Bracken Cavaliers

In 1922, a boy scout troop had just added drums and military style bugles to their unit for parades. They called themselves the Bristol Cadets and were sponsored as a boy scout troop of the Bristol Presbyterian Church by its first director, Harold Bolton.

This caught on with the youth of Bristol. In 1924, the Cadets approached the Robert W. Bracken American Legion Post 382 to sponsor their group. The Bracken Post agreed and the birth of the Robert W. Bracken Cadets drum and bugle corps was formed. Under the direction of Harry Burbank, the corps was crowned the PA American Legion (AL) state champions that year in their first year of field competition. They defended their title the following year at the 1925 PA AL state championships.

Between 1926 to 1931, the corps continued to participate in parades, exhibitions and field competitions until they won their third state Legion championships in 1932, a feat they would defend over the next 5 years, winning the title from 1933 to 1937. By 1935, William Griffiths became the new corps director and led the corps to both the 1935 and 1936 Delaware and New Jersey state championships. In 1937, the Bracken group also competed at their first American Legion Nationals, placing 3^rd in the “Junior Division”. 

Under new direction, Jake Schmidts Jr. guided the corps, sporting new uniforms, to a 3rd place finish at the PA AL state championships in 1938 and a 2^nd place the following season. Harry Burbank to over the reigns in 1940 where the corps placed 5^th at the state championships, remaining active during the war years under the leadership of Charles Brodie (1942-1943) and Vincent Cordisco (1944-1945). In 1946, the corps Arthur Straccio became the corps director, a position he would keep until 1962. In the first two years under his leadership, the corps re-entered the field of competition, returning to state competition in 1948 with a 4^th place finish. The following season saw the corps compete at the 1949 AL Nationals “Junior Division”, placing 9^th in the finals and a 2^nd place finish at the state championships.

In 1950, the corps celebrated its’ 25^th anniversary under the support of the Bracken Post and became affectionately known as the “Bracken Cavaliers”, although the new identity transition would be a gradual conversion, still often recognized as the “Bracken Cadets”. They went on to a 2nd place finish at the state convention that year, repeating their bridesmaid finish the next year as well as a finals appearance at the 1951 AL Nationals, placing 3^rd. They were crowned the 1952 and 1953 state champions along with a 2^nd place finish at the 1952 AL Nationals.

The corps went inactive over the next two seasons, although the organization remained operational as hosts of the Eastern States championships, a venture they had undertaken over the last few years and for many years to come. The Cavaliers reorganized for the 1956 season as a parade and exhibition corps, rebuilding the group as they re-entered the field of competition at the 1957 state championships, placing 3^rd and added a 24^th place finish at the AL Nationals with a 24^th place finish in the preliminaries. The following year saw the corps place 4^th at the AL state championships.

In 1959, dubbed the “Cinderella Corps” in their new orange, white and black uniforms, going from “rags to riches” appeared in VFW state championships, winning the NJ “Open Class” state and PA AL state titles, along with the National Association championships. In 1960 and 1961, they repeated as champions of both state championships while finished once again in 2^nd place at the 1960 AL Nationals and an appearance at the prestigious 1961 Dream National contest, placing 4^th. Over the next 3 years, the corps placed 2^nd at the AL PA championships, along with a 2^nd place finish at the 1962 NJ state championships.

In 1963, Bracken was under the direction of John Tompkins before Arthur Younglove took over the directorship between 1964 to 1969. During his tenure, the corps once again went through difficult times, going inactive for the 1965 season but returning the following year as a parade and exhibition unit. The corps reverted back to the field of competition in 1967 within the Eastern States circuit, winning the National Association title for a second time in 1968. They repeated as the 1969 National Association champions and competed at their only VFW Nationals appearance, placing 48^th in the prelims.

In 1970, the corps operated under the direction of Sam J. Embiscuso as they placed 3^rd in the Eastern States championships before Joseph Schepise became the new director from 1971 to 1973. In that time, the corps continued as members of the Eastern States circuit, finishing 5^th and 4^th respectively in 1972 and 1973. They also made an appearance at their only World Open championships in 1972, placing 15^th in the preliminaries of the Class A" division. 

In 1974, the corps merged with the Earls of Bucks of Levittown to form the Bucks County Cavaliers.

From 1975 to 1995, the Bracken Cavaliers went on the inactive list until 1996, when a group of former members reactivated the corps as members of the Garden State Circuit (GSC). They were crowned the 1996 GSC “Division IV” standstill champions, graduating to “Division III” field competition the following year, placing 8^th. Although they were unable to forma corps for the 1998 season, they succeeded in returning as 1999 GSC “Division IV” champions before disbanding in 2000.

That year, the Bracken Cavaliers alumni was organized and remained active through at least 2024.

Encyclopedia of Drum and Bugle Corps, 1966; DCW, 6/22/90, p.14; DCW, 6/29/90, p.9; http://www.osmondpostcadets.com/Bracken.htm; Paul Legault (DCX)

Members (21)