First Generation of an Endless Legacy
Learn about the establishment & forming of the first generation of Kings Guards & how they came to be, all from the young men of the Mckinley High School Drill team in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. From this generation to a legacy of guards until 2015.
Generation One - The Beginning
In Hawaiʻi, between the 1960ʻs through 80ʻs, the steady student enrollment in high school Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) stimulated greater cadet participation in R.O.T.C activities. One outcome of this surge was the forging of impressive & extremely competitive drill teams. From each high school emerged a distinct drilling style that was showcased during annual military field day competitions.
The reigning powerhouse of the era was the Mckinley High School Drill Team. Under the direction of Sergeant First Class (RAI) Daniel Abella, Mckinley had a consistently taken top honors in the yearly challenges. The teams precision in weapons handling and sequence execution was extraordinary.
When Christopher Hemmeter conceived the idea to showcase Kings Alley with the Kings Alley Royal Honor Guard, he directed Bob Rosenbrock, General Manager of Kings Alley in turn Rosenbrock contacted Colonel Walter Judd of the National Air Force. In 1963, Judd had re-established the actual ceremonial Royal Guard unit of King David Kalākaua that appear in sovereign related events to this day. The colonel advised Rosenbrock to contact Sergeant Abella to enlist this Mckinley drill team for the Kings Alley Shopping Center.
