Marine Corps 5-String Banjo
Theme: U.S. Marine Corps/Navy Corpsmen – Iwo Jima, Feb. 1945
Description: While carving the heel of the neck on a new banjo, I decided this will be a Marine Corps Banjo. Later, realizing I directly or indirectly knew several guys that were on Iwo Jima during WWII, the theme developed with that emphasis.
Components: Cox burl walnut resonator; Sullivan archtop tone ring and rim; Prucha stretcher band, flange and brackets, all from Mike Guggemos, Winsted, Mn; Marine Corps emblems and Navy Corpsman Caduceous from Marine Corps Activewear, Joplin, Mo; Ivory scrimshawed truss rod cover by Ed Weber, Nashville, Tn., CustomScrimshaw.Com. It has the names of the five flag raisers in the famous picture. Bella Voce style inlays on a rosewood fingerboard from First Quality Music Shop with Semper Fi inlaid in the Mastertone block.
Construction; Neck/heel carving by Andy Muenich, USMC Veteran. Final finish, fretting and assembly by Jay Pierce, Luthier. My wife, Ginny, inscribed the names on the head of the banjo.
Names: My cousin, Lowell "Slim" LaGesse, Bloomer, Wi. Was there?.one of his friends from New Auburn, James Dahl, was there as a Navy Corpsman. Richard Morrison, Escanaba, Mi. and Slim were best buddies through boot camp and all the landings of the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific Theater during WWII with Iwo Jima the last one. Jerry Ziehme, Cumberland, Wi., Navy Corpsman, was on top of Mt. Suribachi during both flag raisings and worked right under Navy Corpsman, John "Doc" Bradley, Antigo, Wi., who was one of the flag raisers in the famous picture. Herb Aitken, M.D., Eau Claire, Wi., Army Surgeon, aboard a Navy Hospital Ship worked day and night saving wounded Marines. We were neighbors for 30 years and he was on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Assn. for many years. Dennis Meyer, Altoona, Wi. And Arnold Sudbrink, Augusta, Wi., both Marine Riflemen, round out this group of Americans who left many of their friends on Iwo Jima. James Dahl was Best-Man at Arnold Sudbrink's wedding who married a cousin of mine, Naomi (Girlie) LaGesse, Slim's sister. This banjo is dedicated to all those who served in the Armed Forces of the USA.
Semper Fi!
Andy Muenich, Birchwood, Wisconsin