In the mid 60's, drill rehearsals were held on a field in Mineola affectionately known as “The Pit.” One night, before rehearsal started, one of the corps members spotted a young couple having sex in one of the large concrete sewer pipes, stored on one end of the field. All available horn players were summoned to assemble near the pipe, without disturbing “the involved couple.” On cue, the horn players performed the 1965 exit tune, “Goldfinger!”
*Webmasters note: The "Pit" Gene is referring to was actually a storm drainage basin adjacent to the Carle Place town swimming pool, so it really was a "pit"! This sucker was huge and about 20 feet below ground level. It happens to be one of the first places I ever saw the Sunrisers.
During the 1969 season, 90% of the (all male) colorguard quit. These actions were the result of a power play orchestrated by the drill instructor, who also quit.
The following day the corps competed in a show in upstate New York with a colorguard of four (4 was the minimum requirement for DCA - American flag, organizational flag, and 2 weapons.) Since there was no risk of flag penalties, the squad of 4, kind of wandered around the field keeping out of the way of the corps proper. The GE judge commented as follows: Good use of colorguard - quite compact at times. Score 7 out of 10. Go figure…
On the following Monday, a meeting was held to discuss the possibility of a female colorguard. Management gave the approval to investigate the possibility. Wives, girlfriends, and female Sunriser groupies were solicited. By Wednesday, we had commitments from about 20 people. The new guard practiced every night for two weeks, learning drill and flag work. Initially, the rehearsals were conducted with guard alone. Uniforms were concocted using parts and pieces from a couple of local indoor colorguards. The female guard made its debut two weeks after the male guard quit, in Baltimore, Maryland - The Yankee Rebels show. The rest is history!
In 1968, the Sunrisers participated in the filming of the movie Sweet Charity, starting Shirley MacLaine. The scene was a parade around the fountain at Lincoln Center in NYC. The NY Skyliners were also present. Most of that scene was scrapped. The Sunrisers didn’t make the final cut. The proceeds from this filing venture were used to defray the cost of chartering a plane to fly the corps to the American Legion Nationals in New Orleans. The corps chartered a plane owned by a group called, “The Society of the Sky Roamers.”
Gene Bennett 1965 to 68 Guard and Guard Captain, 1969 to 79 wrote and taught Drill, D.M., 1985 to 88 taught Drill
