FORT MILL, S.C. – The Fort Mill High School Band will travel to France for Memorial Day 2026, embarking on a poignant journey to honor the local soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First and Second World Wars.
In a ceremony coordinated by the American Battle Monuments Commission, the band will provide all ceremonial music at the St. Mihiel American Cemetery in eastern France. The performance will serve as a tribute to the 40 soldiers from Fort Mill who died while serving in the U.S. military during both World Wars.
The location holds deep historical significance. In September 1918, over 500,000 American soldiers fought at the Battle of St. Mihiel, a critical prelude to the Meuse-Argonne offensive and the final Allied push to break the Hindenburg line. The U.S. First Army’s 89th Division fought across the very land that is now the cemetery.
Fort Mill’s Band of Brothers
The students will honor the legacy of 40 local heroes known as Fort Mill’s “Band of Brothers,” including 13 who died in World War I and 27 in World War II.
Among them, Pvt. William G. Patterson rests at St. Mihiel, Pvt. Odell Myers is buried at the nearby Epinal American Cemetery, and Sgt. Thomas L. Hall earned the Medal of Honor for his actions in Montbrehain.
Help Us “Feed the Band”
To make this once-in-a-lifetime educational experience accessible for all students, the Fort Mill Band Association is launching a fundraising initiative to help cover the cost of travel and meals.
Because the cemetery is located near the French border with Switzerland, the band will fly into Zurich before making their way into France. The Association is seeking business, corporate, and individual donors to sponsor the band’s evening meals from May 20 through May 24.
Group meals in the region are a significant expense, and sponsorship will directly lower the cost of the trip for the nearly 200 students and staff attending. The Fort Mill Band Association, a registered 501(c)(3) organization, has established three sponsorship tiers:
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Gold Sponsor: $6,000
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Silver Sponsor: $3,000
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Co-Sponsor: $1,500
Community support is vital to ensuring Fort Mill students can stand on the ground where their hometown heroes fought and use their musical talents to honor a legacy of service.
For more information on how to donate or become a sponsor, residents are encouraged to contact the Fort Mill Band Association at [email protected]
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