Chevaliers (IA)

A junior drum and bugle corps sponsored by Becker Chapman Post #138 of the American Legion, Waterloo, Iowa was organized in February 1962. Charter membership consisted of 53 boys. The name chosen for the corps, "Chevaliers", was submitted by a corps member who received a savings bond worth $25.00 for the suggestion. Their uniforms were black trousers, white shirts, and red sashes.

The first three years they participated mainly in parades and exhibitions, except for the State Legion content. They sponsored their own "Rhythm in Motion" show beginning in 1963. From 1964 through 1971 the show included the choosing of a queen.

In the fall of 1964, the corps became a member of the Badgerland Drum and Bugle Corps Association and the following summer began competing in out of state shows. In the fall of 1965, girls were included in the corps for the first time and membership jumped to 77. In April of 1966, 75 new uniforms were purchased at the cost of $52,00. In July of 1969, a dispute arose and the corps was reorganized. The first awards banquet was held in the fall of 1969.

In 1970 the corps traveled to Casper Wyoming and later represented Iowa at the Legion Nationals in Portland Oregon. The feeder corps, Chevy II's, were organized in 1970. Their uniforms consisted of black trousers, white shirts and red cummerbunds.

In 1971 the corps traveled to Wyoming along with many contests in nearby states. Chevaliers won the All Iowa Championship at the State Center in 1972 and participated in the Legion National Contest in Chicago.

1973 was the big year when the Chevy's won the State American Legion Contest. There was no Legion National contest because the convention was in Hawaii. The corps took a 2 week tour of contests and exhibitions in Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio.

In 1974 the corps traveled to Marion Ohio for the second time for the U. S. Open where the corps placed 15th out of 74 corps. They continued their tour to Miami Florida for the American Legion Nationals where the corps placed 2nd. One of the highlights during the tour was leading the parade at Disney World.

[Chevalier History taken from our reunion book from July 1993. submitted by Sharon Delaney 1/12/2010]

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