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1962 record album
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1962 record album
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In August 1947, John Taff, a notable Great Bend, Ks, musician
and Rev. Joseph Tockert, organized
a drum and bugle corps for the St. Rose Catholic Boy and Girl Scouts. The
corps was initially sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and made its first
public performance Nov 26, 1947. Old timers recall the contributions of Ray 'Jiggs'
Schulz, 'Fuzzy' Brewer, Bill and Mary Lou Fryberger, Harold Hollis, Charles Miller, Grant Hoener, Don Bowsher
Sr., Tony Schartz, Harold Kunzelmann, Les Anderson, and Lou Grubb.
Click
here for an email from Joe Boley on the beginning of the Rebels and John Taff.
Click here for an email from Harold Kunzelmann,
Jr. on John Taff and the beginning of
the Rebels
In 1949, American Legion Argonne Post 180 assumed sponsorship, and membership was open to any area youths. The Post was named after the famous WW I battle in Argonne Forest, France.
During the 50s and 60s they marched against the best corps on the Great Plains like the Sky Ryders from Hutchinson, Ks, and the Troopers from Casper, Wyoming. They gradually improved and competed in several VFW, American Legion, and DCI championships. In 1955 the corps won its first state contest. From then on, they were usually the Kansas champs (unless the Sky Ryders got lucky). (See more on this era).
Probably their best year was 1972 when, under the direction of Glenn & Sandra Opie and Joe Boley, they won the American legion championship and placed 5th in the DCI championship. Unfortunately they did not do as well in succeeding years. The last marching/competition season for the Argonne Rebels was 1978.
Many residents of Great Bend remember hearing the rebels practice at night. (The Opie horn line could be heard in almost all parts of Great Bend). I would drive my '56 Chevy to the practice field behind GBHS. I remember the high observation tower that someone built on the practice field. I never climbed it, but I think it was tall enough to see Pikes Peak. Who built it, and what happened to it... Click here for email from Louis Grubb who answered the tower question.
In 1963 the Argonne Rebels traveled by bus from Great Bend, Kansas, to Miami, Florida. They stopped for dinner in Birmingham, Alabama (Continental Trailways had confirmed it would be safe). While food orders were being taken, several members of the Argonne Rebels were assaulted by white supremacists because 3 members of the Argonne Rebels were black. One Argonne Rebel was taken to a hospital for medical attention. The Rebels went on to Miami and placed 10th in the American Legion National Championship. Click here for emails from eyewitness to the attack.
Blacks were never bared from joining the Argonne Rebels. In 1958 the Rebel feeder corps had three black musicians, there could have been others prior to that date. Sandra Opie gave music lessons to several Great Bend youths, so they could be good enough to march with the Rebels. One of her students was Phil Briscoe, a black youth.
Click here
for email from Phill Brisco, one of the three black Rebels assaulted in
Birmingham
Click
here for a photo of Phil taken in 1962, the year before the Birmingham incident
(also Joe Terry and Terry Lewis)
At first the Argonne Rebel color guard carried real WWI 30-06 Enfield Rifles. Later they carried real WWII Springfield Rifles that could fire live ammo. According to Glenn Opie, "The reason we liked them is that they were unique. Each weighed around 12 pounds, and as you would flip the rifles, etc., they would rattle - good showmanship!" (webmaster's note: Remember the rattle of rifles in the opening of A Few Good Men)?
Does anyone know Jackie Johnson or Marilynn Johnson? We need someone to confirm an email received August 20, 2003, The email stated, "the Color Guard in 1955 was commanded by a girl named Jackie Johnson carrying her saber. Two other girls, including Marilynn Johnson carried rifles and competed at the state tournament in color guard competition." These girls carried modified rifles that were made lighter by hollowing-out the wooden stocks. It was also about this time that the Rebels started competing against the all girl corps from Enid, Ok., the Legionettes. Click here for Oct 14, 2003, email from Gary Shields, Rebel '52-'55
It is believed that 20 to 30 couples have married after meeting each other in the Argonne Rebels. But who are they? Please send us your photo for posting if you are one of these lucky couples. Or post your story on the discussion group (below). I recall one overnight Rebel bus trip (1962?). A couple hid behind the uniforms hung in the back of the bus, and made-out! (unfortunately it was not me). The next day, one of the chaperones moved the uniforms to a different part of the bus.
There are rumors that during the 1950's some of the Drum Corps expenses were paid by profits from illegal slot machines next to the bar at the American Legion Argonne post. The post was raided more than once, and the slot machines confiscated.
Speaking of uniforms, remember the pre-show inspections at the starting line? We polished our instruments and shoes, more than once, before each show. Some people were so nervous that they would faint during inspection! I don't recall a Rebel fainting. I think it was usually a Sky Ryder, who could not handle the stress of competing against the Rebels. When did inspections stop? Was Amnesty International involved? I remember someone was penalized for not wearing his white gloves at inspection. He said he wanted to keep them clean! I think it was the same person who made-out in the back of the bus. Click here for email answer from Glenn Opie.
Special note: Glenn
Opie is compiling a Rebel Data Base
email and snail mail addresses be sent to
opie@ArgonneRebels.RoanokeSkiClub.Org.
196
1 Argonne Rebels (MP3).Recording session
outside GBHS, summer of 1961. Two tapes were made. This tape was
made by Roger Pommerenke. Unfortunately the recording was partially destroyed by
his brother's guitar recording a few months later.
Concert 245KB
I Believe 108KB (compare to
competition recording made a year later, below)
Bloody Mary 115KB
1962 Argonne Rebels (MP3).
Recorded live in Madison, Wisconsin, July 14,
1962 (from
the LP pictured above) using software editing techniques to remove pops,
dead spaces, improve clarity, and shorten download time. These show tunes will take several
seconds to download, unless you have broadband. (Note for people on
that trip: Remember what happened during the practice in that big
room with no ventilation? Our new sweatshirts started sticking to our
sweaty skin!) ALLOW A FEW MOMENTS TO DOWNLOAD. In the same order
as performed.
1971 Argonne Rebels (Real Audio)
Real Audio clip 1971 Stereo. Note how bugle line improved in a decade. (Unfortunately RA is not compatible with many browsers).
More Argonne Rebel Information
m 1962 including the road show to Wisconsin, Minnesota and IowaPost a message or review comments here.
Other sites:
The Truth about Great Bend, Kansas. Stuff they didn't teach in school
www.argonnerebels.com By Rebel Dallas Martin. Official site for August 6-7, 2004, Rebel Reunion in Denver
Salina, KS, Silver Sabres Drum Corps Argonne Rebel CD's, DVD's, and VHS tapes for sale. (click on "for sale")
Please email webmaster, Roger Pommerenke GBHS '64, at webmaster@ArgonneRebels.RoanokeSkiClub.Org with ideas to improve this web page. Or better yet, just post an article (above). Jpeg photos and nostalgia will be especially appreciated. The webmaster marched with the Rebel color guard for part of 1961 and 1962. He recently retired and thought he would have fun writing this webpage. Visit his home page at members.cox.net/pommerenke
visitors since site launched June 2003.
Click here to access a printable version of this page
Last updated 03/23/04 . Copyright 2003 - 04.
