Most people join the Navy out of economic necessity, a sense of duty to country, or a desire to see the world. McMillen joined because he had always wanted to be in a Naval band. This desire, his sister Isabelle would tell you, went back to his childhood growing up near a train depot by the Susquehanna River. There, he'd sit and listen as various travelers would pick a tune on a banjo or whistle as they waited for the No. 26 headed downriver.
But when McMillen got to the Navy, he quickly learned a hard truth. If you wanted to play in the Naval band, you had to pay for your own instrument. McMillen was not a rich man, and he couldn't even afford a jew's harp.
So what did he do? He caught a cat and he played that cat like it was nobody's business. Boy could he make that cat sing.
-Thank you, The Navy
(Editor's Note: Today I am expanding the site to include public domain images from .mil sites.)
