A ship's band poses in full dress uniform on the deck of a U.S. Navy cruiser, likely USS Columbia, in the early 1900s. Ship's bands provided music for ceremonies, dressing-ship occasions, and shipboard morale, and were a source of pride aboard capital warships. This photograph holds special significance within the album of N. Fitchelberg, identified on the album's cover as a 'Musician, U.S.N.' — he was very possibly one of the men pictured here among his shipmates. Project: 218602