Chocolatiers

The Chocolatiers drum and bugle corps was originally discussed in June of 1928 by the Hershey American Legion (AL) Post 386. In the planning stages over the next 2 years, the corps, known as the Hershey AL Post 386 drum corps, was officially formed in December 1930 as a self-sponsored unit, originally affiliated with the Legion Post 386 and later, adding the Hershey VFW Post 3502.

The Hershey group went on to perform from 1931 to 1941 as a parade and exhibition corps before going inactive during World War II, reorganizing in October 1946. The Post 386, in their green and gray uniforms with yellow accessories, entered parade competitions from 1947 to 1950, winning the 1948 and 1949 AL state “Class C” parade title. In April of 1950, the Post changed the corps’ name to the Chocolatiers as they placed in 4^th position in the “Class C” division in the state convention that year.

The Chocolatiers entered the field of competition in 1951 as members of the Eastern States circuit, placing 6^th in the 1952 championships along with 3 consecutive AL state “Class C” championships from 1952 to 1954. By 1955, the corps resumed field competition, sporting their new uniforms of green and gold blouses with brown pants, before returning to parade status from 1956 to 1958.

In 1959, the Hershey corps placed 2^nd in the PA AL “Class C” division, re-entering the field of competition in the 1960 Legion state “Class B” contest, placing 7^th. The following year saw the corps place 2^nd in the 1961 state “Class A” division and added a 6^th place finish in the Interstate circuit championships. Over the next 4 season, the Chocolatiers competed regularly, including a 3^rd place finish in the 1964 Interstate championships and the PA state “Class B” title that same year. In 1965, the corps pursued its competitive status before reverting back as a parade and exhibition unit for the next 2 years, capturing the 1967 PA AL “Class C” championship title.

In 1968, in an attempt to keep the corps active, they merged with the Dutchmen of Ephrata and continued performing until February of 1970, when the corps fused into the Westshoremen Bonnie-Scots. After several years of inactivity, the Hershey AL Post 386 reactivated the corps in May of 1977, performing locally and regionally over the next 2 years, before re-entering the field of competition one last season as members of the 1979 Drum Corps Associates circuit, where they placed 15^th in the preliminaries. As an integral part of the corps’ history, from 1951 to 1982, the Chocolatiers sponsored the infamous and highly regarded “Hershey Invitational” contest.

In 1981, the corps was once again inactivated and the organization disbanded in 1983.

Encyclopedia of Drum and Bugle Corps, 1966; Paul Legault

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