History of the Civil Air Patrol: From 1941 to Post 9/11

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History of the Civil Air PatrolFrom 1941 to
Post 9/11

• Sean Stewart, C/Capt, CAP
• NCOA Instructor

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History of the Civil Air Patrol

• WWII The Sub Chasing Days
• Post WWII A New Beginning
• The Cold War Era
• CAP Today

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WWII The Sub Chasing Days
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WWII The Sub Chasing Days

• An Alarming World Wide Threat
• December 1st, 1941, Mr. LaGuardia (Director of
  Civil Defense) Signed the Order that Created CAP
• December 7th, 1941, America enters the 2nd World
  War after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor
• CAP became an Auxiliary of the Army Air Corps and
  conducted Coastal Patrols where we bombed 57
  Submarines Sinking Two

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WWII The Sub Chasing Days

• CAP in many ways was Americas first and only
  Aerial Militia
• A CAP Rescue Mission to save one of its downed
  pilots earned the first Air Medal in WWII, not
  Army or Naval Aviators!
• Other Missions During WWII included Target
  Towing, Liaison and Courier, Fire Watch Patrols,
  Search and Rescue, Mock Air Raids and initially
  anything Civil Defense or the Army Air Corps
  needed

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WWII The Sub Chasing Days

• Many CAP Members included Women and Youth (CAP
  Cadets)
• Women and CAP Cadets normally filled Non-Combat
  Roles that were Necessary for the Completion of
  the Missions of CAP

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The CAP Logo

• The CAP logo was taken from the logo for Civil
  Defense. The only modification was the
  replacement of CD with the Red Propeller

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Post WWII A New Beginning
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Post WWII A New Beginning

• July 1, 1946, President Harry Truman signed
  Public law 476 that made CAP a private,
  non-profit organization and defined the missions
  of CAP
• On September 18, 1947 the United States Air Force
  became an independent service when it separated
  from the Army Air Corps
• In 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557 making
  CAP the official auxiliary of the United States
  Air Force

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Post WWII A New Beginning

• Civil Air Patrol now had Three Defined Missions
  (Emergency Services, Cadet Programs and Aerospace
  Education)
• Emergency Services included many different
  matters including Search and Rescue, Emergency
  Communication Networks, Disaster Relief, etc

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Post WWII A New Beginning

• Cadet Programs was designed to build strong
  leaders for America in the Nations Youth
• The foundation of every state is the education
  of its youth Diogenes
• Aerospace Education was created in order to
  protect Americas Aerospace Power by educating
  the nation of its importance

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The Cold War Era
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The Cold War Era

• During the Cold War, the USAF needed a lot of
  support in many different ways.
• The Civil Air Patrol monitored A-Bomb test sites
• CAP had a large Non-Telephone Communications
  Network in case of a National Emergency or
  Domestic Disaster
• And CAP conducted Search and Rescue Operations

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CAP Today
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CAP Today

• Civil Air Patrol still support the USAF and the
  Government in many ways
• After September 11th, 2001, CAP has been
  reactivated as a vital asset to National Security
• CAP has served in numerous areas including Drug
  Reduction Operations, Cadet Programs, Search and
  Rescue, Aerospace Education and in many other
  areas when called upon by the USAF or the
  Government

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History of the Civil Air PatrolFrom 1941 to
Post 9/11

• WWII The Sub Chasing Days
• Post WWII A New Beginning
• The Cold War Era
• CAP Today