Tom Corbett Marching Song & Space Cadet Pledge

TOM CORBETT
MARCH AND PLEDGE

NEW The original composer of the Space Cadet March was thought to be unknown. However, thanks to fellow cadets, new information on both the Tom Corbett and Space Patrol themes have been added to this page (See the update following the Space Cadet March ).

SPACE CADET MARCH
The Tom Corbett arrangement was prepared by Dorothy Sue Noland for Ward Dean and was prepared for publication by Donna Payton for Joe Sarno's Space Academy Newsletter # 8 January-June 1981.

From the rocket fields of the Academy .....

To the far flung stars of outer space
We are space cadets training to be
Ready for dangers we may face.

We are space cadets, and we are proud to say our fightfor right will never cease.

Like a cosmic ray, we light the way,
For Inter-planet peace!

Up in the sky, rocketing past,
Higher than high, faster than fast,
Out into space, into the sun
Look at her go when we give her the gun

From the rocket fields of the Academy .....

Tom Corbett and Space Patrol theme music.

Over the years questions and information about the composition of the Tom Corbett and Space Patrol themes have made their way to the Academy. Was the music public domain, a commissioned work for the shows or a hybrid of lyrics to public domain music. Thanks to A. Joseph Ross and Lou Rugani 's research we have some answers about the shows music.

From Cadet Ross
The Tom Corbett music is a march called "Light of Foot," by C. Lattan. I've actually heard it occasionally in other contexts: once, played by one of the bands marching in President Eisenhower's second inaugural parade, and once as background music to an excerpt from a British newsreel about World War II, which was included in A&E Biography's program about the Queen Mother.

The Space Patrol theme is something called "Stratosphere" by Eric Spear. I've also heard that in two other contexts, both in connection with aviation. The first was as background music to a feature on gliders that was shown on the Howdy Doody show in the mid-1950s. The second was as theme music during the closing credits of a film on helicopters that we saw in school.

From Cadet Rugani

On the Tom Corbett theme,
Hank Sylvern Hank did the music for sure, and probably the lyrics, and that took a bit of digging to find out, as Rockhill tried to keep the illusion alive on the record label. (Notice it's credited to the Space Academy Marching Band, but did you ever try marching with a harp?) The orchestra and chorus was most likely assembled and conducted by Mitch Miller, who did many such Golden children's records. I wasn't aware of other versions besides the Golden release and the soundtrack score, which didn't use lyrics.

THE SPACE CADET PLEDGE

Several variations of the Pledge have been noted. The first Pledge is from Joe Sarno's newsletter and the second is from the Space Academy Cadet Certificate issued with the Kellogg's membership package.

Space Academy Newsletter # 7

1950 Kellogg's Space Academy certificate

Any other variations? Send them to the Academy for the archive.

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