John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa was born today, November 6, 1854 in Washington, DC. When Sousa was 13 he wanted to join a circus band. To prevent this, his parents enlisted him in the U.S. Marine Corps as an apprentice musician. Sousa was a band master and composer of military marches and the sousaphone. Sousa wrote 136 marches including: Semper Fidelis, the official march of the U.S. Marines Corps, Stars and Strips Forever, the National march of the United States. Bearwiskers says... Hoorah!