About the Civil Air Patrol (CAP)

[Field_Sailor]

THE ORGANIZATION

Nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation
The Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force
More than 64,000 members, including 27,000 cadets ages 12- 21
Eight geographic regions, 52 wings, 1,700 units
National Headquarters at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., 160 support staff
World’s largest fleet (550) of single-engine, piston aircraft
Nation’s most extensive communications network
1,000 emergency services vehicles


AEROSPACE EDUCATION (MORE)
100 aerospace education workshops each year
Aerospace classroom materials, grades K through college
Nation’s premier annual aerospace education conference


CADET PROGRAMS (MORE)
Multi-step leadership training
Cadet glider and powered orientation flights, flight training scholarships
International Air Cadet Exchange program


OPERATIONS (MORE)
95% of nation’s inland search and rescue
100 lives saved per year
Aerial reconnaissance for homeland security
Disaster-relief and damage assessment
Transport for time-sensitive medical materials
Counterdrug missions

[Field_Sailor]

Brief History

WWW.CAP.GOV


Our History
Volunteers Serving in Times of Need


Civil Air Patrol was conceived in the late 1930s by legendary New Jersey aviation advocate Gill Robb Wilson, who foresaw aviationís role in war and general aviationís potential to supplement America's military operations. With the help of New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, the new Civil Air Patrol was established on December 1, 1941, just days before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

The CAP insignia, a red three-bladed propeller in the Civil Defense white-triangle-in-blue-circle, began appearing on private aircraft everywhere. CAP initially planned only on liaison and reconnaissance flying, but the civilian group's mission expanded when German submarines began to prey on American ships off the coast of the United States and CAP planes began carrying bombs and depth charges."

A CAP crew first interrupted a sub attack on a flight out of Rehoboth Beach, saving a tanker off Cape May, N.J. Since radio calls for military bombers were often unproductive, unarmed CAP fliers dived in mock attacks to force subs to break and run.

The CAP coastal patrol flew 24 million miles, found 173 submarines, attacked 57, hit 10 and sank two. By Presidential Executive Order, CAP became an auxiliary of the Army Air Forces in 1943.

A German commander later confirmed that coastal U-boat operations were withdrawn from the United States "because of those damned little red and yellow airplanes."

In all, CAP flew a half-million hours during the war, and 64 CAP aviators lost their lives in the line of duty.

The U.S. Air Force was created as an independent armed service in 1947, and CAP was designated as its official civilian auxiliary the following year.

[RFleischman]

Very nice! couln't have said it better.

[crazy bay]

lol, yeah, if anyone has any questions here about CAP ask Cadet 2nd Lt. R. Fleischman!

[RFleischman]

did I hear a hint of sacasm in your voice sergeant?

[crazy bay]

thats FIRST SERGEANT to you 2nd Lt.

[Field_Sailor]

Come on CADETS, fight nice, lol.

[crazy bay]

I could waste his happy ass any day


...Right Fleischman!

[crazy bay]

but I wont hurt you fleischman. you can stop drying your pants off. Your to good of a friend to beat the hell out of.

[RFleischman]

hey you'd better back off bud! I'll have gomer kick your ass with his new hand-to-hand stuff.

[RFleischman]

could waste his happy ass any day

Dunno bro i think it would be pretty even!

[crazy bay]

You might stay concious to see my last blow to your face before it crushed your skull. But in the end, I think I would win.

[RFleischman]

but you wouldn't do that to your best friend so i don't have to worry bout it right man? right? hey man put down that rock! LOL

[crazy bay]

lol, I wouldnt do that to you. Your right. We could both just save our energy for the enemy. How does that sound?

[RFleischman]

good idea bro, lets go kill us some towel heads, and some dune coons!

[übergrunt]

Alright thats enough of that lets get back to topic before I lock it down.

[RFleischman]

roger that! sorry

[Paracav]

My Father was in the CAP from 1943 to 1945 then went into the Air Force and served with the 3rd AAF Support Wing in Europe in 1945 and 46. During the time He was in the CAP, they only had light aircraft, Cessna's, Piper's, etc, and did their training with the Air NG.

[RFleischman]

thats cool, your dad was like a founding member of the CAP if he was in for those years. Not many of those guys around, i have personally only met 3.

[Paracav]

Yeah, he was one of the first. He was exempt from the Military at the time due to some work he was doing for them. He already had a civilian pilots license and He joined the CAP so he could feel like he was helping in the effort. When he joined the CAP, they had one Piper the ANG gave them, they had to share a hanger and a briefing room with the ANG. In 1945 his work was done and he joined the USAAF.