Buccaneers (CoC program)

The Greater Reading BUCCANEERS Senior Drum and Bugle Corps, affiliated with the Greater Reading V.F.W. Post 179, Reading, Pennsylvania, was first formed in August 1957. Because of its late seasonal start, the BUCCANEERS had to be content to be a parade corps. In 1958, its first season of field competition, the corps was runner-up in the V.F.W. state championship contest. This indicated big things in the future for them.

These big things were realized in 1960, just three seasons later, when they won the V.F.W. National Championship in competition in Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan. In August 1961 the BUCCANEERS successfylly defended that championship title in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. This is an honorable achievement of which the BUCS are justly proud. They have ascended the drum corps world's ladder of fame and championship faster than any other coprs in history. In these few years they have sprung from obscurity to a point where they are serious contenders for top honors whereever they appear.

The corps is composed of a horn line of 42, a drum section of 12, and a color guard of 18. They wear a brilliant blue satin and black with silver trim buccaneer-type-tunic uniform. An 18" white Ostrich plume helps accentuate the black-flat-crowned hat. The horns are Getzen twin-piston horns. To our knowledge, this is the only corps in major competition with this type of horn.

The management of the corps is under the capable hands of their Executive Committee: Randy R. Roy, Business Manager; Bud Shenk, President; Joe Jasinski, Treasurer; and Bruce Englehart, Vice-President. The instructional staff is well-manned by Frank Ferraro, horns; John Flowers, percussion; and William "Rip" Bernert, drill. The drum major is Frank Ferraro; his assistant is Richard Neiman. The color guard captain and sergeant are Laverne Rohrbach and "Porky" Hoffman, respectfully.