THE THUNDERBOLTS OF CEDARBURG:
A SHORT HISTORY
PICTURE PAGE
(click here to see pictures of the corps)
CLICK HERE TO
READ AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF THE CORPS, INCLUDING NAMES OF MEMBERS FROM
THE 1950s TO THE1980s
BEGINNINGS
The Thunderbolt Drum and Bugle corps was formed in 1953, when a
group of high school band members at Cedarburg High School approached their
band director, William G. Loebel, and asked him to help them form
a drum and bugle corps. Mr. Loebel went to the Student Council of the high
school, and along with the Music Parents, (an organization which helped
support music in Cedarburg schools) the corps was formed. (Mr. Loebel had
some experience in drum corps, as he served as drum major, director and
music arranger for a senior corps from Port Washington, sponsored by the
American Legion post there.)
Originally called the Cedarburg High School Drum and Bugle
Corps, it was formed with students who wished to learn the extra flash and
skill that performing in a corps required. The students had seen many corps
perform in the annual Cedarburg Festival of Music, which was sponsored by
the Cedarburg Fire Department. They wore their band uniforms and the Music
Parents helped purchase a set of brass colored bugles.
Mr. Loebel soon approached Mr. William Kiekhaefer, a
local manufacturer of outboard engines. The Kiekhaefer Mercury Corporation
agreed to help sponsor the corps. In honor of this sponsorship the students
and Mr. Loebel chose the name "Mercury Thunderbolts." The Mercury outboard
engines had a feature called "Thunderbolt Ignition." What a perfect
name for the corps!
As the corps improved, they soon developed a reputation
as being a group of friendly, fun kids. They were well received wherever
they performed.
THE 1950s
Eventually, the corps purchased new uniforms. The new
blouses were made of satin and were pink. They were soon nicknamed the "flamingo
blouses." The gray pants and blue shakos remained, but were accented by
a blue satin cummerbund and sash. The corps also purchased parade shirts
which were a yellow shirt with blue accents. Embroidered on the back was
a "foot of Mercury" symbol. This became the first logo for the corps. The
students wore gray pants and blue shakos topped by a red plume.
THE 1960s
The 1960s saw major changes take place in the corps!
In 1962, a new set of uniforms were purchased. The corps made
a radical shift in color, adopting a new silver satin blouse. The blouse
had a red thunderbolt on the back. A red sash and cummerbund were the other
new touches. The parade blouses were actually a white bowling shirt with
a red thunderbolt on the back. About this time a new set of chrome plated
bugles was purchased.
In 1963 the corps broke ties with the high school, and
this allowed students to march in the corps beyond their senior year.
In 1964 the Mercury Thunderbolts made a trip to the
World's Fair in New York. They gave a standstill performance there.
By 1966, the corps had fallen on hard times. They were
near the bottom in almost every show they entered.
In 1967, the corps grew larger and some improvement
was achieved.
In 1968 Mr. Loebel resigned as director. His replacement
was Walter Ulekowski of Milwaukee.
In 1969, Mr. Ulekowski recruited a much larger corps.
The corps won its first contest since 1965! One highlight of this year was
that the corps actually beat the Madison Scouts (who admittedly had fallen
upon hard times.)
THE 1970s
In 1970 new uniforms were purchased. The corps changed
colors to red, white and blue. The white military jackets featured chrome
buttons and a red thunderbolt on the sleeve. The corps changed its name to
The Thunderbolts of Cedarburg.
In 1970, the corps made its first trip to the VFW National
Competition. It was in Miami, Florida. The corps placed 19th.
1971 saw the corps field a strong horn line and place
among the top corps in the state. They were approached about joining a new
group, called the "Combine." The corps declined the offer, but the combine
evolved into Drum Corps international.
In 1972 the horn line played beat the first place Anaheim
Kingsmen in Content Analysis at the DCI Championships in Whitewater!
By 1973, Mr. Ulekowski had resigned and Mr. Tom Wridt
and then William Schultz became directors. After a disappointing showing
in their first show, the corps merged with The Imperials of St. Patrick of
Milwaukee. The resulting corps was named "The Thing" for one season, and
then became The Pioneer.
The Thunderbolts established a cadet corps in 1971.
This corps continued after the merger, and in 1975 broke away from affiliation
with Pioneer. They competed until folding in 1978. The Thunderbolt name continued
on in the forms of a competitive color guard and parade unit. The guard was
quite successful and marched in the finals of several world championships.
The last year of competition for them was 1995.
The Pioneer Drum Corps uniforms have a patch on their
sleeves. On that patch is a small red thunderbolt, and in that small way
the corps history is continued to this very day!
If you have any questions or comments, please email
me at:
thbolt@execpc.com
If you would like a better scan of any of these pictures,
I can provide that for you!
John Schoenknecht
