Buddhist Scouts Troop 252

The Buddhist Scouts Troop 252 drum and bugle corps was formed in the fall 1954 by Min Tsubota and was sponsored by the Boy Scouts Explorer Post 252 and the Seattle Buddhist Church. The corps’
colors were green, white, and red. 

The Scouts, predominantly a Japanese-American corps, performed mostly in parade competitions and community events over the course of their existence. Funding was provided by parents and church members. Drums, bugles, flags and wooden rifles were purchased. Uniforms were created. Bugles were standard brass Key of G bugles. Drums were wood with cowskin heads.  

The corps competed on the field in 1965, placing 4^th at the WA American Legion state “Class A” championships and the 1965 American Legion Nationals, placing 11^th in the preliminaries. A group of members and parents broke away from the Buddhist Scouts and the church affiliation to form the Seattle Imperials in the fall of 1965.

The corps continued to perform as a parade and exhibition unit from 1966 to 1982, returning to the field of competition in 1983 as members of the Northwest drum corps circuit for one last season. Highlights included the opening ceremony at the 1962 Sate Fair in Seattle and the 25th anniversary of Hiroshima in 1969. They spent 3 weeks in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Osaka, performed a concert and took place in each city’s civil ceremonies. 

 They disbanded in 1984.

 Encyclopedia of Drum and Bugle Corps, 1966; rec.arts.marching.drumcorps 8/12/99; Paul Legault (DCX)