Musicians of a U.S. Army Air Forces band perform during a wartime concert, circa the 1940s. Military bands like this one boosted morale on bases and at public events, blending martial tradition with the popular big-band sound of the era. The brass, reed, and woodwind players pictured here — trumpets, trombones, saxophone, and clarinet — reflect the standard instrumentation of a service dance band, an entertainment staple for American servicemen and women throughout World War II. Project: 218519