The Harold Kerr American Legion Post #173 of Bellefontaine established a drum and bugle corps in 1930 with armed services veterans. The corps, directed by drum major Paul Startzman, wore red uniforms trimmed in black. One of the corps first performances was at the grand opening of the Shine’s Holland Theatre on February 12, 1931. That same year, they won first place and a prize of $100 in a state competition at Kenton. After WWII, the ranks were opened to non-veteran men who were 21 years of age or older. They competed and won many competitions in the state and became widely known as one of the best drum and bugle corps.
In the spring of 1952, the corps was reorganized as the Satan’s Angels Drum and Bugle Corps with a 12-man horn line, 6-man drum section and a 6-man color guard. The marching and maneuvering corps consisted of musically talented men from Logan County under the direction of Bill Ellis, drum major and drill instructor of the corps. In their first year as the Satan’s Angels, they finished 4th in the State Legion Competition.
In 1953, they took first place at the State Legion Convention held in Cleveland, Ohio, labeling them State Champions and winning the coveted white flag. This enabled them to go to St. Louis for the National Legion Convention where they finished 14th in the nation. They wore black uniforms with one white and one black sleeve, white cummerbunds around their waists, and red hats with white plumes.
The next year, the Corps traveled extensively throughout the east and Midwest making an honored name for themselves in the drum corps world. The Satan’s Angel’s was also instrumental in forming the Midwest Drum and Bugle Corps circuit along with thirteen other corps. It was formed to promote drum corps and to provide competitions. They placed 2nd at the State Competition in Cincinnati, and 6th in the National Contest in Washington DC. The horn line finished third in this competition, making them one of the best in the country.
By 1955, they had increased to a thirty-six-man corps and participated in an average of twelve contests a year. They were invited to so many parades, they had to turn down around fifty percent of the invitations.
The Satan’s Angels rehearsed an average of three nights a week from May until Veteran’s Day on November 11th. In the other months, Bill Ellis, along with Harold Detrick, musical director and arranger, “Doc” Savage, drum instructor and arranger, and other members, worked on perfecting their arrangements. Money to cover expenses came from the annual Music in Motion competition, scrap drives, raffles, car washes, solicitations, and contest winnings. The wives of the members formed their own group, called the Harold Kerr Post Drum and Bugle Wives. They helped promote the corps and hosted scores of wives and children of other corps when they competed in Logan County.
In July 1955, the Harold Kerr Post was presented with a new Ford Ranch Wagon by the H.G. Short Co. to use for the season. The station wagon had “Satan’s Angels” painted on the sides of the car. It was used to transport equipment and drums to competitions. The Satan’s Angels won the state competition in 1956 and 1957 and continued to perform and compete until about 1961.
In 1963, the Angels of Ohio Junior Drum and Bugle Corps, also sponsored by the Harold Kerr Post, was formed by Bill Ellis. The Junior Corps was open to area youths, ages 13 – 21, regardless of gender. The Angels placed fourth overall in their first competition at the Fourth of July VFW competition in Michigan. The Junior Corps disbanded in about 1969 and several members continued to march with other corps.
The Satan’s Angels and Angels of Ohio performed at many local events, parades, and ceremonies. Corps groups and spectators from all over Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and other states came to Logan County for drum and bugle competitions. The Satan’s Angels and The Angels of Ohio were known as two of the best drum and bugle corps in the Midwest.
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