Gary Richardson joined the Summerville Shoremen Jr. Drum Corps in 1956 winning his first American Legion State Jr. Color Guard Championship in 1957 as “the rookie rifle-guy”. He was a member of the Crusaders when they won the American Legion Sr. National Championship in Portland in 1965 and was a member of the N.Y. State Sr. American Legion Championship Color Guard from 1960 to 1967. He simultaneously led the Empire Statesmen and St. Joe’s Honor Guards, from 2004 to 2010. In 2011 Gary led a composite Honor Guard for the DCA finals consisting of 32 members in “A Salute to the Heros” with members from the Statesmen, Buccaneers, St. Joe’s, Reilly and Brigadiers. The Empire Statesmen won Best Honor Guard at DCA finals in 2011, 2012 and 2013, until the corps ceased operation. Joining the White Sabers, Gary led them to five straight Best Honor Guard titles at DCA from 2014 to 2018. The Empire Statesmen and White Saber Honor Guards, under Gary’s command, led the opening ceremony at the I&E portion of DCA Championships from 2011 to 2018 and Gary was presented the Vince Bruni Showmanship Award at the DCA finals in 2016 and 2018.
