Empire State Grenadiers

The Empire State Grenadiers, based in Cohoes, New York, was founded in 1949 from a nucleus of World War II veterans. Most original members had marched either with The Boy Rangers Jr. Corps of Cohoes, or with Noble Callahan American Legion Post of Troy, New York, both junior corps.

In 1958 the Grenadiers merged with the Berkshire Marauders of Pittsfield to form the Interstatesmen.

[Marlene Brown (Chickie)]
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THE CORPS BEGAN WITH MEMBERS OF THE FOLLOWING LOCAL JR. CORPS

ALBANYLANCERS-ALBANY(SR&JRs)
NOBEL CALLAHAN-TROY
LEGNARD CURTAIN-GREEN ISLAND
BOY RANGERS-COHOES
ST.MARY'S-WATERFORD
PETERS PURCELL-MECHANIVILLE
IMPERIALS(SR.)-MECHANICVILLE

BALANCE OF CORPS-NO EXPERIENCE FROM LOCAL AREA

HISTORY OF INITIAL YEAR;
EQUIPMENT-PURCHASED WITH ALOAN FROM THE FATHER AND SON FROM THE BOY RANGERS
FLAGS HOME MADE

UNIFORMS;

CAME FROM LOCAL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
KHAKI SHIRTS AND PANTS WHICH WE DYED BLACK IN SOMEONES CELLAR
PARATROPPER BLACK BOOTS WHIE SCARVES MADE FROM PARACHUTE MATERIAL SHOULDER CORD,WHITE WEB BELTS AND BRASS BUCKLES

MUSIC ARRANGEMENTS;

WE HAD AN OLD PIANO IN OUR CLUB ROOMS AND A FEW OF US MADE UP ARRANGEMENTS BY TAKING EACH NOTE OF THE MELODYAND ADDING THREE PARTS TO FORM A CHORD

DRUM PARTS MADE UP BY DRUMMERS

AND SO YEAR ONE AS A PARADE CORPS BEGAN IN 1950

YEAR TWO WEDECIDEDTO BECOME A COMPETING CORPS
THAT SAW THE ARRIVAL OF BRAD LONGDO AS OUR HORN INSRUCTOR ARRANGER AND DRUM MAJOR

WE STILL HAD NO DRUM INSTRUCTER. SO, WE PUT A 4/4 DRUM SOLO 'CONNECTICUT HALF TIME' UNDER ALL OUR SONGS. WE GOT AWAY WITH THAT AS ONLY ONE JUDGE CAUGHT IT AND WROTE ON THE SCORE SHEET 'FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WILL YOU GET A DRUM INSTRUCTOR.'

WE HAD NO DRILL INSTRUCTOR,SO WE WROTE OUR OWN.

YEAR TWO TURNED OUT PRETTY WELL AS WE WERE INVITED TO GIVE AN EXHIBITION AT THE CT YANKEES CONTEST IN SRATFORD CONN IN SEPT AS A PRELUDE TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE 'INTERSTATE CIRCUIT' MADE UP OF THE SKYLINERS,HAWTHORNE,CONN. YANKEES. MORRISTOWN CADETS, BAYWAY GRAYS, DARRYL IMHOF,YANKEE REBELS.

WE ONLY HAD 21 OF 28 HORNS AS SOME HAD GONE BACK TO COLLEGE. WE ONLY HAD 3 LEAD SOPRANOS SPANKY MCCAIN, RON GHETTI AND MYSELF BUT WE BLEW THE STANDS DOWN AND GOT THE INVITE TO JOIN THE MAJOR CIRCUIT IN THE COUNTRY. WHAT A MEMORY THAT BRINGS BACK.

[submitted by Floyd Jones - original member of the corps]

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