The Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps - Skokie, Chicago and Des Plaines, IL

Vanguard alum Sam Agnello, playing the soprano trio to Bill Bailey. The Vanguard played Bill Bailey, as a closer, from 1964 through 1968. And then brought it back for the 1971 season.

Sam Agnello playing the soprano trio section from Bill Bailey Sam Agnello playing the soprano trio section from the song "Bill Bailey" which was arranged by Hy Dreitzer for the Des Plaines Vanguard Drum & Corps. Specia...

1968 Vanguard performing at the opening of the 1000th McDonalds in Des Plaines, IL

Vanguard Color guard members, on one of our east coast trips, circa 1963.

L-R: Penny Moore and Patricia Paolella.

Photo courtesy of Vanguard alum "Don Hertel"

1966 Vanguard

Photo courtesy of Vanguard alum Don Hertel

1965 Vanguard

(pictured before we attained the white uniform jackets for the drum line)

Photo courtesy of Vanguard alum Don Hertel

Photos added to the photo album: "Vanguard" - Pictures in their Sharp Looking Uniforms (See the "Cover Photos Album" for more photos)

1966 Vanguard - in front of their hall on Irving Park Rd. in Chicago.

Photo courtesy of Vanguard alum Don Hertel

The new 1958 Vanguard colorguard.

Photo and information courtesy of Vanguard alum, Norm Jacobsen.

During the latter part of the 1958 season, the Vanguard formed and recruited its first all female colorguard. Prior to that they had a male colorguard. That same year, they marched in a few parades. However, 1959 would be their first full season marching on the field with the corps. Lucky us!

This photo was taken on Oct 26,1958 at the North Shore Post on Broadway, in Chicago. This was the Vanguard annual corps banquet at the cost of $3.50 each. This was the first time that our new all girl colorguard was in attendance at a Vanguard function.

From left to right:

Standing-Jackie Senkeresty, Ruth Petersen, Maddie Knebl, Joyce Petersen, Jo Petersen, Ellen Barrett, Carol Geske.

Seated-Joann Kerhlikar, Sharon Pesceone, Sue Barrow, Georgia Labeau (instructor)

1966 Vanguard - from the Illinois Drum & Bugle corps, Top 4 album. Audio of Vanguard recorded on July 30, 1966,

1966 Vanguard - Illinois TOP 4, recorded on July 30, 1966 1966 Vanguard - Illinois Drum & Bugle corps, TOP 4, recorded on July 30, 1966. Audio with slide show of photos from 1966.

1966 Illinois Top 4 album, front and back cover, two record set - recorded on July 30, 1966, with the Vanguard as one of the competing corps.

1955 Mel Tierney Vanguard - Photo of Three Mel Tierney Vanguard Corps members and their dates in 1955 at the Midwest and Eastern Drum Corps annually held 'Military Ball. Vanguard alum Glenn Purtell could only identify names of one member, Everett Sykes pictured center in photo.

All Following Info from Glenn:
"Everett joined Mel Tierney in 1953, one year before reorganization. Everett was an advanced trumpeter from high school marching band where his band instructor recommended joining the Mel Tierney Drum & Bugle Corps to accelerate his talents.

Midwest and Eastern Drum Corps annually held 'Military Balls'. Our Midwest Corps affair was held at the Edgewater Hotel on Sheridan Rd. Chicago. You could not attend unless you were in uniform. It was a gala event recorded by TV & Newspaper. Why was this tradition lost?

1955 was our first year of competition since the reorganization (when the older guys went to help form the Skokie Indians Senior Corps) in 1954. The Vanguard competed in just a few contests prior to Legion Nationals in Miami: South Milwaukee, State at Lane Tech, Momence, La Porte, Indiana, and American Legion Nationals, Miami. We (mel Tierney Vanguard) took 11th Place in Miami with a score of 80.113 against 21 junior corps. Our Guard placed 2nd, Holy Name 1st (Garfield) Blessed Sac 3rd."

"SO HOW ABOUT THAT FOR A CAST OF ROOKIE 10 YEAR OLD AND 14 YEAR OLD KIDS WITH NO EXPERIENCE!!"

Vanguard "History of our Cover Photos" from our "Cover photos" album

1961 Article/Program from the "50TH "Gladiolus Festival of Music" - Momence, Illinois" page collection, featuring a photo of the 1960 Vanguard and an article about the corps.

1960 Vanguard - 2nd Place at the Illinois VFW State Competition - June
11, 1960

Remembering Vanguard alum, Dave Hill, who passed away in late April 2023, with a gathering in Indianapolis, IN., on August 11th. I believe this is being sponsored by the Buglers Hall of Fame group, of which Dave was an inductee in 2015 and also a part of its leadership. (This is the same weekend of the DCI world championship competitions in Lucas Oil stadium, also in Indianapolis)

Photos added the album "Vanguard" - casual pictures

John will always be remembered and will always be missed. It has now been 56 years since that tragic day. Which was also on a Saturday. May God always bless John and his family. ❤️

God Bless "John Gruber" who went to heaven on June 10, 1967! He was only 19 years old. Also, God Bless his family and loved ones! He will always be remembered and missed!

At one time or another, John's three sisters, Kathy, Jane and Jackie and one brother, Paul also marched in the Vanguard. The photo collage shown below: in the left-side photo is L-R: John Gruber in the blue shirt, Jim Grosso, Dave Hill and Frank Pamper. In the right-side photo, in the top row, L-R is John Gruber in the blue shirt, Jim O'Donnell, and Jay Knebl and Bottom row, L-R: sister Kathy Gruber, sister Jane Gruber and Violet Kois. Middle photo is John Gruber in his Vanguard uniform playing tenor drum. All 3 photos are from 1966.

The following is from Vanguard Alum Sam Agnello:
On June 10th, 1967, early Saturday afternoon, we (The Vanguard) were practicing our marching and music outside in the parking lot at Maine West High School in Des Plaines. IL. We were preparing for the Cavalier Contest Show to be held later that day at Maine East High School in nearby Park Ridge, IL. While we were practicing our show in the parking lot, it started to rain and all of us rushed to various members cars for shelter to wait for the rain to stop so we could resume practice. After awhile the rain slowed down, but the sky was still dark. When the rain slowed down, several corps members (about 4 or 5) including John got out from their cars and shelter and started throwing around a football in the nearby grass area beside the parking lot. The rest of us stayed in our cars. While the guys were throwing the football, lightning, which seem to come from nowhere, struck John. Word quickly spread to all of us of what had happened and we were shocked and couldn't believe it. After John fell, a mellophone player named Ron Hughes immediately performed CPR on John, but sadly it was to no avail. The ambulance arrived and rushed John to nearby Holy Family Hospital. The whole corps rushed to their vehicles and hurried to the hospital still hoping that John would be OK. Sadly, at the hospital we were told that John had passed away and apparently it was immediate after the lightning struck. We were all devastated and heartbroken. And to this day we are still heartbroken. God Bless John and his family! (please see the comments section for more remembrances)

The Vanguard - John McClellan

This photo of Vanguard Drum Major "John McClellan", was published in the Marion, OH, Star - He won best DM at 1972 US Open- Photo and information courtesy of Vanguard Alum Eric Davis.

(Photo also appears without a Vanguard frame in this same album)

Vanguard article circa 1968 - courtesy og Vanguard alum Bill O'Connell. Shown in the photo is member Mike Hetterman and Vanguard alums Bill and Cathy O'Connell's father Gene O'Connnell.

1972 Vanguard - article courtesy of Vanguard alum Bill O'Connell

Bass Drum Head - Skokie Vanguard American Legion sponsor, Pat Petrone Post #885, in Chicago circa 1962/1963. The post was previous called the Alamo Post until it was renamed in 1959 after alderman Pat Petrone passed away.

Skokie Vanguard article - Vanguard members winning the individual snare and ensemble drum contests in Cudahy, WI., - from the Daily Herald Newspaper on January 12, 1961.

"Skokie Vanguard" patch - from the Vanguard alum Courtney family via Russell Courtney to alum Gina Guare

"Bataan Pageant of Drums" Maywood, IL, September 11,1960 (Skokie Vanguards one of the competing corps)

1965 Vanguard - Article, out east in Wi******er, MA

Pictured, 1st from right: might be Joe Bena, 2nd from right: Tony Pettinato, 3rd from right: Greg Hauser getting food, 4th from right: Jim Grosso tall person, looking at camera, 5th from right looks like Mike Dillon, 6th from right: ???,

1965 Article about the Vanguard (if you are on the home page, click on posting to see the full article)

Music Under the Stars - July 30, 1965 - Kenosha, WI

Updated - Vanguard Soprano Soloist from 1965 to 1969

1971 Des Plaines Vanguard - U.S. Open - Marion, OH

1971 Des Plaines Vanguard - U.S. Open - Marion, OH A short video of the Des Plaines Vanguard at the U.S. Open in Marion, OH with dubbed sound from a recording of the same show

Oldest Known picture of the Logan Square Drum & Bugle Corps (early Vanguard) taken in 1941

23rd Annual National Convention of the American Legion, Milwaukee, WI

Photo courtesy of Vanguard alum Bill O'Connell

1965 Vanguard

Moe Knox photo courtesy of Vanguard Alum "Bob Cochran"

1953 Mel Tierney (later became the Vanguard) - in a parade in Wisconsin

Drawing of the 1965 Vanguard by Gilbert Norton from Massachusetts which was done many years ago. Drawing taken from an article and photo in Drum Corps Digest Magazine - September 1965. The Vanguard was "Drum Corps of the Month". (You can view a copy of the original 2-page article and photo which was posted on 9-2-13 in this album.) (L-R:) Rifle bearer "Bob Kearney" and Drum Major "Chip LaCasse"