1919 - 1921 Boys of 76:
By George Fennell Copyright 2007
Soon after the Racine soldiers returned home in May, 1919, from World War I the Battery C & F drum and bugle
corps re-organized as the 121st Field Artillery Drum and Bugle. The drum corps then became known as the Racine
Veterans of the 32nd Division Association Drum and Bugle Corps.
The first appearance for the drum corps after World War I was in the parade of the entire regiment on the day the
Racine soldiers came home to Racine on May 20, 1919.
After World War I the drum corps practiced regularly and was quite active in local civic and veteran functions.
During this time the drum corps gradually grew in size as World War I veterans who had previous experience with
other Racine drum and bugle corps such as the Holy Name and Elks drum and bugle corps now were able to
become members.
In October of 1921 the members of the drum corps voted to turn their equipment over to Racine’s American Legion
Post 76 and to become the official drum and bugle corps of Post 76. The name of the 32nd Division continued to be
identified on the bass drums since this organization was the place of the drum corps’ origin.
Some of the turn-outs for the drum corps during 1921 included:
On Monday, August 1, 1921, Corporal William Weiss, the first member of Battery F to be killed in action in World
War I, was re-buried with military honors in Racine. Rain did not deter his former buddies from turning out. Over a
hundred men were in the procession that escorted his body to Grace Baptist Church. The 32nd Division drum and
bugle corps led the procession. Over the years the drum corps would appear at many of the funerals of Racine’s
World War I Veterans.
In September of 1921 the drum corps traveled to the 32nd Division convention in Detroit where the drum corps was
awarded first place as the best unit in the parade.
On Friday, November 11, 1921, Racine celebrated Armistice Day by having a parade. The parade began at 1:00
pm in Downtown Racine. The Racine American Legion Post 76 drum and bugle corps headed it. In line behind
them were the Red Cross, American Legion Auxiliary, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, Boy Scouts, Salvation Army and all
of the fraternal societies of Racine. The parade headed down Sixth Street and disbanded near the Horlick Athletic
Field. The paraders then hurried to the field where a football game was to be played. It was a cold, dreary day, with
mud and puddles of water everywhere, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind it. The football game resulted in a victory
for the Racine Legion football team by a 9 to 7 score.