History Of Civil Air Patrol

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History Of Civil Air Patrol

• C/MSgt Constantine

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The Founding

• Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the
  United States Air Force, was established December
  1, 1941, one week before Pearl Harbor.
• After a shortage of pilots to fly and fight,
  people argued for the creation of an organization
  to harness their aviation resources to aid the
  nation in the event America entered the conflict
  of WWll.
• Led by writer-aviator Gill Robb Wilson and
  supported by Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold, Civil Air
  Patrol was created.

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Who were the founding fathers? Gill Robb Wilson
and General Henry Harley Hap Arnold

• Gill Robb Wilson (September 18, 1893-September
  8, 1966) was an American pilot, Presbyterian
  minister, and military advocate. Born in Clarion
  County, Pennsylvania, Wilson became director of
  aviation in New Jersey in 1930, and later the
  first director of the Civil Air Patrol. In World
  War II, he was a correspondent for the Herald
  Tribune. He died in Los Angeles County,
  California.
• Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold (June 25, 1886
  January 15, 1950) was an aviation pioneer and
  Chief of the United States Army Air Corps (from
  1938), Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air
  Forces (from 1941 until 1945) and the first and
  only General of the Air Force (in 1949). He is
  also the only person to achieve five-star rank in
  two American armed services.

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First National Commander

• Major General John Francis Curry was the first
  national commander of the Civil Air Patrol. A
  United States Air Force Auxiliary. He also was a
  Major General in the United States Air Force.
  Curry served as National Commander for a few
  months, but his great leadership helped CAP
  remain throughout the war as an effective
  demonstration of volunteer spirit as opposed to
  the 90-day test period it was originally given.

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What did CAP do?

• CAP performed many missions including coastal
  patrol to search for enemy submarines, search and
  rescue missions throughout the United States,
  cargo and courier flights to transfer critical
  materials and personnel, and even towing targets
  so Army Air Corps personnel could practice
  air-to-air gunnery techniques - a very risky
  mission with new gunners. The brave volunteers
  of CAP flew more than half-a-million hours, sank
  two enemy submarines, and saved hundreds of crash
  victims.

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Coastal Patrol

• The pilots of the CAP did not have planes fitted
  with bombs and were strictly scouts for enemy
  aircraft and naval craft. By the time bombers
  could get to the target, the enemy would escape.
  CAP planes were then granted bombs and depth
  charges.
• Coastal Patrol reported 173 U-boats, 57 of which
  were attacked by CAP aircraft with 83 ordnance
  pieces and two of which were confirmed sunk. For
  a group of volunteer civilians, this is without a
  doubt a monumental achievement. In addition, the
  Coastal Patrol flew 86,865 missions, logging over
  244,600 hours. Coastal Patrol aircraft reported
  91 ships in distress and played a key role in
  rescuing 363 survivors of U-boat attacks. 117
  floating mines were reported and 5,684 convoy
  missions were flown for the Navy.

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Border Patrol

• Between July 1942 and April 1944, the Civil Air
  Patrol Southern Liaison Patrol was given the task
  of patrolling the border between Brownsville,
  Texas, and Douglas, Arizona.
• CAP Border Patrol, reported almost 7,000
  out-of-the-ordinary activities and 176 suspicious
  aircraft' descriptions and direction. During the
  entire operating period, only two members lost
  their lives.

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Target towing

• In March of 1942, CAP aircraft began towing
  targets for air-to-air and ground-to-air gunnery
  practice. Targets would be trailed behind the
  aircraft to simulate strafing attacks. CAP
  aircraft would also climb to various altitudes
  and would trail two targets for heavy AA guns to
  use for practice. Although uncommon, an
  antiaircraft round would occasionally hit the
  aircraft. Surprisingly, no deaths resulted from
  errant shots.
• Despite the dangerous nature of these missions,
  fatalities and accidents were rare. CAP flew
  target missions for three years with 7 member
  fatalities, 5 serious injuries and 23 aircraft
  lost. A total of 20,593 towing and tracking
  missions were flown.

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Search and Rescue operations (SAR)

• During the period between January 1, 1942, and
  January 1, 1946, the Civil Air Patrol flew over
  24,000 hours of federal- and military-assigned
  search and rescue missions in addition to
  thousands of hours of non-assigned SAR missions.

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Courier service and cargo transportation

• In the spring of 1942, the Pennsylvania Wing
  conducted a 30-day experiment with the intention
  of convincing the AAF that they were capable of
  flying cargo missions for the nation.
• The Pennsylvania Wing transported Army cargo as
  far as Georgia, and top Army officials were
  impressed.
• The War Department gave CAP permission to conduct
  courier and cargo service for the military.
• Cargo and courier transportation was an important
  job for the organization.

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Today
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Aerospace Education

• CADET The CAP Cadet Program has a mandatory
  aerospace education program in order to
  progress, a cadet must take courses and tests
  relating to aviation. Cadets also have
  educational opportunities through guest speakers,
  model building and actual flight.
• Senior Aerospace Education Senior members may
  also learn A.E. through the Senior Member
  Professional Development Program.
• External Aerospace Education CAP has focused on
  providing schools and teachers with materials and
  help for educating youth about aerospace.

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Cadet Program

• Civil Air Patrol's cadet program is a traditional
  military-style cadet program. CAP cadets wear
  modified versions of Air Force uniforms, hold
  rank and grade, and practice military customs and
  courtesies. They are also required to maintain
  physical fitness standards and are tested on
  their fitness and their knowledge of leadership
  and aerospace subjects for each promotion. This
  program is similar to that of the Air Force
  Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC)
  primarily because the Air Force JROTC program was
  'cloned' from the CAP Cadet Program in the 1960s.

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Emergency Services

• There are several Emergency Services areas that
  the Civil Air Patrol covers. The principal
  categories include Search and Rescue missions,
  Disaster Relief, Humanitarian Services, and Air
  Force Support. Others, such as Homeland Security
  and Counter drug Operations, are becoming
  increasingly important.
• Search and Rescue Civil Air Patrol is arguably
  best known for its Search and Rescue (SAR)
  activities. CAP now flies about 95 of inland SAR
  missions directed by the Air Force Rescue
  Coordination center and is credited for saving on
  average 100 lives per year.
• Disaster relief CAP is particularly active in
  disaster relief operations, especially in
  hurricane-prone areas such as Florida,
  Mississippi and Louisiana. CAP aircrews and
  ground personnel provide transportation for cargo
  and officials. CAP aircrews often provide aerial
  imagery to emergency managers in order to help
  them assess damage. In addition, squadrons and
  Wings often donate manpower and leadership to
  local, state and federal disaster relief
  organizations during times of need.

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• Humanitarian Service The Civil Air Patrol
  conducts Humanitarian Service missions, usually
  in support of the Red Cross. CAP aircrews
  transport time-sensitive medical materials, such
  as blood and human tissue, when other means of
  transportation (such as ambulances) are not
  practical or possible.
• Air Force support CAP performs several missions
  that are not combat-related in support of the
  United States Air Force. Specifically, this
  includes damage assessment, radiological
  monitoring, transportation of officials,
  communications support and low-altitude route
  surveys.
• Homeland Security As a humanitarian service
  organization, CAP assists federal, state and
  local agencies in preparing for and responding to
  homeland security needs.

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Are There Any Questions