Bethpage St. Patrick's Day Parade - 2001 Best Pipe Band, Bay Shore/Brightwaters St. Patrick's Day Parade - 2002 Best Marching Band, Pipes in the Valley - 2002 Best Appearing Commercial Band, Nassau County - 2005 2nd Place - Best Pipe Band, St. Patrick's Day, New York City - 2005 Best Appearing Commercial Band, Nassau County - 2006
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