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Civil Air Patrol was conceived in the late 1930s by legendary New Jersey aviation advocate Gill Robb Wilson, who foresaw aviation's role in war and general aviation's 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A German commander later confirmed that coastal U-boat operations were withdrawn from the United States "because of those damned little red and yellow airplanes."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.
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There are currently 1234 seniors in NY Wing with 27 active seniors in our squadron. NY Wing has cadets as well, none in the 207.
Captain Alan Gibbs is our squadron commander and our medical officer.
Seniors are members 18 years and up. Our squardon contains mostly well trained and experienced individuals (male and female) with EMS, ESS, Medical, Leadership, Ground Search and Pilot skills. We are always looking for adults intrested in joining us. No experience neccessary. We meet on the second |
Wednsday and the last Thursday of each month in the terminal building of Republic Airprot, located at Farmindale Long Island, NY. (Map it), (location of meeting)
NY wing tries to schedule a SAREX (search rescue excersise) monthly, which you will be able to attend after joing a squadron and taking some minimal training at first. These SAREX's combine senior and cadet squadrons and fulfills the main purpose of CAP.
For those of you that want to join a squadron with cadets or have a youth that would like to join go to CAP.GOV and search for a squadron near you. |
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