Sponsored by the St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church
Bayonne, N.J.
The Joyce-Herbert VFW Post No. 226
The Albert L. Quinn American Legion Post No. 52
Click for Music from 1956 Dream Contest
."Though green be our colors, true blue we'll always be, for we are St Vinnies, oh loyal men are we, and this be our motto, a motto hard to beat, we're all for one , and one for all, in victory or defeat"
VFW National Champion Strutting Drum Majors
Marie Dugan 1949 Betty Russell 1947
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Chicago, 1950
Noreen Gallagher, Gloria Sweeney, Patricia Hurley, Teresa Lynch, Agnes Burke, Natalie Carrozza, Betty Russel
St Vincent's Cadets, Joyce Herbert Post, Bayonne, N.J.
St Vinnies Guys in Wildwood, NJ
The following pictures and information was contributed by Rev. Gerald A Marchand, Chuck Shipley
and Jack Clarke, former member of St Vincents Cadets
" The Boss"
by Rev Gerald A. Marchand
Sixty-two
years ago, Father Edward F. Wojtycha, in his first assignment as a priest in St.
Vincent dePaul Parish, Bayonne, gave his permission, with the approval of his
pastor, Father Dolan, for the formation of a drum corps that would become a
national icon known as the St. Vincent Cadets, "The Big Green Band."
For
more than 20 years that endeavor enabled thousands of boys and girls a unique
opportunity to develop into mature, responsible young men and women in a very
special way. It gave them the opportunity to learn to appreciate music and
discipline, while experiencing national travel and fame that otherwise never
would have entered their lives.
On
June 11th 2003-the date Monsignor was ordained 65 years ago-he celebrated an
anniversary Mass with hundreds of friends, including 25 priests, at St. Andrew
Church in Bayonne, where he is now Pastor Emeritus.
Today
September 6th 2003,Monsignor
Wojtycha is celebrating the 65th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood
and his 90th birthday (December 6th) , partying with former members of his
beloved St. Vincent Cadets.
The Church he has served so faithfully for these many years has recognized his efforts, especially those to the young, by bestowing upon him the red robes of Monsignor.
Monsignor Wojtycha is also a member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame.
Jim Donnelly
No
one can or will dispute the talent or genius of Jim Donnelly. In the world of
drum corps music, he made history. Oldtimers know, and youngsters should know,
that there was only one Jim Donnelly. The old line drum corps was real corn
until Jim Donnelly entered the drum corps field. it was strictly "G"
bugle, and the height of accomplishment was "Legion Drummer." No one
would think of "Brahm`s Lullaby" until Jim produced it with Doremus
(say the name with reverence and fond memory) by the use of the
"G" and "D" crux. Who came up with the piston, the French
horn, and the obligato? Who produced more national winners?
• Some of the great music that Jim Donnelly arranged for the Corps over the years: "Victory At Sea," "War March of the Priests," "Emperor's Waltz," "Betty Coed," "Conquest," "If You Knew Susie," Blue Tango," "Stars and Stripes," "Double Eagle," "Colonel Bogey," "Siamese Patrol," "Robert E. Lee" (the big fanfare-code of the Corps), "Vamp," "Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland," score of "South Pacific," "Moonlight and Roses," "True Blue," "Gypsy Sweetheart," "Without a Song," "Drinking Song," "Sail the Ocean Blue," " Rain In Spain," "Lady of Spain," "East Side, West Side," "Tropical Heat Wave," "The Boss," "Bolero," "Beautiful Dreamer," "Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes," "Moon Over Miami," "Tonight We Love," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Over There!" "Polish National Anthem," "Wearin' Of the Green," the tremendous fanfares and final closing thank you, Jim Donnelly!
Mickey Petrone
Mickey
Petrone was an Army sergeant in World War II, serving with a tank division in
the European theater. After the war, Petrone, a bugler, got involved with the
St. Vincent Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps of Bayonne, sponsored by the Joyce
Herbert Post 226, Veterans of Foreign Wars, at the behest of the Corps' founder,
Monsignor Edward Wojtycha, then an associate pastor at St. Vincent's parish.
Petrone, completing his military service in March 1946, was recruited as a drill
instructor for the Corps, which had recently retained its state championship by
capturing first place at the VFW State Convention and was preparing for
its first-ever national competition.
With Petrone at the helm, the Corps won the VFW National Championships in 1946,47,50,51,52,53,55 and 56 and the American Legion National Championships in 1951, 52 and 53.
Petrone, a former president of the National Drum Corps Associates, also served as director and business manager for the St. Vincent Cadets. He was also a member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame,
L to R Bob Jimanez, Bill Thomas, John Rudlak, Bob Kelly, Bill Looney, ???, Mickey Petrone, Father Smalley, VFW DIR & Wife,
Father Wojtycha, ???, Rod Lavin, Jim Donnely, Eli Whitney, Dan Raymond
Drum Major Edina Mcgeady
1956 VFW National Championship Trophys
1951 American Legion Nationals, Miami, Florida
Milwaukee VFW Nationals 1953
Corps History
The
St. Vincent Cadets were founded in 1941 by a young, energetic, good,
At
one time, St. Vincent's had three distinct Corps yes, three at the same time.
They fielded an All-Girls Corps, a Junior Corps, and The Big Green Band. In
fact, the Junior Corps had its own identity and own following, and was a good
competitor. This went on for a few years, but in order to survive, we had to
merge the two corps into one Big Corps, and from then on the Junior Corps was a
feeder corps for the Big Corps.
Let
me tell you some of their accomplishments: VFW State Champions 1944-45-46-48-49-50-51-52-54-55-56-57;
American Legion State Champions 1949-51-52-53-55-57-59;
VFW National Champions 1946-47-50-51-52-53-55-56-57;
American Legion National Champions 1951-52-53;
(only corps ever to win the Round Robin twice, 1951-52 VFW State, Legion State, VFW Nationals, and Legion
Nationals); Lions International Champions 1946;
Philadelphia Open Champions 1950-51-52;
Northeastern Champions 1951-52; Pennsylvania
Dutch Champions 1951-52; New York
State Fair Champions 1952-53; New York
State Open VFW Champions 1951-52; New
Hampshire Open VFW State Champions 1956.
Click Here for St Vincents Reunion Pictures