COL (Ret) Hal Gibson at 100 Years Old - AGCRA Member & Horatio Gates Bronze Medal Awardee

History in the making!  

Congratulations to COL (Ret) Hal J. Gibson! At 100 years old, Hal is the oldest living recipient of the MG Horatio Gates Bronze Medal for his contributions to the U.S. Army Field Band, the West Point Band, and the U.S. Armed Forces Bicentennial Band. Army Band policies and procedures put into place by COL (Ret) Gibson in the 1950s are still in use today.

On September 7th, 2024, COL (Ret) Rob Manning, AGCRA President, traveled from South Carolina to Melbourne, Florida, and supported by COL (Ret) Jim Weiskopf, and COL (Ret) Jack Grogan, presented COL (Ret) Gibson with the MG Horatio Gates Bronze Medal. The award ceremony video can be viewed by clicking the link HERE.

COL (Ret) Gibson’s recent story starts with COL (Ret) Weiskopf, a retired AG officer who retired from active duty in 1992. Jim split his 26 years of active duty between Army HR and Public Affairs. From 1969 - 1971, Jim was the Public Affairs Officer and Tour Director of the Army’s official traveling band and chorus - The U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus. At that time, Jim worked for the Field Band Commander, (then) LTC Hal Gibson (who was subsequently promoted to Colonel).

Hal had the honor of commanding two of the Army’s three premier bands - both the West Point Band and the Army Field Band. Hal’s most singular accomplishment was in the mid-1970s when the Secretary of Defense issued guidance for COL Gibson to form “The Armed Forces Bicentennial Band,” an organization comprised of musicians from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps that performed concerts during our nation’s bicentennial celebration.

COL (Ret) Gibson, now long retired from the Army, lives with his wife, Marie, in Melbourne, Florida, and this past April, he celebrated his 100th birthday! The celebration consisted of a pair of concerts in Melbourne by their Community Band, guest conducted by Hal, with six of the former commanders of the Army Band and Army Field Band present.

So, at 100 years young, you’re never too old to join AGCRA!

Provided next is COL (Ret) Gibson’s biography which spans an exemplary career with U.S. Army Bands.

COL (Ret) Hal J. Gibson is an internationally acclaimed musician and conductor with a professional background spanning over half a century. For more than 30 years, he was a U.S. Army bandleader, holding positions at the highest levels of the Army’s Band Community. His Army Band career began after World War II service in the South Pacific when he was appointed Commander/Conductor of the newly formed 49th Armored Division Band of the Texas National Guard.

This band gained favorable notoriety when it was awarded the Eisenhower Trophy as the most outstanding company-sized unit in the State of Texas. Soon afterward, COL (Ret) Gibson was recalled to active duty to head up the band of the 4th Armored Division, which had just been reactivated for service in Germany during the Cold War. The band won international acclaim when it was awarded First Prize
for both concert playing and marching at the highly prestigious Erlangen International Band Festival, which hosted more than 80 bands from 22 countries.

After three years in Germany, COL (Ret) Gibson returned to the U.S. and was assigned as Associate Conductor of the Army’s “showcase” touring band, The U.S. Army Field Band. He was later assigned to the West Point Band, where he also conducted the Cadet Glee Club. This assignment was cut short when he was returned to the Army Field Band as its Commander/Conductor.

COL (Ret) Gibson’s Army career concluded with his assignment and selection from the bandleaders of all services to form and conduct the Armed Forces Bicentennial Band and Chorus. The Armed Forces Bicentennial Band was the only band ever to be comprised of members of all five uniformed services - Army, Navy, Marines, Air
Force, and Coast Guard.

After retiring from the Army, COL (Ret) Gibson was appointed Director of Bands and Professor of Music at what became known as the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. He served in this position for 18 years and developed one of the finest wind ensembles in the southeast United States.

Following his retirement from the University, the Georgia Board of Regents voted him Professor of Music Emeritus. And, in 2001, the rehearsal hall of the newly constructed River Center (sic) was named after him. Recently, the Hal J. Gibson Chair of Distinguished Conducting was also established in his honor.

Among COL (Ret) Gibson’s various awards are honorary memberships in Phi Beta Mu and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, which honored him with the Orpheus Award. He was also the first person to be named Conductor Emeritus of the U.S. Army Field Band and, at present, is an Honorary Life Member of the American Bandmasters Association. In 2004, he was inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Distinguished Band Conductors. In 2011, he was also awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters Degree by Columbus State University.

COL (Ret) Gibson retired a full decade before the AGCRA was founded — yet his miraculous life spans two-fifths of the history of the Adjutant General’s Corps. He was an accomplished Army musician and leader serving in both the active Army and the Army National Guard and has now been recognized with the MG Horatio Gates Bronze Medal.

In recognizing Hal with this award, the AGCRA underscores the meaning of AG Soldier for Life — and demonstrates that we truly stay connected for life and remember our veterans who served before we were formed.

Hal's membership in the AGCRA makes him the oldest living AGCRA member ever. His membership and ensuing recognition should serve as an inspiration to our membership, the AG Corps, the Army, and the Nation.