CAPER History Book

CAPERS ...who or what were they?

Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles

...our history

This book is dedicated to all of young women who have been in coed groups affiliated with Pershing Rifles over the years, but especially those who were in chartered CAPER companies. I hope to keep expanding it with more information and pictures from other CAPERS. This book is far from complete. It won’t be until we find alumni from all groups and from all eras of our history and they tell us their story. This book will cover our national history, as well as unit histories. I will be adding more as I discover it. If you have some history and/or pictures to add, please let me know.

Linda Grissette, CAPER BG Retired 1970-71 National Commander University of Oklahoma Founder, CAPER National Alumni Association [email protected]

NOTE: The national history will also include the local history of each of the National Headquarters locations. Because each of the Headquarters were pretty small, we all did local and national activities.

First Publication Date, June 28, 2010 Second Publication Date, December 12, 2010


CAPERS

Beginnings

Pershing Rifles, being college guys, liked having girls around them. First they started electing honorary

sponsors and then started coed groups affiliated with their companies.

The earliest coed group I’ve found was the Cadence Countess from the University of Nebraska that

started in 1959.

In the Fall of 1963, one of the Pershing Rifles members of Company H-7 at the University of Oklahoma

was telling one of his high school friends about military drill. She had enjoyed marching band and

thought it would be fun to do military drill. The two of them approached an honorary sponsor, Carolyn

Prescott about the idea. She liked it and the three of them judged the tryouts for the first Kaydettes

drill team.

By the fall of 1965, the Kaydettes members started

thinking that there should be a national organization

for the coed groups affiliated with Pershing

Rifles. They wrote a letter to Pershing Rifles

National Headquarters asking for permission to explore the idea. They were given permission. They

started contacting coed groups across the country

while creating the structure of the organization.

On January 1, 1966 they officially became a national organization under the supervision of Pershing

Rifles Seventh Regimental Headquarters. At first the plan was to call the organization Kaydettes and

the article for the 1966 Pershing Rifleman yearbook called them Kaydettes National Headquarters.

Some time along the way, they realized that Kaydettes wouldn't be a good name because the coed groups would have to change their local names. According to a detailed history written in the 1967

Pershing Rifleman on January 1, 1966, they really became the National Headquarters for Coed

Affiliates Pershing Rifles.

1964-65

1965-66

The first Kaydettes drill team, 1963-64

On November 26, 1966, at the Pershing Rifles Fall Little National Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska,

CAPERS became official, with the National Headquarters at the University of Oklahoma with CAPER

COL Tanya (McDonald) Miller as the first official National Commander.

The Ending

By the mid 1970’s, female students were able to take ROTC. On some campuses, they joined Pershing

Rifles, but on others they joined CAPERS. Around the same time, Pershing Rifles at all levels started allowing non-ROTC cadets to join Pershing Rifles. In 1980, Paula Harmon, a civilian Pershing Rifles

member, was elected National Commander. Later that year, the Pershing Rifles Constitution was

changed to officially allow non-ROTC cadets (“civilian” members). Eventually, an order was sent to

Pershing Rifles Companies telling them to take there CAPERS into company membership.

Our Legacy

CAPERS have quite a legacy. CAPERS proved that their was a place for female students in the ROTC

departments. There were CAPERS who took ROTC classes before it was allowed. We also showed

that women and civilian members had a place in Pershing Rifles. That shows that we’ve got quite a

legacy.

We are considered Pershing Rifles Alumni and we are making sure that the Pershing World knows

about us.

But we have another legacy. Some of the CAPER Companies did not join their Pershing Rifles and

started a new national organization called Pershing Angels that still exists today. Most of their

companies were CAPER Companies.

While we are all thrilled to be Pershing Rifles Alumni, we should always be proud to have been

CAPERS.

The First National Staff (first semester 1966) Left to Right: CPT Jeanne Strozier, PIO, LTC Marilyn (Blythe) Klahr, Deputy Commander, COL Gloria Robinson, National Commander, CPT Cheryl White, Adjutant, CPT Tanya (McDonald) Miller, Training, CPT Sharon Richardson, Supply.


National Headquarters, University of Oklahoma 1966-1972

Spring 1967

The first National Commander after CAPERS became official was CAPER COL Tanya (McDonald) Miller. She presided over the first CAPER National

Convention in Washington, DC in the spring of 1967 in conjunctions with the

Pershing Rifle National Convention and Drill Meet. Five CAPER Companies

were present, as well as observers considering chartering with CAPERS.

By the end of the school year 7 CAPER Companies had chartered.

Tanya (McDonald) Miller

Spring 1967 CAPER National Staff Front (L to R) Gail (Todd) Kish), Tanya (McDonald) Miller, _____ Back: ___, ____, ____, Rebecca Boone

Staff pictures with PR Liaison

At this point they only had the

white national staff cords. The

first CAPER Membership Cords

were given to the Fall 1967

Pledge Class.

Gail Todd with her fiancé, Robert (Bobby) Kish at

the Banquet at the 1967 National Convention in

Washington, DC.

CAPERS

The 1967-1968 School Year

The National Commander for the fall semester of 1967 was CAPER COL Patricia Gail (Todd) Kish who had married the Pershing Rifles Company

Commander over the summer.

When school started in 1967, there were 5 returning members of

CAPER National Staff along with a large pledge class. Four CAPERS

attended the Fall Pershing Rifles Little National Convention in Lincoln,

Nebraska over the Thanksgiving week-end.

Patricia Gail (Todd) Kish

CAPER Pledges selling fruit cakes in 1967 to raise money for new uniforms. Linda Grissette Patricia Evans Judy Hobson

National Staff on the front row:

Peggy (Horn) Booker, G-1, Adjutant,

Mary Ellen Hamilton, G-3 and Pledge Trainer.

Patricia Gail Kish, National Commander,

Rebecca (Becky) Boone, G-4, Supply,

Kay Sykes, Chief of Staff

Yearbook Picture Taken Fall 1967


CAPERS

At the end of first semester, CAPER COL Kish turned over command to

CAPER COL Kathryn (Kay) Sykes because she would not be a student second

semester.

Note: Gail’s husband was the Pershing Rifles Company commander that year and the CAPER National Liaison the next, so Gail was still around CAPERS for quite a while. The second semester, Tanya also return to campus as a working student wife.

The Pershing Rifles Spring National Convention (the drill meets were only every other year at the time) was scheduled to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, but due to unrest in the area, the convention was moved to Lincoln, Ne-

braska. When Pershing Rifles National Headquarters received the registration materials they called

to see why CAPER National had not registered. It was because no registration materials had been

received.

In 1999, I found out that no CAPER units or Pershing Rifles Companies at historically black colleges had been sent registration materials. This was a total shock to me, as this was the first convention I attended. Because of this, there was no CAPER National Convention in 1968.

By the end of this school year, there were 14 chartered CAPER Companies.

Kathryn (Kay) Sykes

Spring 1968 Pledge Class Initiation

Gwen Coley, Nina Rose Jacoby, Pam Wright



When school started in 1968, there were 3 returning members of CAPER National Staff, as well as a good pledge class. Four CAPERS again attended the Fall Pershing Rifles Little National Convention in

Lincoln, Nebraska.

At the end of first semester, CAPER COL Sykes turned over command over to

CAPER COL Nina Rose Jacoby because COL Sykes had been commander for a

year. In early March, CAPER National Headquarters was inspected by Pershing

Rifles National Headquarters for the first time. At the end of the inspection

the CAPER National Staff was told that only one section, G-1, was functioning

properly (That was me!!) Shortly after the inspection, CAPER COL Jacoby turned over command to CAPER COL Gwen Coley.

Nina Rose Jacoby

Gwen Coley

Spring 1969 Pledge Rush

National Staff on front row:

Kay Sykes, National Commander,

Nina Rose Jacoby, Chief of Staff,

Linda Grissette, G-1, Adjutant

Yearbook Picture Taken Fall 1968

CAPERS

The 1969 CAPER Convention was held in conjunction with Pershing Rifles Spring National Convention

and Drill Meet in Cleveland, Ohio. There were 7 CAPER Companies in attendance, including one that was

the newest company at the time. There was also a company that was in the processes of chartering that attended and participated in the discussions. The drill meet had a coed division that was not

limited to CAPER Companies.

Pictures from the 1969 CAPER National Convention

Company B-9, University of Colorado, Boulder

Company Q-15 PMC Colleges, Chester, PA

(the newest company at the time )

Company F-1, Ohio University, Athens

Company N-1, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

Company A-3 Indiana University, Bloomington

Company D-6, Louisiana State University,

Baton Rouge

Company D-15, Hampton Institute, Hampton, VA

Companies B-9 & F-1 again

Future Company K-5, University of Pittsburg

PR 3rd Regt. Honorary Sponsor, Indiana University


When school started in 1969, 3 CAPER National Staff members returned and, again, there was a good pledge class. The headquarters office had been

moved over the summer and everything was a mess. Command problems

caused the headquarters work to nearly stop, resulting in CAPER COL Coley's

resignation. The CAPER Advisor from the ROTC Department named CAPER COL

Iris Rodriguez to be the new commander.

This was a challenging period for CAPERS but the hard work of CAPER COL

Rodriguez and her Chief of Staff, CAPER LTC Linda Grissette, (that's me), got the headquarters going again and functioning properly. Until the pledges could

be trained, CAPER COL Rodriguez also worked as Finance Officer, G-2 PIO, G-3 and Pledge Trainer. CAPER LTC Grissette also worked at G-1, G-2 Expansion,

and G-4. The work backlog was cleared up and the pledges were trained.

Iris Rodriguez

Yearbook Picture Taken

Fall 1969

National Staff on front row :

Gwen Coley, National Commander,

Iris Rodriguez, Chief of Staff,

Linda Grissette, G-1, Adjutant


CAPERS

During the Fall Semester, CAPER National Headquarters received a letter from Pershing Rifles COL

Robert Shelton, the Pershing Rifles Fourth Regimental Commander from Clemson University, Clemson,

South Carolina. COL Shelton was appointing a CAPER Coordinator, Pam Craft, for his regiment who would be attached to their headquarters. CAPER National quickly named her to CAPER National Staff.

Pam was sent copies of all expansion materials and given permission to copy them at any time. A letter

was sent to the other regiments suggesting they do the same thing. Putting some of the expansion

responsibilities at the Pershing Rifles Regimental level gave greater opportunities for personal contact

for expansion.

The Pershing Rifles Fall Little National Convention was attended by CAPER COL Rodriguez, CAPER LTC

Grissette and 2 of the pledges...or where they brand new members by then... (Paulette Kikugawa and

Caroll Webster).

At that convention, the staff talked with Pershing Rifles National Staff about dividing CAPERS into

Regiments so that the work load could be lessened for National Staff. The organization had grown

entirely too much to be run by a small staff.

The first weekend of March, Pershing Rifles National Staff again inspected CAPER National

Headquarters. When the Pershing Rifles National Staff arrived, Pershing Rifles BG James Condon, Deputy Commander, went in for a meeting with the Professor of Military Science. A few minutes later,

the rest of the PR National Inspection Team and all of the CAPER National Staff that were there were

called into the PMS's office. Pershing Rifles BG Condon then read an order signed by the Pershing

Rifles MG Dennis Lambert, their National Commander, promoting CAPER COL Rodriguez to BG to better

work with the new regiments. CAPER LTC Grissette was promoted to COL and named the first CAPER

Deputy Commander. New CAPER LTC Paulette Kikugawa became the Chief of Staff.

Picture at left:

After the promotion ceremony, we went out into the Army bay of the Armory where the annual blood drive was going on. Things had died down and Jim Condon got on one of the tables and we all got into the “pretend” spirit. Then someone took a picture and it ended up in our yearbook mislabeled

Surrounding Jim, left to right, are:

Jerry Walker, Bill Callahan, our national liaison

Jim Radcliff, Pershing Rifles National, G-1

Becky Smith, Joanne Hendershot

Paulette Kikugawa, Iris Rodriguez


The 1970 CAPER National Convention was held in conjunction with the Pershing Rifles Spring Convention

(no drill meet) in San Antonio, Texas. Again, four members of CAPER National Staff attended. While

BG Rodriguez ran the CAPER Convention, COL Grissette attended the PR Convention as an

observer .

CAPER Awards were presented for the first time at any National Convention Banquet. COL Grissette had encouraged the companies to nominate members for awards and made all the award arrangements,

but was totally surprised when BG Rodriguez gave an awards to CLTC Kikugawa and then to COL

Grissette.

Soon after the convention, BG Rodriguez announced that the next commander would not just be

appointed. To make sure as many members as possible returned, she asked each of the active

members to name who they wanted to be National Commander.

At the pledge initiation dinner, BG Rodriguez gave the first ever CAPER National Commander's Award

to COL Grissette. Shortly after that, she named the new National Commander, BG Linda Grissette and

the new Deputy Commander, CAPER COL Paulette Kikugawa. Later, the new Chief of Staff was named,

CAPER LTC Gwen Howell.

That week we went to Wichita, Kansas for the Seventh Regimental Drill Meet and competed for the

first time since I was in CAPERS. It was exciting, but we were frustrated when we didn’t get a trophy.

Later the Regimental Commander, Pershing Rifles COL Sandy Harrison told us that we placed 4th only

because none of the judges had ever even seen saber drill before, let alone judged it.


When school started in 1970, all three of the new command staff returned as did a

few of the staff, plus the headquarters office had been moved again. This year the first thing the staff did was paint the room and get it set up better than

ever.

Once the office was in shape, BG Grissette got started with the task of figuring

out where the regimental boundaries should be and what companies would become

CAPER Regimental Headquarters. The next step was to completely rewrite and

reorganize the CAPER SOP. (NOTE: Iris was supposed to work on them done over

the summer and leave them at the Armory, but they weren’t there when school

started.)

Linda Grissette

CAPERS

The 1971 CAPER National Convention was held in conjunction with the Pershing Rifles Spring National

Convention and Drill Meet in Atlanta, Georgia. Four CAPER National Staff members flew to Atlanta

because of the distance. The convention was set up with caucuses (like was done at the Pershing Rifles Conventions), which brought forward motions to the floor of the convention the next day. Each of the

4 caucuses were chaired by the CAPER Regimental Commanders with National Staff observing. This

was the first time this procedure was used at a CAPER Convention. Another new procedure, taken

from Pershing Rifles was a commanders call after the actual convention electing the new National

Commander. But unlike the Pershing Rifles convention that went on all day (while the drill meet was

going on), the CAPER Convention was adjourned before noon, so that all CAPERS could compete in or

watch the coed division of the drill meet. That night at the Banquet, CAPER BG Grissette for the first

time ever named the new CAPER National Commander at the Convention. It was CAPER BG Paulette

(Kikugawa) Lum who also received the National Commander’s Award.

Yearbook Picture Taken Fall 1970..so casual I have to be creative in labeling it!

Leslie Singer,

G-1

Paulette (Kikugawa) Lum, Deputy Commander Jessie Elder.

G-3

Linda Grissette,

National Commander

Gwen (Howell) Kelly.

Chief of Staff

Carol Williford,

G-4

V. Charlene St. John,

PIO

Kay Johinson

Carol Perkins

Sharon Fancey

Carlos Droescher,

National Liaison

Yolanda Scott


Working the Blood Drive (again!)

Gwen, Jessie, Linda, Paulette

ROTC Yearbook Picture Taken Spring 1971

Front row : John O’Dell, Local Liaison, Gwen (Howell) Kelley, Chief of Staff,

Linda Grissette, National Commander, Paulette (Kikugawa) Lum, Deputy Commander

Back Row: Jessie Elder, G-1, Kay Johnson, Sharon Fancey

During the 1970-71 school year, we started a local company (never chartered it, though) to try

to attract more members. The name was Sabers and Lace and we are wearing our local uniforms

in these pictures. The jumpers were royal blue. Our other uniform was burgundy.

NOTE: I have been asked why I don’t mention CAPER Company H-7. To the best of my knowledge there was never a charter issued for CAPER Company H-7. All of us pledged the National Headquarters.

From this point on, the National CAPER history is based on the history I received from Pershing Angels in 1999. I have also added new information that I have found. I hope that as more CAPER National Staff Alumni is found, they will start filling in the details of their history.

CAPERS

When school started in 1971, there were very few CAPERS that year.

CAPER BG Kikugawa and her Deputy Commander, CAPER COL Gwen Howell

worked hard, but eventually the decision was made that the CAPER National

Headquarters would be moved due to lack of staff.

CAPER BG Kikugawa could not bear to be the one to do that, so she turned the command over to CAPER BG Gwen Howell who then arranged for moving

the headquarters to Kansas State University. They don't remember the

actual date of transfer, but it was in 1972. The history from Pershing

Angels says it was in February. (Paulette and Gwen told me the “bad news” in April or May of 1972 when I was home waiting to go to Germany.)

Paulette (Kikugawa) Lum

Gwen (Howell) Kelly



National Headquarters, Kansas State University 1966-1972

The last part of the 1972 School Year

In 1972, the CAPER National Headquarters moved to CAPER Company G-7 at Kansas State University.

The Pershing Angels history said the headquarters moved on February 5 and that the national staff had

17 officers. It also says there were 35 companies at the time and that the 4 Regimental Headquarters

were still in operation.

The national commander for this semester was CAPER BG Susan Lindholm.

These pictures were found on the Pershing Rifles Company G-7 Alumni website.

The year wasn’t given.

Because there were 17 on the drill team, I think this is the 1972 National Staff.

CAPERS


The national commander for the 1972-73 School Year was CAPER BG Rhonda (McGuire) McCommons.

At the 1973 National Convention CAPERS had a separate drill meet for the first time with their own

trophies, unlike the coed division in previous drill meets.

The 1973-74 School Year The National Commander for the 1973-74 School Year was CAPER BG Elizabeth Cramer. I found the

Kansas State University Yearbook for this year on e-Yearbooks. I cannot get the picture yet, but it

did include Elizabeth Cramer.

The 1974-75 School Year The history from Pershing Angels didn’t mentioned the headquarters at Kansas State University for

this year, but I heard from the Pershing Rifles National Commander for that year who is married to

the CAPER Deputy Commander from Kansas State University for that year. I still haven’t heard from

her to get the National Commander’s name or any other information.


National Headquarters, Auburn University 1975-1978

We have no information about the National Headquarters at Auburn University (CAPER Company G-4)

in Auburn, GA, so we aren’t too sure of the years yet. I found some Auburn University yearbooks on

e-Yearbooks. I have been able to find 2 of their members on Facebook, but they haven’t given me any

information about the National Headquarters there.

National Headquarters, Appalachian State University 1978-79

In 1978, the headquarters was moved to CAPER Company M-4, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.

Based on one of the yearbooks from e-Yearbooks, their local name was Golden CAPERS. I have been

unable to locate any of their members.

The National Commander that year was CAPER BG Susan B. Rice.

CAPERS


The history I got from Pershing Angels says that the National Headquarters was moved to CAPER

Company K-8, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ) in 1981, but that was incorrect. It was 1979.

I had received an e-mail group of CAPERS from the Pershing Rifles Company K-8 Alumni Association,

but had no idea that one of them was a National Commander for some time. When I found it out, the

history had to be re-written. The National Commander for 1979-80 was CAPER BG Cheryl Beers-Cullan.


The National Commander that year was CAPER BG Sharon Sanders. Her length of term is unknown.

The history actually just says 1981.


The National Commander that year is still unknown.


The National Commander that year was CAPER BG Shirley Jones.

This picture was found on the Pershing Rifles Company K-8 Alumni website and was contributed by Vicky (Mezza) Quinn. Vickie said that this picture was taken in Ohio at the Cleveland Competition (probably the 1969 National Drill Meet in Cleveland.)

I know remember that the company was chartered sometime during the 1969-70 or 1970-71 school years, but I’m not too sure which year.

National Headquarters, Seton Hall University 1979-1983


There is some difference of opinion on the official end of CAPERS. The information at the front of

this book is the information that I have been finding out on the Pershing Rifles side. The Pershing

Rifles National Commander for 2009-10 told me that the Constitution change was in 1980 and it

sounds right, since the first civilian Pershing Rifles National Commander was elected that year.

What we still don’t know was the date of the order to the Pershing Rifles Companies to take their

CAPER Companies into their companies.

Patricia Martin, who pledge CAPER Company C-16 (Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL) in the fall of 1982 told me that just before her line was ready to cross they got a letter from the CAPER National

Headquarters at Seton Hall that stated that their drill team was told they couldn’t compete at a drill

meet. When they asked why, they found out about the 1980 order. The letter was telling the

companies that they were no longer a national organization.

Wanda Green, who pledged CAPER Company at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD in 1977, has

been told that the order was not until 1982 and that CAPER National Headquarters knew about the

order and approved of it.

Until May 2010, all we knew about the headquarters at St. Peters College (next page) was from the Per-

shing Angels history which mentioned Fran Lopes in 1987. Then it said that Madeline Colon was Na-

tional Commander in 1989. It then shows Pershing Angels starting in 1990.

In 1999, Adrian Pugh who sent me the history told me there was a period of time before Pershing

Angels started when there was no National Headquarters. On May 1, 2010 Irene (Rodriguez) Lee came

to our website and soon put me in contact with Fran (Lopes Steffens).

CAPERS

National Headquarters, St. Peters College 1984-1987

This National Headquarters (at Company N-8, St. Peters College, Jersey City, NJ) shows the continuity

from CAPERS to Pershing Angels. This was after the order (no matter when it happened) and they

were still known as CAPERS locally and Pershing Angels nationally.


The 1984-85 National Commander was Pershing Angels BG Fran (Lopes) Steffens who remembers that

they got some of the files from the Seton Hall CAPER National Headquarters. They were supposed to

bring more later, but those files were never received.


The National Commander this year was Pershing Angels BG Irene (Rodriguez) Lee.


The National Commander this year was Pershing Angels BG Madeline Colon. Now we know it wasn’t 1989,

because she was commander right after Irene (Rodriguez) Lee.

There was, indeed, a period of time where there was no National Headquarters. From this point on, the

national history will be Pershing Angels history.


Pershing Angels 1990-Present

The official start of Pershing Angels is recorded in the history I received from Adrian Pugh in 1999:

“On November 3, 1990 in Atlanta, Georgia, the National Society of Pershing Angels held a conference

at the Martin Luther King, Jr, Center. At this conference, National Headquarters was reorganized with

Lisa Cannon becoming National Commander and the Headquarters location was moved to Atlanta, GA.

In 1992, the national seat moved to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 1995, a unanimous vote at the annual conference held at North Carolina A & T University,

Greensboro, North Carolina, put the National Headquarters where it currently is now - at Howard

University, Washington, DC.”

The National Headquarters of Pershing Angels is staffed by alumni and the headquarters is always at

the college that the current National Commander attended.

Pershing Angels National Commanders

Lisa Cannon, H-4, 1990-1992

Tiji Murphy-Hipp, J-8-5, 1992-1995

Adrian Pugh, G-8-5, 1998-2000

Latonja Estelle, G-8-5, 1998=2000

Michelle Richardson, R-4, 2000-2002

Wanda Green, J-8-5, 2002-2010

(I still don’t have the name of the new Pershing Angels National Commander)

CAPERS

Current Pershing Angels Companies

Company C-16, Florida A & M University

Company G-8-5, Howard University

Company J-8-5, Morgan State University

Company K-4, South Carolina State University

Company N-4, North Carolina A & T University

Company O-4, Virginia State University

Company P-4-5, Tuskegee University

Company R-4-5, Norfolk State University

Company U-4-5, Hampton University

Company A-7-5, Lincoln University

Most of these were CAPER Companies. Some have been in existence since the 1960’s while

others have been reorganized. All CAPER alumni should be proud that the spirit of Coed

Affiliates Pershing Rifles still exists in the Pershing Angels active members.


Map of CAPER and Pershing Angels Unit Locations

Now we will move to talking about individual CAPER Companies and other coed groups affiliated

with Pershing Rifles.

CAPERS

This section contains information on as many coed groups affiliated with Pershing Rifles as possible. As I find more, I will add them. I will include any information about the group that I have. Again, as I find more informa-tion, I will add them. This list is set up by the CAPER or Pershing Rifles designation as they were in 1969. I have used the 1969 Pershing Rifleman yearbook (the last one printed) as my source. Since unit designations have changed, as have the regiments, the only way to organize them is to set a standard. And since I was active at this time, it’s the easiest standard for me. Charter dates: I’m hoping to get to the Pershing Rifles Archives in Lincoln, NE some day. Every week, we took copies of all of our correspondence (on pink second sheet paper). I understand there are two files full of pink second sheet paper that, but no one who has looked at them have an idea what they are. I think they are our correspondence copies. The CAPER Regiments I started in 1970 are also noted. You may notice that they regiment number didn’t correspond with the company designations. Each CAPER Regiment as based on a group of Pershing Rifles Regiments and the lowest numbered Pershing Rifles Regiment was the CAPER Regimental designation. This was done so we could increase the number of regiments as the number of companies increases, but the company designation wouldn’t change. The list includes: CAPER Companies I remember CAPER Companies I have learned about Possible CAPER Companies (college or town names that seem like I knew “back then”) Pershing Angels Companies Other coed groups NOTE: Companies that had the National Headquarters at some time will not be in this section, but in the National History section. I will try, if possible, to state the source of the knowledge.


CAPER Companies...in approximate order of chartering

There were 7 companies by the end of the 1966-67 school year. That means two ware missing

The 2 Missing Companies from the 1966-67 School Year

There were 14 companies by the end of the 1967-68 school year. That means two are missing.


School Location Local Name Notes

D-6 Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA CAPERS 1968 PR D-6 articles says they were

chartered that year.

H-1 West Virginia State University Institute, WV I remember town name...charting

date??


D-4 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC CAPERS Their Spring 1968 PRman article says they

were chartered in Spring of 1967

N-4 North Carolina A& T University Greensboro, NC *

I remember this company chartering in the spring of 1968 and I have talked to their founder!

* I remember from early in my time in CAPERS that there were two pins on the map in the office, side by side, in Greensboro and

Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

I’ve gotten enough information from various sources to put this list together. I’ll change it if I got more

information.

1966-67 School Year (Based on the 1967 Pershing Rifleman Yearbook article)


T-1 Central State University Wilberforce, OH Pershing Angels

A-5 Pennsylvania State University Altoona Campus CAPERS At PR Hq Platoon Altoona

E-2 University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN Kadettes

B-9 University of Colorado Boulder, CO CAPERS

C-15 Norfolk State College Norfolk, VA Pershing Angels

1967-68 School Year (Chartered by the time the 1968 Pershing Rifleman Yearbook article was

written)


M-16 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Les Bleus Berets ‘69 article said Sept ‘67

P-4 Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee, AL

C-10 New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM Kaydettes, then CAPERS

F-1 Ohio University Athens, OH CAPERS


C-16 Florida A & M University Tallahassee, FL CAPERS May, 1968

CAPERS

1968-69 School Year (Chatered by the time the 1969Pershing Rifleman Yearbook article was

written,,the last one)


D-15 Hampton Institute Hampton, VA

N-1 Marshall University Huntington, WV

C-4 Clemson University Clemson, SC CAPERS

A-3 Indiana University Bloomington, IN Crimson Cadettes

L-17 Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, TX CAPERS

Those I remember from the 1969 CAPER National Conventions (because the were written on my pictures)


Q-15 Penn Morton College Chester, PA The newest company at the time

K-5 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA Was in the process of chartering

There were 23 chartered companies by the end of the 1968-69 school year. That means that there are 2 missing

companies from that year.



?-5 * Pennsylvania State University Ogontz Campus Kaydettes 1969 PRman has a picture of them with CAPER

membership cords.

B-5 Pennsylvania State University University Park

Campus

CAPERS ROTC Yearbook has pictures of them.

1969-70 School Year

Since there were no more Pershing Rifleman Yearbooks published after 1969, this list gets much less accurate.

Also, I was so busy during the last two years, my memories aren’t as good and we have to depend on other sources.

An article from a Pennsylvania State University 1970 ROTC yearbook. In the 5th Regimental Headquarters

article, they stated that there were 6 CAPER Companies in the 5th Regiment.

Other 2 Companies in the 5th Regiment


?-5

?-5

* I remember charter application for another PR Headquarters Platoon at Penn State and we had to come up with

a designation for them like we did for A-5 (Altoona). I can remember “Ogontz”, too. It is now the Abington

Campus.

More on the 1969-70 School Year on the next page.


The history from Pershing Angels says that by December 1969 there were 26 companies chartered and by the

end of the year, 2 more were in the process of chartering. Without the 2 unknown companies from the 5th

Regiment, our count is 23, so we are off by 3 companies. We met the two companies that were in the process of

chartering at the 17th Regimental Drill Meet in December 1969. These companies were:


Q-17 Prairie View A & M College Prairie View, TX

R-17 Trinity University San Antonio, TX

1970-71 School Year

When I first started thinking about the CAPER companies, I thought that there were either 32 or 36 companies

by the time I graduated. I was busy with dividing CAPER into regiments, writing a new SOT, running the

organization and getting married in January, that I don’t have any memory of which companies chartered while

I was National Commander. The Pershing Angels history says that there were 4 regiments and 34 active

companies at the time the National Headquarters moved to Kansas State University, so it looks like my memory

is pretty close. According to the article in the April 1971 National Shield newspaper (the article was written

early in the year), the charter application for this company came in over the summer of 1970.


K-4 South Carolina State College Orangeburg, SC

This makes the total count 26, making us short 9 companies, or 7 if you add back in those 2 missing companies

from the 5th Regiment.

Here are some possibilities:

* I remember Bowling Green, but there were coed groups in both Bowling Green, OH and Bowling Green, KY!


I-1 Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH * The Royal Green

P-1 Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH

S-1 West Virginia State University Morgantown, WV

J-4 Florence State University Florence, AL

X-4 Middle Tennessee State University Mulfreesboro, TN

L-4 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 80-84 records in archives

Q-4 University of Georgia Athens, GA 1967 PR Articles said their coed group

was in the process of chartering.

K-8 Seton Hall University (later NHq) South Orange, NY I remember the town name.

Q-8 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY I remember the town name.

B-15 Virginia State University Petersburg, VA PA company roster says charter mem-

bers were 1971 (spring or fall???)

G-10 University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Saber

CAPERS

Other CAPER Companies we know about


H-15 or J-8 Morgan State University Baltimore, MD Pershing Angels They had a coed group in 1960, but I don’t know when

they chartered with CAPERS

B-4 Tennessee Tech Crossville TN 1974—1980

G-4 Auburn University Auburn, GA NHq location

M-4 Appalachian State University Boone, NC NHq location

I-6 or I-16 Loyola University New Orleans, LA Found an alumni

G-6 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS NHq location

N-8 St. Peters College Jersey City, NJ NHq location

Howard University Washington, DC

F-12 University of Connecticut Storrs, CN

The 4 CAPER Regiments in 1970 were:

CAPER 1st Regiment at Company H-1, Marshall University

PR 1st, 2nd and 3rd Regiments (Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South

Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois)

Companies: F-1, T-1, H-1, N-1, E-2, A-3

Possible Companies: I-1, P-1, S-1

Later Companies:

CAPER 4th Regiment at Company C-4, Clemson University

PR 4th and 16th Regiments (Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Puerto Rico)

Companies: C-4, D-4, K-4, N-4, P-4, C-16, M-16

Possible Companies: Q-4, J-4, L-4, X-4

Later Companies: B-4, G-4, M-4

In the 1973 Clemson yearbooks, they said that the 4th Regiment had 11 companies)

CAPER 5th Regiment at Company A-5, Pennsylvania State University, Altoona Campus

PR 5th, 8th, 12th and 15th Regiments (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New

York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine)

Companies: A-5, B-5, ?-5, K-5, Q-5, C-15, B-15, D-15, Q-17

Possible Companies:

Later Companies: H-15 (or J-8), N-8, G-8, F-12

CAPER 6th Regiment at Company B-9, University of Colorado at Boulder

PR 6th, 7th, 9th and 19th Regiments (Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New

Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Alaska)

Companies: D-6, B-9, C-10, L-17, Q-17, R-17

Possible Companies:

Later Companies: I-6 (or I-16), G-7


Other Known Coed Groups


C-1 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Kentucky Babes & Les Sabres

A-2 University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE Cadence Countesses

H-2 St. John’s University St. Joseph, MN Petticoat Platoon

I-2 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI Marcadettes

K-2 South Dakota State University Brookings, SC Pershingettes

L-2 Ripon College * Ripon, WI

B-3 Western Kentucky State Bowling Green, KY Rebelettes

_-4 Alabama A & M University Normal, AL Drillettes

V-6 Spring Hill College Mobile, AL Kadettes

E-7 Kansas University Lawrence, KS E-CO Berets

M-12 University of Maine Orono, ME Pershingettes

A-15 University of Maryland College Park, MD Kaydettes

S-16 Stetson University Deland, FL

H-17 University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX ROTC Sponsor Corp

* There was a picture in the 1966 Pershing Rifleman that said L-2, but their white blazers look like the ones from B-9. I put L-2 in

this list, just in case.

CAPERS

Information on

Individual CAPER Companies

and

Other Coed Groups

NOTE: These are grouped by regimental designations from the time I was active. Some of these regimental

designations don’t exist today. I’ve learned that there a big adjustment in the regiments was made within a few

years after I graduated, while CAPERS were still in existence. I’m sorry if I got any of the companies wrong.

Let me know and I’ll change them...or put in all the known designations. While I was in CAPERS, the designations

were the same as the Pershing Rifles Regiments and they stayed that way even when the CAPER Regiments were

established.

I hope that every CAPER Alumni who reads this book will start documenting their time in CAPERS….and force me

to keep doing revisions to this book.


Coed group at Pershing Rifles Company A-1

Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

The Pershing Rifles National Honorary Sponsor for 1969, Je Ellen Kidwell, was a member of the Ohio

State University Coed Cadet Drill Team.

Coed group at Pershing Rifles Company C-1

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

In their 1967 Pershing Rifleman article, they said they were going to participate in the Illinois

Invitational Drill Meet, the George A. Knight, Invitational Drill Meet, the First Regimental Drill Meet

and were considering the Blue Grass Invitational Drill Meet. Their commander that year was Gwynne

Deal.

The Kentucky Babes had an article in the 1969 Pershing Rifleman yearbook. They also had a specialty drill team, Les Sabres that was formed that year. Les Sabres drilled using French commands. Their

commander that year was Jo Lynn Bryan.

CAPER Company F-1

Ohio University, Athens, OH

I know that this Company was chartered early in the history of CAPERS, although we don’t know their

chartering date yet. According to on-line yearbooks I have found, locally they were called “Army Coed

Cadets”. The 1967-68 Company Commander’s name was Margot (last name ???) and Bonnie (Smith) Kavanaugh was the Company Commander in 1969-70.

At the 1969 Convention (in uniform):

Patricia (Reuter) Smith, Sue Bradfield, Marnice (Kinter) Gooch, Susanne (Hundley ) Stuechli

CAPERS

Probable CAPER Company H-1

West Virginia State University, Institute, WV

This is another company that was chartered early in the history of CAPERS, as I remember them, too.

The 1969 Pershing Rifleman yearbook says that their local name was Pershingettes.

Coed Group at Company I-1

Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH

I don’t know for sure if there this was a CAPER Company, but several years ago it was one that I

indentified as a possible company. The problem is that there were two Bowling Greens with coed

groups.

Their name was Royal Green and they had an article in 1967 Pershing Rifleman yearbook. Their first

drill competition in November was the Otterbein Invitational Drill Meet. They placed third in the coed

competition. In the spring they competed in the Case Invitational Drill Meet and the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational Drill Meet

The Royal Green from the 1967 Pershing Rifleman


CAPER Company N-1

Marshall University, Huntington, WV

Although this Company wasn’t one that I remember from my first year in CAPERS, I know that they

were chartered before the 1969 Convention and the 1969 Pershing Rifleman says they chartered that

school year. We don’t have any other information on this company.

In 1970, I named them CAPER First Regimental Headquarters.

In 1970-71, CAPER National Headquarters collected money for families of the victims of a tragic plane

crash with many Marshall University students.

Possible CAPER Company P-1

Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH

This is another school that sticks in my mind, so it might be a CAPER Company.

Possible CAPER Company S-1

West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

This is another possible CAPER Company.

At the 1969 National Convention (in blue)

Donna Davidson, Linda Wilmothe. Gertha Edwards (Company Commander)

CAPERS

CAPER Company T-1

Central State University, Wilberforce, OH

This was one of the first 5 CAPER Companies. According to the Pershing Rifles Company T-1 article

in the 1966 Pershing Rifleman yearbook, they were called Pershing Angels and were working on a

completely silent drill sequence, which they called “a milestone in coed drill.”

Coed Group Affiliate with Pershing Rifles Company A-2

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE

The Cadence Countesses from the University of Nebraska started in 1959 and was started by

CPT Charles Svoboda, P/R CPT Richard Dwinall, Jeanne Peterson and Sharon DeMars. The

original name (which lasted until the second official meeting) was Pershing Riflettes.

In 1961 and 1962, they won the overall trophy in the Second Regimental Drill Meet. In 1963

they competed in the Illinois Invitational Drill Meet. The number of coed drill teams had

grown and they placed 3rd. In 1964, they competed in two meets. They placed first in both

the Illinois Invitational and the Second Regimental Drill Meets. In 1965 they won second in

the Illinois Invitational. In 1065, the competed in the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington,

DC receiving the overall trophy.


CAPER Company E-2

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

CAPER Company E-2 was one of the first 5 chartered companies, chartering before March 17,

1967. The company was at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their local name was

Kadettes.

The Pershing Rifles Company E-2 article in the 1964 Pershing Rifleman tells how then future company

E-2 started: Company E-2's sponsor, Miss Diana Mounsey and the company advisor formed a women's auxiliary in the spring with the coordination of Pershing Rifles and Scabbard and Blade.

CAPER Company E-2 had an article in the 1968 Pershing Rifleman. I like their article because even

though their local name was Kadettes, the used "CAPER Company E-2 in the article. The school year began with a rush tea that got them seven pledges. They met one of their pledge requirements by

hosting a Pow Wow which was a super success until it started to sleet and snow. One of the company's

major fall activities was helping the Army ROTC at a variety of functions.

Their service project for Christmas was hosting a Christmas Party for 28 underprivileged children.

Three of the PRs helped by being Santa Claus, a toy soldier and "Jingles" a green elf.

When the Winter Term began, the drill

commander, Vicki Sundberg started getting

the trill team back into shaped. Since they

were financially able to go to one drill meet

that year, they went to the 2nd Regimental

Drill Meet in April. Their drill style

combined "22-5" with a careful touch of

femininity, keeping in mind that they were

a militarily oriented marching unit.

The Company Commander that year was

Barbara Bevan.

CAPER Company E-2 had an article in the 1969 Pershing Rifleman. During the fall quarter they had

a Christmas party for under-privileged nursery school children. They also had a successful money raising project to get new drill uniforms, including selling pap for Army Day athletics and Kadette

slave day. During the winter quarter, their service project was sending packages to former Pershing

Rifleman now stationed in Vietnam. The drill team, commanded by SGT Katharine Hoag worked on their

sequence for Exhibition Drill presentations. The spring quarter included a spring rush, the Tri-

Service Military Ball and the Campus Carnival. The Company Commander that year was Kathleen (Kathy)

(Tubman) Anderson. Other members mentioned were Patricia Gross and Diana Morris.

Picture from 1968 Pershing Rifleman

CAPERS

Coed Group Affiliated with Pershing Rifles Company H-2

St. Benedict College, St. Joseph, MN

The Second Regimental Honorary Sponsor for 1969, Connie Werner, was a member of Petticoat Platoon

at St. Benedict College. Pershing Rifles Company H-2 was at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN.

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company I-2

Marquette University, Milwalukee, WI

The Marcadettes from Marquette University started in 1962. The 1966 President was Liz Kempinger

and she was one of the founding members. In 1966 they had 17 members on their drill team. In 1965

they attended Drill Meets at University of Wisconsin, Ball State, as well as the Second Regimental

Drill Meet. Then they place third at the Illinois Invitational Drill Meet. In 1966 they were planning

to attend Drill Meets at Purdue, Illinois, as well as the Second Regimental Drill Meet.

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company K-2

South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD

I found an on-line reference to the Pershingettes that started in 1967. There is also an article about

them in the 1967 Pershing Rifleman. They started with 30 members. They attended the Second

Regimental Drill Meet. CPT Elainw DeWall was their first commander and their founder.

Possible Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company L-2

Ripon College, Ripon, WI

There was an picture in the 1967 Pershing Rifleman that said it was Company L-2, but no article. There

were several mistakes in the coed groups section. The white blazers in the picture make me think it was Company B-9 and I put the picture there. I put this here, just in case there really was a coed

group at L-2.


CAPER Company A-3

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

The 1969 Pershing Rifleman says this company was chartered during the 1968-69 school year. Their

local name was Crimson Cadettes. Three of their members attended the 1969 CAPER National

Convention in Cleveland, OH.

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company B-3

Western Kentucky State, Bowling Green, KY

The Rebelettes of Western Kentucky State College started in the fall of 1964. Kandy

Kehlmeyer and Betsy Carroll got it going. By 1966, they had 55 members of their drill team.

They placed second in the Purdue Invitational Drill Meet.

At the 1969 National Convention

Peggy Nally

Kathee Papai,

Cynthia Neeley,

Company Commander

CAPERS

CAPER Company B-4

Tennessee Tech, Crossville, TN

I didn’t know anything about this CAPER company until I saw an on-line newspaper article about a

Pershing Rifles and CAPER reunion at their homecoming. I did some research and found a slide show

about their Pershing Rifles and CAPER Companies. Although the had a sponsor group, the Golden Nuggets, which ended in1974.. In 1975 they started a CAPER company that ended in 1978.

CAPER Company C-4

CAPER Fourth Regimental Headquarters

Clemson University, Clemson, SC

I can remember when the CAPER Company from Clemson chartered in the 1968-69 school year, as the

were the largest company chartered. They were at the same campus as Pershing Rifles Fourth

Regiment which were always CAPER supporters. This company was an easy choice for the

CAPER Fourth Regimental Headquarters in 1970.

These pictures were taken from a on-line book, “Women and Clemson University”. The drill team was from 1971 and the Company Commander that year was CPT Katie Pickens.

The two CAPERS sitting on the cannon are members of the Fourth Regimental Headquarters in 1973. CAPER COL Sara Thompson was the Regimental Commander that year.

CAPER Company D-4

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

CAPER Company D-4 was located at Wake Forest College in Winston-Salem, NC. According to the

1968 Pershing Rifleman, CAPER Company D-4 was chartered during the 1967-68 school year. but

their article said that they were really chartered in the spring of 1967 and that they had 25 members.

The CAPER Company D-4 drill team practiced a lot so they were prepared for parades, inspections and

Drill Meets at Clemson, South Carolina, and Ft. Gordon, GA.

CAPER Company D-4 earned money by operating a booth during the Annual Fall Carnival at Wake Forest

University. In the early spring they sold doughnuts, washed cars and had a rewarding "egg sale".

Possible CAPER Company J-4

Florence State University,

now University of North Alabama, Florence, AL

The 1969 Pershing Rifleman said that Pershing Rifles Company J-4 started a CAPER Company that year

and that it had 25 member.


CAPER Company K-4

Pershing Angels Company K-4

South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC

CAPER Company K-4 was chartered in September 1971. That was the first charter I signed as

National Commander. I would love to find out if that charter is still in existence, as there is

now a Pershing Angels Company K-4,

Possible CAPER Company L-4

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

The first attempt at starting this company was during the 1968-69 school year, but according

to the 1969 Pershing Rifleman only two girls showed up at the organizational meeting. I’m not

sure if these two girls started the company or whether it started later, but the University

Library has some records of the company in the 1980’s.

Probably CAPER Company N-4

Pershing Angels Company N-4

North Carolina A & T University, Greensboro, NC

This is another one of the CAPER Companies I remember from the first year I was in CAPERS

which makes them one of the oldest CAPER Companies. It is still in existence as a Pershing

Angels Company.

CAPER Company P-4

Pershing Angels Company P-4-5

Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL

I can remember this company from my first year in CAPERS, too, making them one of the

oldest companies,. Today it is a Pershing Angels company.

CAPERS

Probable CAPER Company Q-4

University of Georgia

Athens, GA

The 1967 Pershing Rifleman article by Pershing Rifles Company Q-4 said that their coed group was in

the process of chartering with CAPERS.

Possible CAPER Company X-4

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN

This company is on the list because I remember the town name from a long time ago, so it must

have been from CAPERS! I have no verification that there was a CAPER company there

Possible CAPER Company _ - 4

Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL I found an on-line reference in a book “African Americans and ROTC” that said this Pershing Rifles

company had a coed group, Drillettes, that were “superseded by Pershing Rifles Coed Affiliates”.

There was no year in the reference. I couldn’t find Pershing Rifles Company there in 1969. The ROTC

website says they currently have Pershing Rifles and Pershing Angels, but they don’t show up as active

companies of either organization.


CAPER Company A-5

CAPER 5th Regimental Headquarters

Pennsylvania State University, Altoona Campus

Altoona, PA

CAPER Company A-5 was located at Pennsylvania State University - Altoona Campus. According to the

1967 Pershing Rifleman yearbook, Company A-5 was one of the first 6 companies to be chartered

(before March 17,1967). Representatives from Company A-5 attended the first CAPER National

Convention in Washington, DC in April 1967.

The 1967 Pershing Rifleman article for the company at Pennsylvania State University at Altoona was mistakenly headed S-2, but the 1968 article had it right and confirmed my memory that they were

Company A-5. The article says that they were "formally affiliated" with the national CAPER

organization on January 5, 1967. (NOTE: I've seen the phrase "affiliated" in a lot of the early

information and have the feeling that no charters were printed yet, so the term "chartering" was not

used yet). They were approved as an organization on by the student government on January 10,

1967. Of course they had been active before those two things had been done.

The idea started at the beginning of the Fall Term 1966 at the Student Activities Fair. Two weeks

later 20 girls attended a meeting in Ivy Hall with the intention of organizing a girls drill team. They

decided that their uniform would consist of a navy blue skirt and sweater, a white blouse and loafers

until they could afford navy blue blazers and skirts to match. They performed drill routines in several

parades that fall. In December they accompanied their "Pershing Rifles brother" to the Catholic Child Care Center in Lakemont, PA and entertained the orphans with their drill routines. They also spent

some time talking with the children.

At the beginning of February, they finished

their 15 week pledge period by each of them

presenting a Pledge Manual to a Board of Re-

view and then were initiated. Another pledge

class was started a few weeks later to help

build the organization. They traveled to

Pittsburgh in February for a drill competition

at the University of Pittsburgh where the Pershing Rifles were participating. In March

during spring break the competed in their

first drill meet at the University of Mary-

land. Unlike many coed groups that drilled

without weapons, they drilled with M-1's.

CAPERS

The 1969 Pershing Rifleman article for CAPER Company A-5 said that during the fall term their

pledge class marched in the Halloween parade in Hollidaysburg and a Christmas parade. The company,

along with their Pershing Rifles company held a hoagie sale to raise money for future drill meets. A combined Initiation Ball was held in January and both organizations sponsored the Military Ball in

February.

CAPER Company S-5 won the East Coast Invitational Drill Meet. They participated in drill meets at Pennsylvania State University and Pratt Institute (New York City). The crowning achievement of the

year, was winning the Coed Competition in Cleveland, Ohio.

In 1970, CAPER Company A-5 was named as one of the four regimental headquarters. They were 5th Regimental Headquarters.

CAPER Company B-5

Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus

University Park, PA

I remember CAPER Company B-5, but it gets really confusing with all the companies on the

Penn State Campuses!!! The pictures are from their ROTC Yearbooks.


1971 1970. Linda Lang, Company Commander

CAPER Company ?-5

Pennsylvania State University, Ogontz Campus

University Park, PA I can remember when the Ogontz company was chartered. Because they were with the Headquarters

Platoon we had to decide what company designation it would get. I have no idea what the company

designation was. This company had a local name, Kaydettes.

CAPERS

From the 1969 Pershing Rifleman yearbook

From the 1973 ROTC Yearbook

CAPER Company K-5

University of Pittsburg, Pittsburg, PA

The picture below, taken at the 1969 National Convention, identifies the women in brown only as future

CAPER Company K-5 as they were in the process of chartering. That would mean that they were

chartered in April or May of 1969.

CAPER Company D-6

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

CAPER Company D-6 was started in the Fall of 1967 and chartered later in that school year.

CAPER Company D-6 article in the 1969 Pershing Rifleman says that the first year under the

long-awaited charter for CAPER Company D-6 proved to be one of growth and success. Their first drill

performance was in the Louisiana State University Homecoming Day activities. Later they marched in

Baton Rouge Christmas Parade. Later in the year year they marched in the American Legion Parade in

Baton Rouge, the 6th Regimental Drill Meet sponsored by V-6, Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL and the

Southern Invitational Drill Meet sponsored by 6th Regimental Headquarters.

Collecting cola bottles and selling pep telegrams for the football game with Ole Miss were successful

money-raising projects.


Peggi (Reed) Wolfe

Company D-6

CAPER Company I-6 or I-16

Loyola University, New Orleans, LA

We know about the CAPER Company at Loyola University in New Orleans, LA, because an alumni

(and former company commander) of this company, Leslie (Lambour) Bourerie was found on the

Internet. The Loyola alumni association had honored her and her husband for being outstanding alumni. The article mentioned that she had been in CAPERS, so I asked the alumni association to

contact her. I hope we can eventually find more alumni of this company that chartered after I had

graduated from college.

Because the Pershing Rifles regiments changed in the mid 1970's, we don't know whether this company

was designated I-6 or I-16. The funny part is that the two regiments were together as 6th Regiment

until the mid-1960's when the 16th Regiment was started. When they were put back together, they

became the 16th Regiment! This change would have also totally messed up the CAPER regiments!

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company V-6

University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL

The Sixth Regimental Honorary Sponsor for 1969, Kathleen June Lincks, was the Commander of the Kadettes drill team from the University of South Alabama. Pershing Rifles Company V-6 was located

at Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL

Pershing Angels Company A-7-5

Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO

This Pershing Angels Company was started a few years ago.

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company E-7

University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

E-Co Berets

The 1969 Pershing Rifleman has an article about this group, the E-Co Berets (pronounced echo), that

started that year with 33 members. Their drill team was called “The Devil’s Brigade”. Gloria Moss was

the commander. That year they participated in the Champaign Drill Meet and the Seventh Regimental

Drill Meet held at Ft. Riley, KS.

CAPERS

Probable CAPER Company Q-8

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

I remember that Hofstra had a CAPER Company and it would have been chartered during the later

period of the time I was in CAPERS. I don’t think I would have heard of the school or town in any

other way. The alumni from Hofstra that I know have no idea if it was ever chartered, but it was started with the girl friends of the Pershing Rifles members and they wore Pershing Rifles membership

cords without the PR shield


CAPERS

CAPER Company B-9

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

CAPER Company B-9 was one of the first five chartered CAPER Companies. CAPER Company B-9 article in the 1967 Pershing Rifleman said that company was started by Pershing Rifles 9th

Regimental Headquarters in the Fall of 1966. They were started as Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles

and were chartered in time for a delegate to attend the first CAPER National Convention (1967) in

March in Washington, DC. The commander that year was Toby V. Robinson.

In the spring, CAPER Company B-9, Pershing Rifles Company B-9 and Pershing Rifles 9th Regimental

Headquarters had a joint recruiting program to get their spring pledge class.

In 1970, Company B-9 was named CAPER 6th Regiment.

At the 1969 National Convention in Cleveland, OH.

Nancy Wubben, Gina Barnes, Catherine Pruett, the Company Commander.

This picture from the 1967 Pershing Rifleman

was identified as CAPER Company B-9

This picture from the 1967 Pershing Rifleman was identified

as another company (which I never heard of). They white

blazers make me sure that it is really CAPER Company B-9

CAPER Company C-10

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

CAPER Company C-10 was at New Mexico State University was located at Los Cruses, NM. CAPER

Company C-10. It’s embarrassing to admit that I had forgotten about this company about until I was

loaned several copies of the Pershing Rifleman yearbooks. According to the 1968 Pershing Rifleman were chartered during the 1967-68 school year, but because of finding the yearbooks below, I'm

wondering if they were chartered earlier, but missed in the first list.

I also searched e-Yearbooks and found them in 4 yearbooks. In the 1966 and 1967 yearbooks they

were called Kaydettes and in the 1968 and 1969 yearbooks they were called CAPERS. This makes them

the first company I've found who changed their name when they chartered with CAPERS.

Possible CAPER Company at Pershing Rifles Company G-10

University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

I recently talked to a founder of Pershing Rifles Company G-10 at UCLA. He told me that when they

started they got one of the members of Sabers to be their honorary and when they got a letter about

CAPERS during the 1966-67 school year, they told the Sabers about CAPERS and that they “sent off

of CAPER cords. I don’t have any memory of them being a CAPER Company and he isn’t in contact with

any Sabers alumni.

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company F-12

University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut There was a picture in the 1969 Pershing Rifleman the XO of their “coed affiliate unit”, Susan

Goodrich. An alumni from Pershing Rifles Company F-12 told me that they existed until they became

part of the Pershing Rifles Company until after female students could take ROTC. According to an

article that he sent me, they guys took them in because they were so good at drill.


CAPERS

Picture of Perhingettes from the 1966 Pershing Rifleman

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company M-12

University of Maine, Orono, Maine

There is an article in the 1966 Pershing Rifleman about the Pershingettes at Pershing Rifles Company

M-12. That year the “girls’ trick drill team was sponsored by the Military Department at the University

of Maine. Their commander was Ursula Pickart. They were working on learning saber drill and getting WAC uniforms.

Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Squadron A-15

University of Maryland, College Park, MD

According to the article in the 1966 Pershing Rifles, the Kaydettes from the University of Maryland

started that year. The group started with 4 and grew quickly to 12. They were considered Pershing Rifles honoraries.

Picture of Squadron A-15 from

the 1969 Pershing Rifleman

CAPER Company B-15

Pershing Angels Company O-4

Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA

CAPER Company B-15 was located at Virginia State College in Petersburg, VA. They are now a Pershing

Angels Company. I didn't know when they started until recently. I found out on-line that CAPER

Company B-15 started in 1971. I've got one of their alumni checking to find out if any one knows when

they were actually chartered.

CAPER Company C-15

Pershing Angels Company U-4-5

Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA

CAPER Company C-15 was located at Virginia State College, Norfolk (now Norfolk State College) in

Norfolk, Virginia. According to the 1967 Pershing Rifleman yearbook, CAPER Company C-15 was one

of the first 5 CAPER Companies, chartering before March 17, 1966. The attended the first CAPER

National Convention in Washington, DC, in March of 1967.

In their article in the 1966 Pershing Rifleman yearbook, Pershing Rifleman, Pershing Rifles

Company C-15 wrote: "The Pershing Angels, our girls auxiliary group, have caused quite a stir in expansion circles. Other units are looking into the possibility of starting such units at their schools. C-15 welcomes any requests for information about such expansion."

There were two groups using then name "Pershing Angels" name in 1966 (C-15 and T-1)and they both

sounded establishes, so it's impossible at this time to know which one used it first. But because of the C-15's effort in helping other Pershing Rifles Companies learn how to start a coed group other CAPER

companies also used that name. Because of the wide spread use of the name Pershing Angels, it was the

logical choice for an organization name when CAPERS ended.

CAPER Company C-15's article in the 1969 Pershing Rifleman said they experienced a very

successful year with the installation of the new officers being the first official act. They were active

in the Homecoming festivities and where overwhelmed when one of their members, Sharon Cardwell was

named Homecoming Queen.

After completing several Christmas projects, they took seven new pledges and began working with them

on drill. They attended the Pershing Rifles National Convention in Cleveland to get ideas, but the didn’t

attend the CAPER Convention.

There is still a Pershing Angels Company at Norfolk State University (R-4-5).


At the 1969 National Convention in Cleveland, OH:

Claudia Smith, Company Commander and Becky Bailey.

CAPER Company D-15

Pershing Angels Company U-4-5

Hampton University, Hampton, VA

I remember this company very well. The were chartered during the 1968-69 school year.

The spring after I graduated, my now ex-husband was stationed at Ft. Eustis and I sent and visited

the company. They wanted me to inspect them, but I told them I wasn’t active anymore and couldn’t

to that. When I visited, they treated me wonderfully and asked me to be a judge at their drill meet. I can’t remember who was actually at the drill meet, but since Norfolk is so close to Hampton, I’m sure

Company C-15 was there.

I am thrilled that there is a Pershing Angels Company again at Hampton University and hope to meet

them some day!

CAPERS

This picture was mis-labeled in the 1966 Pershing Rifleman as H-5. Their wasn’t an article for either H-5 or H-15, but since H-5 is not know to have had a coed group, I’m sure this has to be H-15.

CAPER Company H-15 or J-8

Pershing Angels Company J-8-5

Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD

According to the reference from the book “African Americans and ROTC” I found on line, the first

coed group at Morgan State University was Persherettes in 1960. I do not know for sure when they

chartered as a CAPER company, but have been told it was early. The Immediate Past National

Commander of Pershing Angels, Wanda Green, pledged CAPER Company H-15 in 1977. Since we don’t

know for sure when they were chartered...and because the 15th Regiment was merged into the 8th Regiment in the mid 1970’s….both designations are included here.


At the 1969 Convention in Cleveland, OH: Pat Casity is in the blue shirt.

The Member to her right was not identified in the picture.

CAPER Company Q-15

PMC Colleges (Penn Morton) now Widner College,

Chester, PA

CAPER Company Q-15 was chartered between the time that our article for the 1969 Pershing

Rifleman was written and the National Convention in April 1969. On the back of the picture I wrote

that they were the newest CAPER Company at the time of the convention. That made me think about

how these Polaroid pictures were on our bulletin board for a long time. It was nice to see some of our

CAPER members. I’m glad I took the pictures when I graduated!

Pershing Angels Company G-8-5

Howard University, Washington, DC

There has been a Pershing Angels Company at Howard University for a long time. I don’t know if they were a

CAPER Company first or not. The 1969 Pershing Rifleman unit roster showed no Pershing Rifles Company at

Howard University.

CAPERS

This picture was sent to me by Patricia Martin who pledged Company C-16 in the fall of 1982. It is her pledge t-shirt.


CAPER Company C-16

Pershing Angels Company C-16

Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL

CAPER Company C-16 was at Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida. They were chartered in

May 1968. This is first confirmed date of a CAPER Charter. The founder of CAPER Company C-16 was

Wadee'ah Muhammad (AKA Beverly Chappell at that time). She is working on a list of the charter

members of the company from 1967-68. I'm excited to see the names again....yes, again. I can

remember when their charter came into National Headquarters! Wadee'ah told me that she got the

CAPER Company going because she wanted to take ROTC classes. She was finally able to get the ROTC

Department at Florida A & M University let her into ROTC, making her the first female to take ROTC

there, long before it was permitted. CAPERS were really pioneers.

In March 2010, Patricia Martin told us about how they found out that CAPERS no longer existed. She pledged CAPER Company C-16 in the fall of 1982. Around the time their line was crossing, they got a

letter from the CAPER National Headquarters (Seton Hall University at the time). The letter told the

CAPER Companies that were recently told that they could not compete in a drill meet because in 1980,

Pershing Rifles had issued an order telling all Pershing Rifles Companies to take their CAPER members

in to the Pershing Rifles Company. Patricia said that for CAPER Company C-16, this was impossi-

ble. Pershing Rifles Company C-16 kept being kicked "off the yard" (I assume that means "off campus")

because of hazing. They'd get back and then do it again. The CAPERS did not want to associate with

hazing or risk their organization. At that time they changed their name to Pershing Angels (the local

name of several CAPER Companies).

In 1990, the former CAPER Company C-16 joined with other former CAPER Companies to form the

National Society of Pershing Angels.

I am proud that this company is still in existence as a Pershing Angel Company.

CAPERS

CAPER Company M-16

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Representatives of then future CAPER Company M-16 attended the first CAPER National Convention in

Washington, DC in March 1967 as observers. Their local name Les Bleus Berets.

The CAPER Company M-16's 1968 Article said that they were first organized in January 1967 under

the leadership of Phullis Boutwell Dearborn. They had a very successful rush in February 1967, as the

original 6 officers got 20 new pledges who were initiated in April.

The fall of 1967 had 15 returning active members and were "affiliated" with Coed Affiliates Pershing

Rifles in September 1967. The fall quarter the company began raising money for uniforms so they

would have them for the January rush.

CAPER and Pershing Rifles sponsored a dance after the FSU-VPI football game. The proceeds were

used to send clothing collected by Tallahassee school children to send to orphans in Vietnam.

On January 17, 1968 the company pledged 28 girls. During the winter quarter their service was

primarily devoted to the retarded children at Sunland Training Hospital in cooperation with Circle

K. The drill team practiced several times a week in preparation for competition during the spring

quarter in Sarasota and during Circus Weekend at Florida State.

The company also planned to help the 16th Regiment in CAPER expansion efforts in Florida and Puerto

Rico.

In the Pershing Rifles Company M-16 article from the 1968 Pershing Rifleman, they bragged about

their CAPER company participating in the Festival of States Parade in St. Petersburg, FL nad the 1st Annual Beach Ball Festival Parade in Atlanta, GA.

Possible CAPER Company S-16

Stetson University, Deland, FL

The 1969 Pershing Rifleman said that Pershing Rifles Company S –16 was planning on starting a

CAPER Company. I don’t know if they ever did.


Coed Group at Pershing Rifles Company H-17

University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX

The ROTC Sponsor Crops started as Company H-10 at Texas Western Collage. Both the school name

and the Pershing Rifles Company designation changed at around the same time.

Their article in the 1966 Pershing Rifleman talks about the strong support they got from their Pershing

Rifles Company. Out of a group of 40 who tried out, 18 were taken into membership. That year they

help with the all high school Drill Meet sponsored by Pershing Rifles. They also won 2 trophies at the

10th Regimental Drill Meet, They placed second in Women’s Trick Drill and Karen Hamilton placed first

in the individual competition.

Their 1967 Pershing Rifleman article said that they 17 new members were selected out of a group of 70. They did an exhibition drill at Texas A & M University and planned on competing again at the 10th

Regimental Drill Meet.

The next year, both the school name and the company designation changed.

ROTC Sponsor Corp in the 1966

Pershing Rifleman

Linda Hichman Kathleen (Kathy) (Edgar) Rice Commander 17th Regimental Honorary

CAPERS

CAPER Company L-17

Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX

According to a Hardin-Simmons yearbook page from 1970 that was found on –line, this company started in

February 1969. It was chartered quickly, as they were on the list in the 1969 Pershing Rifleman. Here are the

pictures from that yearbook..


CAPER Company Q-17

Prairie View A & M University, Prairie View, TX

This company chartered after our meeting in December 1969.

At the 1969 Fall Little National Convention, the Pershing Rifles 17th Regimental Commander asked CAPER National Headquarters to attend the 17th Regimental Drill Meet two weeks later to help them

with expansion. We were thrilled to get a chance to talk directly with one of our CAPER Companies and

two prospective companies.

At the drill meet, we were thrilled to see one of the members of CAPER Company L-17, Kathleen

(Kathy) (Edgar) Rice, be named the 17th Regimental Honorary. She is the second from the left in the

back row of this picture. The other two without uniforms on were in future CAPER Company R-17. The two with white tops are members of future CAPER Company Q-17. Our Pershing Rifles National

Liaison, Bill Callahan is on the left and a member of Pershing Rifles Q-17 is on the right. The ones in

the full burgundy uniforms are Carroll Webster, Iris Rodriguez and Paulette (Kikugawa) Lum. I took

the picture.

CAPER Company R-17

Trinity University, San Antonio, TX

This company chartered after our meeting in December 1969.

CAPERS

One of the first CAPER membership cords, given

in the December 1967. According to Gail Kish,

the cords were first sent to the companies in the

Fall of 1967.

CAPER Insignia

I can remember when the patch order arrived in

the spring of 1968 and I still think they are as

beautiful as the day I first saw them.

CAPER Ribbons

Membership Ribbon (note: I’ve seen it in pictures without the torch)

National Staff Ribbon

Regimental Staff Ribbon

(don’t have one)

National Commander’s Award

Distinguished Service Award

White Rose Award (I think it was solid white)

Red Rose Award (I think it was sold red)

Yellow Rose Award


This is Linda’s membership shingle from 1967. Charters

had a similar set up. They were printed in advance and

then the name or company were written in by hand. If

you will notice, the actual initiation date is not on the

membership shingle, because for some reason when they

were printed, May was printed on all of them. It looks

like I was initiated before I graduated from high school!

The membership shingle would have been signed by the

National and Company Commander (although in our case,

the National Commander signed it twice!). Royal blue and

white ribbon was placed under the seal sticker and then

the seal was used on the sticker. I’m sure the ribbons look

different on each one of them!

I have set up a similar format for replacement shingles.

Once I can check what I hope is our correspondence

copies in the Pershing Rifles archive, I’ll be able to do

replica charters.

This was my award citation for the Distinguished Service and Yellow Rose

Award (Iris didn’t give me one for the National Commander’s Award). Iris

typed this one up completely, since the form had a company commander’s

recommendation and then the National Commander’s signature approving

it. The format of the form was similar to this. There really is a white

ribbon, but it didn’t show up on the white paper. You can see that the

ribbon colors were revered from the membership shingle (I said they

could all be different) and the seal shows better. Later national seals

would have shown a different University.

Documentation

These are provided so that you can tell if a document in someone’s possession are authentic.

CAPERS

Every time I work on the CAPER history, learn something new about CAPERS or find a new CAPER Alumni, I am

excited. It’s hard to believe that after all these years, CAPERS are still known and remembered. More and more

information on us is showing up on-line all the time.

I feel honored that I had the opportunity to be in this wonderful organization when I was in college, but also that

God kept my CAPER memories strong and then inspired me to start finding CAPER Alumni in November 2010.

As I mentioned at the beginning, CAPERS are now considered to be Pershing Rifles Alumni.

I am the fpunder of the CAPER National Alumni Association. Alumni from any coed group affiliated with a

Pershing Rifles company is a part of our Association., whether it was before CAPERS, while CAPERS was the

official coed organization, or after CAPERS. All you have to contact us and tell us about yourself. We really do

want to hear from you! If you are reading this on our website, simply go to the link below this book. If you got

this book another way, go to our website.

The CAPER National Alumni Association is part of the Pershing Rifles National Alumni Association (prnaa).

I encourage every CAPER Alumni to join PRNAA and to get involved. As a CAPER, there are a variety of options

available to you in PRNAA.

You can:

• Be a member at large and participate in our CAPER group.

• Be a member at large and participate in one of the Regional groups

• Be a member of a Pershing Rifles Alumni group for your college (assuming they include CAPERS… most will.)

• Help start a Pershing Rifles Alumni group for your college (I started the University of Oklahoma Alumni

group)

• Help start a CAPER Alumni group for your college. (If your CAPER Company is now a Pershing Angels Company,

there is probably an alumni group already in existence for you.)

• If you aren’t near your college, you can also possibly participate in Pershing Rifles alumni activities in the area

where you live. That is one of the advantages of PRNAA membership.

As a CAPER Alumni, you are welcome at the annual Pershing Rifles National Alumni Reunion held each March in

conjunction with the Pershing Rifles National Convention (NATCON). I was the first CAPER to attend in 2010 and

was welcomed even by alumni who had never heard of CAPERS before. Many of those were active before CAPERS

ever existed. I found younger alumni who did know who we were and even talked to active member who knew

about us...and some who knew a CAPER alumni.

Welcome back to the Pershing Rifles and CAPER world!

Linda Grissette

Documents

CAPER History Book