09/25/2026
***Concert moved indoors to Ackerman Auditorium at Kings Point ***
ACTOR & HUMANITARIAN GARY SINISE & THE LT. DAN BAND TO PERFORM AT U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Concert moved indoors to Ackerman Auditorium at Kings Point
Gary’s ties to New York City and support for our nation’s military and first responders come together at Kings Point during the 25th anniversary year of September 11
KINGS POINT, NY – The Gary Sinise Foundation, which was established in 2011 by Actor and Humanitarian Gary Sinise who has been a staunch supporter of our nation’s veterans, first responders, heroes and defenders for more than 40 years, announced that Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band will perform at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 6 p.m.. Due to weather, the concert has been moved indoors to Ackerman Auditorium.
Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band (LTDB), a program of the Gary Sinise Foundation, was formed in 2003. The name was inspired by Gary’s iconic role as wounded Vietnam War veteran Lt. Dan Taylor in the Academy Award-winning film Forrest Gump. LTDB salutes, supports, uplifts, and entertains our nation’s service members, first responders, and the communities they serve. To date, the band has performed 626 concerts around the globe.
Gary’s ties to New York City and his support of local first responders amplified significantly 25 years ago after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and seeing the images of heroic first responders running into danger towards the twin towers to try and save as many lives as they could.
That connection carries special significance at Kings Point. On September 11, 2001, 184 members of the Kings Point community responded, as midshipmen, faculty and staff mobilized to assist in rescue and recovery efforts following the attacks on the World Trade Center. Academy vessels were put into service transporting first responders, supplies and equipment to lower Manhattan in the days that followed. The Academy’s response
continued through September 19 as part of Operation Guarding Liberty. USMMA’s documented history describes Academy assets moving more than 1,500 firefighters, EMTs, police officers and other rescue personnel, as well as several tons of food, water and rescue supplies.
“I remember after September 11, 2001, I just found this aching, this terrible feeling, this broken heart, this sadness, and I remember going to our little Catholic Church on the Friday after the Tuesday,” said Actor and Humanitarian Gary Sinise. “And the priest, I don’t even know if he said this, but I heard it that day-- that service to others can be a great way to heal your broken heart. And after that, I began to take action to support our defenders, including
right here in New York City.”
Gary’s legacy of support of first responders across the New York City region:
Shortly after 9/11, Gary started volunteering with the USO, embarking on overseas tours to support the troops.
On his very first tour to Iraq in June 2003, Gary met retired NYC Fire Captain John Vigiano Sr. On September 11, when the towers collapsed, John lost his two sons, Joseph Vigiano, a NYC police officer, and John Vigiano Jr., a NYC firefighter. Gary and John became close friends, working together to honor New York’s Bravest by visiting local firehouses and helping to raise money with a concert on August 8, 2007 to build the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance. The Wall honors the 416 local first responders and one Fire Department Chaplain, Father Mychal Judge. In September 2024, Gary returned to John’s old firehouse to serve meals of appreciation and present a donation to support the FDNY Foundation. In 2025, Gary visited FDNY Engine 8/Ladder 2/Battalion 8 to serve additional meals of appreciation.
In 2010, Gary also volunteered his band to help raise money for Staten Island, Iraq War veteran U.S. Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco to build a mortgage-free, specially adapted home. Brendan was severely wounded in 2009, losing both his arms and both his legs.
In 2011, Gary established the Gary Sinise Foundation as an extension of his personal efforts. In 2012, the Gary Sinise Foundation supported Superstorm Sandy recovery.
Gary’s professional career also took him to New York performing on and off Broadway and playing the role of Detective Mac Taylor in CSI: NY (2004-2013) for nine seasons. His character was named in honor of his son Mac and his late brother-in-law, Boyd Mac Harris, a Vietnam War veteran. The Gary Sinise Foundation also recently partnered with the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum to bring local high school students born after September 11 to the museum and pair them with a first responder who lived through September 11, to bridge that knowledge across generations.
For more information on the Gary Sinise Foundation, including programs, initiatives, and upcoming events, along with the upcoming concert, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.
ABOUT THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION Gary Sinise is an award-winning actor and humanitarian, best known for his roles in CSI:NY, Apollo 13, and his Oscar-nominated
performance in the film Forrest Gump as the wounded Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor. An advocate for our nation’s defenders since the 1980s, after 9/11 Sinise began a tireless crusade to support America’s military and first responders around the world
with handshake tours and concerts with his band, the Lt. Dan Band. In 2011, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation as an extension of those efforts. Today, the Foundation is building custom homes for severely wounded heroes, honoring and supporting the families of our fallen, providing essential equipment and training for first responders, improving the mental
wellness of our defenders, and so much more. For more information and to support, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.
ABOUT THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, located in Kings Point, N.Y., educates and graduates leaders of exemplary character who are inspired to serve the national security, marine transportation and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers and commissioned officers in the Armed Forces. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Academy in 1943. USMMA is administered by the Maritime Administration under the U.S. Department of Transportation.
