Blossomland Cadets

The Blossomland Cadets drum & bugle corps was organized in the fall of 1965, under the sponsorship of the Amvet Post 88 of St. Joseph, by L. C. Maynard, Dean De May and Harry Briney.

They made their first public appearance in the Blossom parade of 1966 and were co-sponsored by American Legion Post 163 of St. Joseph and VFW Post 1137 of Benton Harbor.  They won more than a dozen first place trophies, including two Amvet State championship parade awards, and were the possessors of the second place Amvet National parade award. They won first place awards at the Hart City Festival Parade at Elkhart, in 1966 and 1968 and the Fourth of July parade at La Porte, 1966.

The corps entered the field of competition in 1968 with an appearance at the Michigan American Legion (AL) state championships in their new uniforms featuring red tunics with a black and white V-stripe, black pants with a red and white stripe for the musicians and black pleaded skirts for the guard, with pleats made of red and white. The shakos were of black mother of pearl with white trim and red plumes.

In 1969, in appearances in parades and competitions at Mid-America drum & bugle corps circuit contests, they won five awards. They also traveled to Brantford, as the official drum corps of the Berrien County athletes at the Canamer Games. They competed at the Michigan AL state championships, placing 12th and returned to the 1970 Mid-America circuit championships and remained active in parades and exhibitions in 1971 before disbanding in 1972.

Over the years, their staff included Roman Celmer as corps manager, Perry McCarty as musical director, Larry Skiboe as head of percussion, Gene Hasselfeldt as drill designer. Their Parent Group comprised of, among others, Eber Van Brocklin, James Hornus,  Dorothy Wolf and Virgil Bennett. Ray Lynn Mull, Commander of Amvet Post 88, had given so much of his time and efforts that the Cadets designated him an honorary member.

"Stars and Stripes in Music" show program on the 13 June 1970 at Filstrup Field in Benton Harbor, MI; Scrapbook of the Russ Jones Archives; Paul Legault (DCX)