The 2010 edition of the Army's Spirit of America is gearing up for a regional tour that begins in September. Soldiers from this year's cast - including members of the Continental Color Guard, the Caisson Platoon, the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the U.S. Army Drill Team and The U.S. Army Band - gathered in the Fort McNair Fitness Center Aug. 3 for a rehearsal session observed by Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and Military District of Washington Commander Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst and other VIPs. The general watched from the sidelines as Soldiers reenacted the battle of Trenton in stops and starts as producers and directors tinkered with the show.
Spirit of America strings together dramatic and musical vignettes from the various military conflicts the United States has been involved in, from the Civil War, World War II and Vietnam to Grenada and Panama and Desert Storm. A special focus of this year's production is the Korean War, because this year marks the 60th anniversary of the conflict.
Personal accounts, taken directly from Soldiers' letters and diaries, help provide the storyline for a show that is historically accurate and entertaining, with reenacted battles and precision military drills. Some of the music in this year's production include: ''The Star Spangled Banner," ''Stars and Stripes Forever," ''The Army Goes Rolling Along," ''Drowsy Maggie," ''Yankee Doodle" and ''The Boys of Bluehill".
This is Sgt. William Ransom's first year appearing in Spirit of America. The 3rd U.S. Infantry Soldier was suppose to appear in last year's production but got deployed to Afghanistan after auditioning. He plays a Soldier from the Vietnam era in the current production.
''It's a powerful role where the character has to be strong and voice his opinion," said Ransom, describing how the Soldier he plays talks about his tour and how the war is progressing.
He said playing the Soldier is meaningful to him because his father served in Vietnam. Ransom hopes his dad is able to come to Pittsburgh from his home in New Jersey to see the show. U.S. Army
