Yankee Doodle...Lenin?

U.S. Military Band Marches on Moscow
An American Army ensemble is the first to play inside the Kremlin, opening Victory Day festivities with British, French and Russians.
By Kim Murphy, Times Staff Writer

MOSCOW — When someone called to strike up a stirring military march for a parade through central Moscow, hardly anyone ever imagined it would be "The Stars and Stripes Forever."

Or that the Stars and Stripes itself, hoisted aloft by an Army sergeant, would lead the U.S. Army Europe Band up the Russian capital's main thoroughfare, past cheering crowds, to greet a train full of Russian war veterans.

"I've met every president. I've met hundreds of kings and queens. But marching through Moscow behind three of my soldiers carrying the American flag is pretty much the highlight of my career," said Lt. Col. Thomas H. Palmatier, commander of the Army band, which came here along with President Bush and other U.S. officials to help mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

"We played inside the Kremlin walls! We played 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' on the streets of Moscow! It was a pretty emotional experience," Palmatier said.

Surely that was one of God's most priceless bouts of "irony"...

Dutch would be pleased.

Proppage: The always excellent Donnah