<html>

<head>

<title>Vinnies</title>

</head>

<--<EMBED SRC="55VinniesExcerpts(Mono).wav"

AUTOSTART="true" HIDDEN="true" width="128" height="128" />-->

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

<a href="Vinnies%2056%20Music.htm">Click

for Music from 1956 Dream Contest</a>

."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

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"

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;

letter-spacing:.4pt">by Rev Gerald A. Marchand<o:p>

</o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:.1in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:.1in;

margin-left:0in;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;

mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;letter-spacing:.1pt">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."<o:p>

</o:p>

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.<o:p>

</o:p>

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.<o:p>

</o:p>

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;

mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;letter-spacing:.1pt">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.<o:p>

</o:p>

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;

letter-spacing:.1pt">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.

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;

letter-spacing:.1pt"> <span style="font-size:14.0pt;

mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;letter-spacing:.1pt">Monsignor

Wojtycha <span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;

letter-spacing:.1pt">is also a member of the World Drum

Corps Hall of Fame

<a href="The%20Boss%20Eulogy.htm">Click

Here to see Eulogy for Monsignor Wojtycha (The Boss)</a>

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;

mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt">

</o:p>

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?<o:p>

</o:p>

•

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!

<o:p>

</o:p>

He

was also a member of the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame,

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. <o:p>

</o:p>

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,

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,

1947 St Vincents 3 Active

Corps  The Big Corps  The Boys Corps  and the Girls Corps

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, <o:p>

</o:p>

wholesome priest, Rev. Edward Wojytcha. He is also a member o

f the Drum <o:p>

</o:p>

Corps Hall o f

Fame. The Corps was founded

as a boy scout group. From <o:p>

</o:p>

humble beginnings they grew into a mighty giant-"THE BIG GREEN <o:p>

</o:p>

BAND."<o:p>

</o:p>

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.<o:p>

</o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.1in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:

exactly"> <o:p>

</o:p>

St. Vincent's engraved a history unique in drum corps circles. They were always

well-known for their originality in drill and music<o:p>

</o:p>

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, <span style="letter-spacing:

-.1pt">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.<o:p>

</o:p>

<a href="StVincent%20Reunions.htm">Click

Here for St Vincents Reunion Pictures</a>

<a href="OurCompetitors.html">Return to Our Competitors</a>

</body>

</html>