(printed by permission of the author, Harold Kunzelmann, Jr., Great Bend, Ks.
July 20, 2003,
Hi Roger:
My brother and I took trumpet lessons from John Taff. Most always my dad, Harold
Kunzelmann Sr., would pick us up at Mr. Taff's music room in the back of his home.
I recall many of the conversations between my dad and Mr. Taff about starting a
Drum and Bugle Corps. Dad asked prominent members of the Knights of Columbus to sponsor the organization.
I remember Tony Schartz expressing interest in helping push the idea.
I was one of the first members when the St. Rose Drum & Bugle corps was
formed in 1947. The next year the name was changed to the Argonne Rebels
(the same year I transferred to St. Joseph Military School in Hays, Ks).
I recall one of the first parades from a picture in front of Gates Drug store of Main Street. My mother was on the east side of the street with her Brownie camera. The picture showed a very savvy line of youngsters trying to do our best. Mr. Taff was waving his hand vigorously to keep the timing correct. I was playing bass drum and playing my bugle at the same time because our drummer was ill.
Before the corps was formed, I played taps for WW2 soldiers who were brought home to Great Bend for burial. At the first funeral, as the volley was fired, the mother and wife of the soldier began crying and screaming. I cried as I played the taps but the result was a kind of warble that made the taps more emotional. From that time on, the firing squad had me stand behind a tree to play the taps so the mourners could not see me crying. Over the years I find myself holding back tears whenever taps are played.
When Mr. Taff died it was a shock to our family. I was away at school in Hays and my mother called to inform me of the sad news. During the years of the corps' very successful years my mother and father sent me pictures of the corps' various activities. I was always and am still proud to have been a part of the corps.
Sincerely,
Harald Kunzelmann, Jr.
(Note from webmaster. Mr. Kunzelmann is owner and operator of, "Harold's Hearing-Aid Help" in Great Bend, Kansas. I wonder if there is a connection between playing a bugle for several years, and operating a hearing-aid facility)