The 298th Army Band arrived in Berlin in July 1945. The band had come from London where it had been known as the European Theater of Operations (ETO) Band. On an offi cial War Department basis, however, the band, numbering 56 musicians, had been
split into two 28-men bands. The designators were the 300th Infantry and the 298th Infantry Bands. For all intents and purposes, the two bands were actually one. But this is the origination of the “298th” designator. At some point in history, the “300th” designator was dropped.
The 298th served continuously in Berlin from July 1945 until its deactivation in late 1994. This period of over 49 years of continuous service renders the band as being the longest-serving unit in Berlin. Many units had come and gone, but the band stayed.
