Creider - Veni Vidi Vici Suite

The Veni Vidi Vici Suite is a four-movement work for concert band composed by James Michael Creider as a personal tribute to his late father, James ("Pappy") Creider, who served as ground crew chief for the B-17F bomber Veni Vidi Vici (Boeing serial no. 42-30661) during World War II. The aircraft flew 32 missions with the 562nd Squadron, 388th Heavy Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, stationed at Knettishall Air Base in Suffolk, England.

The Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress was one of the most iconic heavy bombers of WWII, renowned for its durability and the bravery of its crews. The 388th Bomb Group arrived at Station 136, Knettishall, in June 1943 and flew strategic bombing missions over occupied Europe until the end of the war in 1945.

The suite's four movements each tell a chapter of this story:

• I. Knettishall — Evokes the English countryside and the air base that was home to the 562nd Squadron.
• II. 42-30661 — A musical portrait of a "milk run" mission: the tension of the unknown, the calm of the flight, the explosion over target, and the relief of returning home.
• III. Poltava — Depicts the Luftwaffe's devastating night bombing of the Allied air base at Poltava, Ukraine on June 21, 1944, during Operation Frantic — the shuttle bombing campaign between England, Italy, and Soviet bases. Pappy Creider survived the two-hour attack sheltering in a slit trench as a Nazi bomber dropped bombs nearby — the closest one a dud.
• IV. Mission to Poznan — On February 24, 1944, the Veni Vidi Vici flew its 32nd and final mission to Poznan, Poland. Crippled by flak and low on fuel, pilot 1st Lt. Al Montgomery diverted to neutral Sweden to save his crew rather than ditch in the North Sea — a decision that brought them all home alive.

The movements can be performed as a complete suite (total running time: 19:39) or as individual standalone pieces. Suitable for high school, university, and community bands.

This digital PDF download delivers the complete score and parts instantly after purchase.