John Philip Sousa for Monty Python's Flying Circus), "The Thunderer" and "The Washington Post". Sousa began his career playing violin and studying music theory and composition under John Esputa and George Felix Benkert. His father enlisted him in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. After departing the band in 1875, Sousa learned to conduct. From 1880 until his death, he focused exclusively on conducting and the writing of music. He eventually rejoined the Marine Band and served there for 12 years as director. On leaving the Marine Band, Sousa organized his own band. Sousa aided in the development of
John Philip Sousa national chapter to become an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary band fraternity. On September 27, 1929, Sousa was made a Commander of the Order of the Phoenix at the Manlius Military Academy, Manlius, NY. This was a tribute to his service to music and in recognition of his friendship for the Manlius Cadet Band. In 1932, he was initiated as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha Xi chapter at the University of Illinois. During World War II, the Liberty ship SS "John Philip