Ten-hut! Fall in for U.S. military precision

By Meredith Deliso

A rich military ceremony returns to Brooklyn this month.

On June 20, the Bay 8th Street/Dyker Park ballfield in Bay Ridge will welcome Twilight Tattoo, an hour-long military pageant featuring soldiers from The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”

The spectacle, which has been in the U.S. Army Military District of Washington for many years but in Brooklyn since 1997, has traditionally been hosted by the United States Army Garrison Fort Hamilton. In 2006, the army base started construction on new military housing, forcing the pageant to be held in Marine Park. This year marks the return of the ceremony to the southern Brooklyn neighborhood.

“This is the first time in four years that it’s back in the Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst area and we are totally excited to bring it back home,” said Cathy SantoPietro, community relations officer for US Army Garrison Fort Hamilton.

Twilight Tattoo offers a fast-paced glimpse into American army history, from Revolutionary times to its current military operations, with the Commander in Chief’s Guard dressed in period uniform.

Performances will come from the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and the U.S. Army Drill Team; The U.S. Army Band Blues jazz ensemble; vocalists from The U.S. Army Chorus; and The U.S. Army Chorale.

The event starts at 6 p.m., with pre-ceremonial music by the US Army’s jazz ensemble at 5:30 p.m.With over 2,000 spectators expected to come to this year’s pageant, there is limited bleacher seating, so be sure to bring a lawn chair or a blanket to enjoy the show. The event is free and open to the public.

To get to the park by bus, take the B-8 or B-70 to VA Hospital. By subway take the R train to 95th Street and transfer to the B8 bus to VA Hospital. Parking is next to the hospital.

For more information contact the Fort Hamilton Public Affairs Office at 718-630-4783 or visit www.mdw.army.mil.