Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles ,CAPER, CAPERS, Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles Alumni, CAPER Alumni

Save CAPER History

In 1999, I got a copy of the history that had passed down through the years and what Pershing Angels knew of our history.  I revised it and added to it, but both the printed and computer copies have disappeared.  I have done an new revision, leaving the original in tact.  This way, others can add their memories of our history to this.  And some how with all of our memories, we will get close to our real history.  We are lucky compared to Pershing Rifles when it comes to history.  Our official start was November 26, 1966 (based on an on-line perpetual calendar).  Most of our members are still alive.  But as we age (the author included), our memories are starting to fade.  I challenge as many CAPERS as possible to add their memories of events in our history, local or national.  I'll add Save Our History pages for any companies that start adding their company history memories.  

This page is to be our history as told through the memories of our members.  

This page and the formal history page will change when those last two things happen...or when I decide that the verbal stories I hear make more sense than some of my theories.

Please submit your history memories and we'll give you credit for your additions.  Return to the main page.

From the Pershing Angels history:  Until September 1966 no records or files were kept.  All history prior to that is not accurate.

In 1962 the KAYDETTES were founded by Pershing Rifles Company H-7 at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma.  For the next few years, the KAYDETTES were very successful functioning as a local drill, social and service organization.  The girls began wondering about forming other companies and the possibilities of becoming a national organization similar to that of the Pershing Rifles.  Between 1962 and 1966 the KAYDETTES changed their name to CAPERS.  During the 1966-67 school year, CAPERS were under the advisement of Pershing Rifles 7th Regimental Headquarters at Oklahoma State University.  The CAPER Commander was COL Tanya Mcdonal (correction: Tanya McDonald).  Their work was rewarded with the affiliation of 7 units by the end of the year, thus firmly establishing a national organization.

Linda Grissette: 

This is one place where written documentation told me that I was told something totally different from the facts.  I was told it by Gail Kish who was that National Commander when I pledged (fall 1967) and she was told it when she pledged the year before.  We were told that Pershing Rifles Nationals requested proposals for a national coed organization and that the Kaydettes had the best proposal.  My ex-husband threw away my collection of Pershing Rifleman yearbooks in the early 1970's.  Recently, I received loaner copies of the issues I had and when reading them, I learned more that I ever remember reading in them when I had them.  What I'm writing below is based on those yearbook articles, University of Oklahoma yearbooks and a phone conversation with one of the founders of Kaydettes.

During the late 1950's and early 1960's coed organizations affiliated with ROTC and Pershing Rifles started forming independently around the country.  After all, the guys like having girls around their ROTC buildings.  The earliest known coed group was the Cadence Countesses from the University of Nebraska that started in 1959.  The next one I heard about was the Persherettes from Morgan State University in 1960.

The start of Kaydettes at the University of Oklahoma

According to Carolyn Prescott, who was an honorary sponsor at the time, one of the Pershing Rifles members and a friend of his from high school band came to her with an idea in the fall of 1963.  She doesn't remember their names.  The friend had loved drilling in band and heard about military drill from the Pershing Rifles member.  They asked her if she'd help them start a coed drill team.  She liked the idea and the three of them judged try outs for the first members.  She told me that they had no idea any other school had a coed drill team at the time.  The Pershing Rifles Company H-7 article in the 1964 Pershing Rifleman showed they were quite proud of the Kaydettes.  The article said that there were 20 members of the drill team and 4 alternates. (NOTE: This is the earliest Pershing Rifleman I have and the coed groups mentioned in the articles, besides Kaydettes, were the Cadence Countesses, the Marcadettes from Marquette University that was 3 years old, and that the University of Minnesota had formed a woman's auxillary,future CAPER Company E-2.)

How CAPERS Got Started

The 1967 Pershing Rifleman article by CAPER National Headquarters article had a detailed history of how CAPERS started:

"National Headquarters Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles (CAPER) sprang from the Kaydettes drill team sponsored by the Pershing Rifles Company H-7 at the University of Oklahoma.  Kaydettes ere independent, but received much help and encouragement from H-7.  The coeds first talked about the prospect of a National Coed organization among themselves.  Then, they wrote a letter to Pershing Rifles National Headquarters asking about the possibilities for such an organization.

"Pershing Rifles told the Kaydettes to continue with their efforts to establish a national organization and to see what response they received.  During 1965-66, Kaydettes acted as both a National Headquarters and a local service, drill, and social unit.  The company officers assumed the duties on a national, rather than a local level.

"On 1 January 1966, National Headquarters officially recognized the unit as a national organization on a temporary basis with the name of Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles."  

NOTE: the 1966 University of Oklahoma yearbook says "On January 1st of this year Kaydettes became a national organization with its headquarters at OU."  The 1966 Pershing Rifleman has the first coed section called "Coed Drill Corps" and the first article was "National Headquarters, Kaydettes, University of Oklahoma".  Obviously, the name Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles didn't get added until after both articles were written.  Both articles were usually written in the fall, so they had to know that they would be officially a national headquarters on January 1.  

Other interesting historical information from the 1966 Pershing Rifleman:  

The Pershing Rifles Company C-15 at Virginia State University was also proud of their new coed group "Pershing Angels" and offered to send any information on how to start a coed group to any company with interest.  CAPER Company C-15 was one of the first 5 companies chartered.  I was told once that the coed group at Morgan State University was solicited by 3 competing national organizations, CAPERS, Kaydettes and Pershing Angels.  OK, so they weren't competing.  They got the letter from Kaydettes and the information on how to form a coed group from C-15's Pershing Angels even though they already had coed group and then later the same year they got a letter from CAPERS after the name was changed.  Mystery solved!!! 

NOTE:  In the same Pershing Rifleman, the Pershing Rifles Company T-1 had an established coed group called Pershing Angels (they were also in the first group of CAPER Companies).  There is no way of knowing at this point which one used the name first.

More from the 1967 Pershing Rifleman:  

"At the same time, COL Gloria Robinson was also recognized as the National Commander.  CAPER was made directly responsible to Seventh Regiment because Pershing Rifles National Headquarters felt that we need the support of an established organization to serve as an advisory unit until such time as we might become independent.  During 1966, a tremendous amount of time and effort were put into the organization in an attempt to get in touch with as many coed units as possible.  At the Little National Convention in Bolder, Colorado, in the spring of 1966, CAPER was again recognized by National Headquarters Pershing Rifles.

"In November of 1966 at Lincoln, Nebraska, at the Fall Little National Convention, Pershing Rifles' General James Belmont, current Pershing Rifles National Commander, stated: 'When CAPER was organized, it was understood that it was an independent organization which would govern itself with the advise from Pershing Rifles.'  In time, CAPER hopes to accomplish this aim.

"This past year, CAPER has contacted over 60 coed drill teams across the United States.  Over half of these have shown considerable interest in the organization and possible affiliation."

I was told that at the November 1966 convention, there was a vote to make the University of Oklahoma the official national headquarters.  I suspect that the quote from P/R MG Belmont was remarks prior to the vote.  I checked an on-line perpetual calendar and the vote would have been on Saturday, November 26, 1966.  (Thanksgiving week-end with the Oklahoma - Nebraska football game that evening from what I was told).  

When I pledged in September 1967, we were no longer directly responsible to Seventh Regiment, but to Pershing Rifles National Headquarters.  To goal written in the article was written (March 17, 1967) articles was accomplished before the Pershing Rifleman was published.

The first National SOP was complete by the fall of 1966.  The 1967 article also stated that CAPER would be organized along the same line as Pershing Rifles, but with no Regimental Headquarters at that time and that when there were enough active companies, a Regimental Headquarters would be set up in that area.

At the time the article said that as of March 17, 1967, there were 5 chartered companies: Company T-1, Central State University, Wilberforce, OH; the company at PR Headquarters Platoon Altoona, Pennsylvania State University, Altoona Campus; Company B-9, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; and Company C-15, Virginia State University, Norfolk, VA.  It also said Headquarters Company H-7 at University of Oklahoma, but there was never a charter issued for CAPER Company H-7 and we all really pledged National Headquarters.

From the Pershing Angels history: 

The first CAPER National Convention was held in Washington, DC in the spring of 1967.  This was also the site of the first National Drill Meet.  Six CAPER units were present at the convention and seven observing delegates who were considering affiliation. 

From the 1967 Article:

Evidently, they added a report from the convention at the end of the convention. which was on March 23-26.  It said all 6 companies had represented (I guess that included the non-company H-7) and that Company T-1 and Altoona competed in the drill meet. Les Bleu Berets (future CAPER Company M-16, Florida State University) and Company K-5 were the observers.  I think that was one of several mistakes I found in the Pershing Rifles articles.  Company K-5 (University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA) wasn't chartered until right after the observed at the 1969 convention while the charter application was being completed.  I remember that there were 7 companies (not counting OU) when I pledged.  I'm sure that one of them was M-16, but I can't speculate on what the other one was, but it was probably the other observer (not K-5).

From the Pershing Angels history: 

The National Commander was Gail Kish for the 1967-1968 school year.  One semester later COL Kathryn S. Sykes (called Kay) took command.  At the spring 1968 convention in Lincoln, Nebraska, only Company C-7 was present due to poor communications.  However, by the end of that school year, 14 new units were chartered.

From Linda Grissette:  

Gail Kish was only National Commander for one semester.  She married the H-7 Company Commander over the summer and was no longer a student.  Since she was prepared to be the National Commander, the rules were changed to allow a married coed and a non-student participate (I'm glad because got married while I was Commander, but was still a student).  By second semester, Kay Sykes was ready to take over command and was Commander from January 1968 thru January 1969.  Tanya McDonald came back to campus for the spring semester with her husband, Jim Miller, so I also got to know her.

About the 1968 Spring National Convention.  

At the time, we thought it was poor communications, but I learned more in 1999 or 2000 when communicating with the NSPRAA (one of the Pershing Rifles Alumni organization that says that the welcome CAPER Alumni).  The convention (just convention as the national drill meets were only every other year) was originally scheduled to be at New Orleans.  At the last minute the sponsoring company decided there was too much unrest in New Orleans and the convention was moved to Lincoln.  When they sent the registration information to Pershing Rifles National Convention, we got a call asking where our registration was.  We told them that we had never received the information and immediately told them who would be attending.  In 1999, I learned that there was discrimination by the original sponsor of the convention and that is why we didn't get our registration materials.  I heard that no CAPER Companies got the materials, so it wasn't "poor communications."  I don't think any CAPER Companies attended and there was no CAPER Company C-7.

From the 1968 Pershing Rifleman Article:

The CAPER crest was described.  It consisted of white torch on a royal blue shield with a scroll with the name under it. The membership ribbon was described as white with one thin blue and one thin red stripe.  The membership cord was described as royal blue and white intertwined.  They were voted on at the the spring 1867 convention, as was the official colors of royal blue and white.  The cords and ribbons were sent to the companies before the article was written.  I remember the patches coming in late in the spring and there were sent to the companies.  A picture of the patch is used as a header for this website.

The article mentions that 5 companies had chartered by the time the article was written.  They were Company D-4, Wake Forest College, Winston-Salem, NC; Company P-4, Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, AL; Company C-10, New Mexico State University, University Park, NM; Company M-16, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL; Company F-1, Ohio University, Athens, OH.

From Linda Grissette:  

My memory agrees with the 14 companies by the end of the 1967-68 school year.  I know that Company C-16, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL, was chartered late in the spring because I remember it, but also because Pershing Angels Company C-16 says that their CAPER charter was issued in May of 1969.  That still leaves me two companies short.  Once I can get confirmation on dates, I'll add them.

From the Pershing Angels history:  

On 31 January 1969, COL Nina R. Jacoby took over command.  She later retired turning over the command to COL Gwen Coley.  Three weeks later, the Spring 1969 National Convention was held in Cleveland, Ohio.  Seven of the 23 then chartered units attended.  Company A-5, which placed second in the cod division of the Pershing Rifles National Drill Meet, was awarded the first outstanding Unit Award.  The Rose Award and the National Commander's Award were also given for the first time that year.

Linda Grissette: 

This is where I have to work hard to keep from getting upset (those painful memories that I mentioned at the beginning.. Until Kay Sykes retired after a year in command, things were going wonderfully for CAPER National Headquarters.  When Nina Rose Jacoby and then Gwen Coley took command things turned quite bad.  The spring of 1969, I was very close to getting out of CAPERS.  But my love of the organization kept me in.  I even wished I could change schools to someplace that had a CAPER Company so I stay involved, but that would have meant out-of-state tuition.

The first week-end of March, 1969, we had our first ever inspection by Pershing Rifles National Headquarters.  The inspection team was Dennis Lambert, Jim Condon and Monte Fellingham.  After the inspection, they stated that the only section functioning properly was the G-1, Adjutant (me).  I could have told them that!  Within days, Nina resigned and Gwen was named commander.  Gwen was a former friend and former roommate, who after being named Chief of Staff by Nina, completely changed.  I had always been trying to help out other sections where work was not being done.  After Gwen took command she forbid me from doing any other work than my own and things just stopped getting done.

The amazing thing was, that despite the way the headquarters was being run, we did grow dramatically as a national organization.  But many units had to wait and wait to get their charter and membership materials!  

From the 1969 Pershing Rifleman

The CAPER Company A-5 Article says that they placed first in the Coed Competition at the National Drill Meet in Cleveland.

By the time the article was written, 6 new companies had chartered for a total of 21 companies.  The new companies were Company D-15, Hampton Institute, Hampton, VA; Company N-1, Marshall University, Huntington, WV; Company C-16, Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL (really May 1968); Company C-4, Clemson University, Clemson, SC; Company A-3, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, and Company L-17, Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX.  Also, in the picture of the Kaydettes at Headquartes Platoon Ogontz shows them wearing CAPER cords, so they were chartered by then.  That means that 3 companies missing are missing!

Linda Grissette on the 1969 Convention

The history is correct that there were 7 companies in attendance.  The were:  F-1, B-9. D-15, A-3, Q-15 and D-6.  Q-15, PMC Colleges, Chester, PA was the newest company at the time and Company D-6, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA was missed in one of the lists.  (That means the lists are now only missing 2 companies).  Future Company K-5, Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, PA had to observe as their charter application wasn't complete yet.  It came in shortly after the convention.  If you use the 23 end of year figure from the Pershing Angels history, it's still short 4 companies.  Here are some pictures I took at that convention.

I don't remember any awards being given out at the 1969 Banquet.  See the next year for more on awards.

From the Pershing Angels history:  When school started in the fall of 1969, three officers worked together to maintain the National Society of CAPERS.  A pledge class was trained and the National Staff rose to 14 members. On October 10, 1969, COL Iris Rodriguez took command.  By December 1969, a total of 26 units were chartered.

Linda Grissette:  WOW!  What a change from reality.  When the fall semester started, I found that Gwen, Iris and I were the only remaining members.  Several told me that the didn't come back due to how I was treated by Nina and Gwen. 

NOTE:  When I first read the Pershing Angels history, it looked familiar.  It brought up a memory of Iris showing me something that she had written up as a history, but I didn't like the way it was written and had totally forgotten about it.  The fact that a date in given for Iris' promotion to commander tells me that she wrote the part through the end of the 1969-70 school year.

We also found the headquarters in a total disarray, as the ROTC staff had moved our stuff to a new, larger office.  We were still sharing it with 2 other organizations!  I started working on getting it back in to shape and Gwen forbid me from doing anything.  So things just sat there!  Finally in October the ROTC Cadre sponsor stepped in and removed Gwen from command and named Iris the new commander at a surprise late afternoon meeting...with the pledges present.  I was completely devastated and wrote several versions of a resignation through my tears that evening.  One of my dear friends, Gwen Howell, who I had talked into pledging, slipped a note of support under my dorm door.  A little later someone knocked on my door.  It was Iris.  She told me that she was surprised as I was and felt that I should have been named commander.  She said she wouldn't blame me if I resigned, but hoped I wouldn't as she couldn't run the organization without me. That night we basically became co-commanders and we started making plans on how to save the organization.  The next day I officially became Chief of Staff.  Unofficially, I was also still G-1, Adjutant, G-2 Expansion, and G-4 Supply!  Iris was National Commander, but unofficially she was Finance Officer, G-2 PIO and G-3 Training (she was the pledge trainer....and also became our first drill team commander later in the year).  We started working like crazy and training our pledges to take over the sections.  Iris and I became very good friends that year.

As I started exploring what was going on with Expansion, I discovered a letter from Pershing Rifles 4th Regiment (Clemson University).  P/R COL Robert Shelton was the Regimental Commander that year.  I first gotten to know that Regimental Staff at the Spring 1968 Convention.  The coed unit at Clemson had chartered the year before and were the largest unit we ever chartered.  But now the Regimental Staff really wanted to help us expand.  They wanted to name Pam Craft as "CAPER Coordinator".  Iris and I loved the idea of getting help.  We made Pam part of the National Staff and sent her copies of all the expansion and chartering materials and told her to make copies whenever she needed them.  We also asked all the other Regiments to do the same. I don't remember whether there were any others named. 

From the Pershing Angels history:  By early January 1970 two additional units were in the process of being chartered.  CAPER Regimental Headquarters were formed.  Since the CAPER Regimental Commanders would hold the rank of COL MG William F. Anton made official the promotion of CAPER National Commander to BG.  By the Fall of 1970, there were 28 active CAPER units.

The CAPER National Headquarters was disbanded on October 31, 1971, due to a backlog of work and a lack of officers.

Linda Grissette:  Another WOW!   

Here is what really happened from January 1970 to early 1972:

The CAPER Coordinator concept, as well as the 1967 Pershing Rifleman article that Iris had to have used as a basis for the history she wrote, made her realize that we needed to divide the organization into Regiments.  At the Fall 1969 Convention, Iris told the Pershing Rifles National Staff that she would be working on establishing the Regimental Headquarters and completely re-writing the National SOP.  

The two units mentioned above were in Texas.  At the Fall National Convention in 1969, the 17th Regimental Staff invited us to attend their Regimental Drill Meet a week or two later.  While there, we meet two units who were in the process of filling out their chartering paper work.  I have a picture of some of the members on this site.  They were Company Q-17, Prairie View A & M, Prairie View, TX and Company R-17, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX.

In early March, 1970, we had another inspection by Pershing Rifles National Headquarters.  The National Commander, MG Dennis Lambert was sick and couldn't come.  Bill Anton was NOT the commander then.  (That is why I know someone changed what Iris wrote or she didn't write that part.)  He was elected National Commander at the Spring 1969 Convention, but over the summer, he resigned and Dennis Lambert became the National Commander. (I have learned the details of this, but will not publish them on the internet.)  Before the inspection started, BG James Condon, Deputy Commander, had a meeting with the Professor of Military Science, COL Land.  After the meeting, all the staff was called in.  BG Condon read the order that were signed by MG Lambert promoting Iris to BG.  Shortly after the inspection, Iris promoted me to COL and named me the first CAPER Deputy Commander since the first national staff.  I also took over the responsibilities of the Finance Officer.  Learn more about that day and see a picture taken just a few minutes after Iris' promotion to BG

I don't remember much about the CAPER Convention at the Spring National Convention in 1970 in San Antonio.  That's because I was observing the Pershing Rifles Convention.  Prior to the convention, Iris asked me to encourage the companies to nominate members for our national awards to be given out at the banquet at the convention..  LTC Paulette Kikugawa (Chief of Staff) and I were surprised to get awards, too.  I do have a wonderful memory of going out for drinks on The River Walk in San Antonio with Dennis Lambert and Jim Condon (my memory goofed here, too.  When I found Monte Fellingham, I found out that he went, too) after the convention was over.

After the convention, Iris told us that she wanted to make sure that the right person was named National Commander for the next year so that we would get the maximum number of members back the next year.  She asked us each to tell her on a secret ballot who we felt should be commander.  At the Pledge Initiation Dinner, Iris gave me the first National Commander's Award ever given.  I actually thought it was a "Thank You and Goodbye" Award and that Paulette would be named commander.  (After what I had been through, can you blame me?)  Then Iris named me National Commander. 

The next week-end we competed in our first ever drill meet at the 7th Regimental Assembly with Iris as our drill team commander.  I went the day before everyone else to represent the Headquarters at the full Assembly.  The rest of the drill team came later.  The group from Pershing Rifles National Headquarters included P/R BG Condon and P/R MG Jim Radclff (who was named the next years National Commander at the convention) and they didn't even know yet that I'd received the promotion!

When I got back to college at the start of the 1970-1971 school year, I found we had been moved again.  This time we got to work fast fixing up our new, even larger office (still shared).  I also found that Iris had not brought new SOP and Regimental Plan back to campus over the summer.  I recently learned that she never graduated from the University of Oklahoma (she was supposed to be going to the OU Nursing School in Oklahoma City).  I still haven't found Iris, but hope to find her soon.  Then we'll know what happened.

I went to work on setting the regimental boundaries, asking the preferred unit if they wanted to do it and to send me permission from their Professor of Military Science, and re-writing the SOP.  One evening, while I had the whole thing spread out all over my bed, I got a call from the Pershing Rifles National Commander MG James Radcliff, asking where the SOP and Regimental plan was.  I told him what had happened and promised it would be distributed by the Fall National Convention.  It was.  By that point, we had an excellent relationship with Pershing Rifles National Headquarters.  All of my choices for Regimental Headquarters accepted and are listed on the Regimental Headquarters page.

April, 1971 National Shield:

I recently got a copy of the Pershing Rifles newspaper dated April 1971 from one of the PR alumni from H-7.  I had totally forgotten about bringing several of them from the spring 1971 convention and taking some of them to the PR office.  It made a full circle back to my hands!  When I found the CAPER article I realized that I had written it early in the school year because of what was said about being moved to another new office!  The article was attributed to the PIO who was one of the fall semester pledges and she'd never have known about the office.  The only think I had missed in my memories was that the new SOP even reorganized the supply system.  I think that we had the regiments handle the forms supplies while national did the membership materials.

More from Linda:

At the Spring National Convention of 1971 in Atlanta, we had a National Convention set up with Caucuses as Pershing Rifles Conventions were. Each of the Regimental Commanders were assigned a caucus to run and issues we felt need to be discusses.  The next morning they brought their motions to the convention floor.  After that we had a Commander's Call to elect Paulette Kikugawa the next National Commander.  And we finished before lunch!  That was because all of our units competing at the Drill Meet were scheduled in the afternoon and we all wanted to support our units.  After we ate lunch and were heading out for the drill meet, I ran into MG Radcliff who was quite jealous that we were already through with our convention!  While we were on the bus to the drill meet site, I was talking to a member whose name I had known for 4 years (I probably processed her membership as a pledge....and watched her move up in rank), but had never met until this convention.  She told me that she felt this had been the best year ever for CAPERS.  I was proud to accept that complement!  If she sees this detailed history, she will finally understand why....and if she does, I want her to contact me immediately and tell me her name!!!

After I graduated, I went off with my now ex-husband to be a military wife and after 6 months, he left for Germany and I went back to Oklahoma for 2 months (April to June of 1972).  When I was in Norman, I got together with Paulette Kikugawa and Gwen Howell.  That's when they told me that they had made the hard decision to move the headquarters. I think they told me it was going to Kansas State University.  When I was working on doing this the first time in 1999 - 2000, Gwen told me that Paulette could not bear to be the National Commander who moved the Headquarters, so she named Gwen the National Commander before the transfer.  Neither Gwen nor Paulette remember exactly when the transfer was done and the date below could be correct.

(What a difference from those short two little paragraph that that covered 2 years.)

From Pershing Angels History: 

On February 5, 1972 the CAPER Headquarters was relocated to Kansas State University in Manhattan Kansas.  Brigadier General Susan Lindholm assumed command with a staff of 17 officers.  There were 35 active company under the administration of the four Regimental and National Headquarters.

In April 1972, Rhonda McGuire was elected National Commander of CAPERS.  At the Spring National Convention CAPERS were allowed to compete apart from the Pershing Rifles for trophies for the best drill team.

In April 1973 Elizabeth Crammer took over as National Commander.  After time accurate recordings became deficient.

Linda Grissette:  I have learned that the National Headquarters was at Kansas State University for over 3 years.  The Pershing Rifles National Commander for 1973-1975 told me that his wife was the 1974-75 CAPER Deputy Commander from Kansas State.  I'm still waiting to talk with her to learn the name of that year's National Commander and when the Headquarters officially moved, if she knows it. 

From Pershing Angels History:  Between 1974-76, National Headquarters were moved from Kansas State University to Auburn University in Alabama.  Apparently, lacking in experience and numbers, this Headquarters closed in 1978.

Linda Grissette:  I have found one CAPER from Auburn University and she remembers nothing about the National Headquarters being located there and there is nothing about it in their yearbooks that I found on e-Yearbooks.  There was also no reference in the Appalachian State University yearbooks I found there.

In 1979, National Headquarters was once again moved.  The new location was Appalachian State University in North Carolina.  Susan B. Rice held the position of Brigadier General.

In 1981, the Headquarters was moved to Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, with Sharon Sanders as the National Commander.  There were problems which lead to Shirley Jones assuming the role of Brigadier General for the 1982-83 school year.  The Headquarters had problems went manpower and it closed from 1983-84.

In 1985, Fran Lopez took over the National Headquarters at Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey.

In 1989 - Madeline Colon (National Commander)

NOTE: After this, the history was definitely all Pershing Angels.

From Linda's Conversations with a member of Pershing Angels National Staff in 1999: I was told that some time during the 1980's Pershing Rifles "banned" CAPERS and several of the units went "under ground" and got together to start a new national organization (Pershing Angels). 

From the Chairman of FPRAA (Bill Wagner) who was the Commander of Pershing Rifles Company Q-8, Hofstra University:  In 1980, Pershing Rifles National Headquarters issued an order that all Pershing Rifles Companies with CAPER Companies take their CAPERS into Pershing Rifles Membership.  When he was company commander, took their CAPERS into membership.

From the 2009-2010 Pershing Rifles National Commander, Tom Carlson:  In 1980, the Pershing Rifles Constitution was changed to allow "civilian" (non-ROTC Cadets) to join Pershing Rifles. He feels that and the order from National effectively merged the two organizations.  That is why CAPER Alumni are now considered Pershing Rifles Alumni.  I feel that the CAPER legacy is all of the "civilian" (including P/R MG Carlson) and female members of Pershing Rifles.  

From Seton Hall Alumni:  I learned from Cheryl Beers-Cullen that she was the first National Commander at Seton Hall and was the 1979-80 school year.  That means that the time frame for the previous headquarters locations were different than in the history.

From the members of the National Staff at St. Peters College:  I learned from Fran (Lopes) Steffens that when the CAPERS from Seton Hall were taken into their Pershing Rifles Company, the brought one box a CAPER stuff to their campus and said that they'd bring more.  They never did.  Obviously the history was in that box.  Even if it was messed up some, we should be thankful that it wasn't lost at that time.  Fran said that she was the first commander there and it was in 1885.  Irene Rodriguez was the commander for 1986 and Irene told me that Madeline Colon followed her (meaning 1987).  They also told me that they were then Pershing Angels nationally and CAPERS locally.  Changing Madeline's year to 1987 would mean that there was a gap of 3 years before Pershing Angels which matches what I was told verbally by Adrian Pugh that after several years with no headquarters, the remaining companies got together and restarted Pershing Angels.

From two alumni of Company C-16, Florida A & M:  Patricia Martin pledged CAPERS in the fall of 1982 and just prior to their initiation, they received a letter from the headquarters at Seton Hall that they had just been told that they had been kept from competing in a drill meet because CAPERS no longer existed.  So Patrician ended up being initiated into Pershing Angels.  Tara Thompson, who pledge a year ahead of Patricia told me that when they became Pershing Angels someone was expecting them to go through the pledging process again.  Who wanted that, I'm not sure since the headquarters didn't transfer until later.

Linda: We don't yet know all of the history of the time when CAPERS ended, but we are getting closer.  As I have researched on-line, I have learned that ROTC enrollment went down dramatically in the late 70's and many ROTC departments were closed.  That means that Pershing Rifles membership also went down.  I am very pleased that CAPERS becoming Pershing Rifles members may well have helped the organization and maybe some companies keep going.  But I'm also pleased that some of the companies continued onward and that the Pershing Angels today know that they were CAPERS first and that Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles were started by the Kaydettes from the University of Oklahoma.

NOTE:  After I wrote this above, I was talking to one of the Pershing Rifles H-7 Alumni and said to him that in a way I did feel like I was part of Pershing Rifles.  His response was that he always felt like we were, too.  It is interesting because when he pledged P/Rs there were no CAPERS, only Kaydettes.  CAPERS started during his sophomore year. 

I want to again encourage others to add to this history page by adding their memories of the history.  It does NOT have to agree with what I have said!  I will give credit to who I learned it from and change our history. My goal is to someday be able to give the Pershing Angels a detail history of CAPERS and how they became Pershing Angels. One of the great things about CAPERS is that local companies were allowed to keep their own local names (Although I just found out about one that changed from Kaydettes to CAPERS after the name of the national organization changed, but some stayed Kaydettes...and others started later as Kaydettes).  Because of that policy, it was easy to change the name to Pershing Angels, as it was the local name of several of the CAPER companies.

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The creator of this website, Linda Grissette (the 1970-71 CAPER National Commander) is not asking for any money to help support this project.  Her reward will be finding people she remembers and learning about other former members memories.  If you appreciate the effort, please use her for all of real estate needs.  If you aren't in the St. Louis area where she works, she can find a great agent in your area and will receive a small referral fee.  Contact Linda about real estate.  See Linda's main real estate website.