The U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MarForPac) Band was organized in the early 1900's with about a dozen members. The historical records, dating from as early as 1918, show the band playing for Marines at the Marine Barracks at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. The early activities of the band centered around the Marine Barracks, ranging from concerts in front of Puller Hall to morale performances at sporting events. In 1940, the band would assume its secondary duty as a machine gun platoon under the direction of Master Technical Sergeant (closest modern rank equivalent to a Master Sergeant) Eric Isaacson. Beginning in the 1980's, the band lived and worked in building #278 aboard Pearl Harbor. This building is significant, because the first fire returned during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, came from the roof of this building. While it is unconfirmed whether it was a musician firing those rounds, it has been recorded that two Marine Musicians, Privates First Class William Memmel (a tenor sax player) and Robert Coleman (a bass player), were credited with shooting down a Japanese plane with their machine gun during the attack. In 1993, the band moved to its current home at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.
Today, under the direction of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron K. Carpenter, the band is comprised of 39 Marines. All Marines in the band are both fully trained riflemen and professional musicians. Our mission is to provide musical support for ceremonies, functions, and other occasions aboard military installations and throughout the civilian community. We accomplish this through the employment of several musical ensembles, including a marching band, wind ensemble, and various popular music groups and chamber ensembles. Over the past 120 years, Marines of the MarForPac Band performed all over the islands of Hawai'i and traveled around the Pacific to various locations including Tonga, Fiji, China, Australia, New Zealand, Saipan, Guadalcanal, Iwo To (formerly Iwo Jima), and American Samoa. By design, we strive to inspire, improve morale, and instill in audiences a sense of pride and patriotism in our nation. We represent the core values, customs, and traditions of the United States Marine Corps.