MILLSTADT: Crusaders alumni to dedicate memorial
The memorial dedication will take place at 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Millstadt Village Park near the corner of N. Main and W. Gooding streets where the Crusaders practiced for many years.
"I have been working on putting this together for a couple of years," Frederick Kent, chair of the Memorial Committee, said. "It was great how well received the idea was. Everyone was happy to get involved and on board."The Millstadt Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps was founded in 1946 by members of Millstadt American Legion Post 502. The Crusaders proudly represented Millstadt from 1946-1969. The corps wore a uniform with a sparkling red satin top in the 1950s, a distinctive cross and shield covered uniform in the early to mid-1960s and a West Point style "Long Grey Line" uniform from the mid to late 1960s. Many Crusaders alumni still live in Millstadt and Southern Illinois.
"We are expecting over 100 people," Kent said. "Right now, we have 75 people registered, but we still have a couple weeks before the memorial."
The design of the memorial will artistically depict the important elements of the Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps tradition. During the middle and late 1960's the Crusaders were called "The Long Grey Line" because of their distinctive grey uniform.
The memorial will be a 6-foot by 3-foot stone of grey granite to honor the "The Long Grey Line." The edges of the stone will be rough hewn to signify how all members of the Crusaders came to the Corps with unpolished marching and musical skills. The face of the stone will be highly polished to signify that after much practice, perseverance and instruction the members of the Crusaders developed highly polished marching and musical skills.
The name "Millstadt Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps" will be located at the top of the memorial in old English-style lettering and colored red as was on the bass drum heads and flags of the Millstadt Crusaders.
On the front of the memorial will be a graphic depiction of the two shields that represent two eras of Crusader history. The 1959-1964 shield was a part of the uniform of that era and will be on the memorial. The more stylized shield utilized in "The Long Grey Line" era from 1965-1969 will be on the memorial. The years of the corps, 1946-1969, will be shown in the space between the shields.
The words carved deeply into the memorial will pay tribute to all members of the Crusaders and their parents, past managers and instructors and to the people of Millstadt.
It will read as follows: "Dedicated to the young men and women of the Millstadt Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps. They diligently practiced on this field of their dreams to learn the values of discipline, execution, responsibility and respect. Through the support of the parents, managers, instructors and the citizens of the village of Millstadt, these young men and women marched with great pride."
"A small group of former drummers and three or four buglers will play melodies from the past," Kent said.
Former members, managers, instructors and the parents of former members of the Millstadt Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps are invited to attend the 5th annual Crusaders Alumni Reunion at 11 a.m. in conjunction with the memorial dedication.
To register for the 5th Annual Crusaders Alumni Reunion download and send in the Reunion registration form available on the Web site. No prior registration is necessary to attend-just the memorial dedication.
For more information contact Kent at (614) 895-7859 or e-mail kentfrederick@hotmail.com. Visit the Millstadt Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps Web site at millstadtcrusaders.com.
