I just want to set the record straight on the individual snare drum VFW International Contests. I placed first in the 1946 contest in Boston at Soldiers Field. In 1947 I also placed first in the VFW Contest in Cleveland, Ohio. Both times, I played my solo, "2040's Sortie" (published by Ludwig Music Company). This difficult solo has sold thousands of copies for the past 60 years and has enabled many rudimental drummers to win contests and gain entry into college. My prior teachers were Ned Albright, Charlie Wilcoxon and Allan Simpson, Jr. They were all instrumental in providing me with the technical skill necessary to both compose and perform this solo and others.