The Civil Air Patrol, an all-volunteer service of more than 61,000 members nationwide, will celebrate it’s 70th anniversary Thursday.
The official auxiliary of the Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol has a wing in all 50 states.
There are 16 squadrons of the volunteer force in Louisiana with 600 members in the state, said Civil Air Patrol Louisiana Wing Commander Art Scarbrough.
Both the state wing and the Baton Rouge squadron, officially the Capital City Composite Squadron, are based at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.
Scarbrough, a former Army helicopter pilot who flew in the Vietnam War, has been in charge of the state wing for more than two years.
Scarbrough said when he thinks about the Civil Air Patrol existing for 70 years, he thinks of personal sacrifice.
“You are talking about thousands of people giving up a part of their life to serve in harm’s way so they can serve their nation or community,” Scarbrough said Wednesday afternoon speaking from his office at the airport.
Scarbrough said the anniversary also reminds him of the work the state Civil Air Patrol did in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
“We had volunteers working that had homes under water,” Scarbrough said.
The Louisiana Wing of the Civil Air Patrol flew 1,380 sorties during 47 days as a result of Katrina, Scarbrough said.
The Civil Air Patrol shot aerial reconnaissance photography of key locations in New Orleans following the storm including the first images of the floodwater-broken 17th Street Canal, Scarbrough said.
Scarbrough said the Civil Air Patrol is known for providing search and air operations, disaster relief, aerospace education and leadership training to cadets ages 12 to 18.
The Civil Air Patrol has the largest fleet of single-engine planes in the world, Scarbrough said.
After forming on Dec. 1, 1941, the Civil Air Patrol was known for coastal patrols and going after German U-boats that were trying to destroy supply ships leaving American ports headed to support the Allied war effort.
Scarbrough said the Louisiana Wing was known for protecting an Air Force base at Grand Isle during World War II.
The Louisiana Wing is made up of people who have not been in the military as well as veterans, Scarbrough said.
The last surviving World War II-era Civil Air Patrol member died in October, Scarbrough said.
Trent Lane of Baker died at 101. He flew a Luscombe two-seater airplane for the Civil Air Patrol during World War II.
“I did not know him for a long time but I do remember he came to a meeting last year and we were all surprised that he drove himself to the meeting. He was 100,” Scarbrough said.
Besides Baton Rouge, there are Louisiana Civil Air Patrol squadrons in Gonzales, New Orleans, Hammond, Lake Charles, Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette, Monroe and other cities.
http://theadvocate.com
The official auxiliary of the Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol has a wing in all 50 states.
There are 16 squadrons of the volunteer force in Louisiana with 600 members in the state, said Civil Air Patrol Louisiana Wing Commander Art Scarbrough.
Both the state wing and the Baton Rouge squadron, officially the Capital City Composite Squadron, are based at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.
Scarbrough, a former Army helicopter pilot who flew in the Vietnam War, has been in charge of the state wing for more than two years.
Scarbrough said when he thinks about the Civil Air Patrol existing for 70 years, he thinks of personal sacrifice.
“You are talking about thousands of people giving up a part of their life to serve in harm’s way so they can serve their nation or community,” Scarbrough said Wednesday afternoon speaking from his office at the airport.
Scarbrough said the anniversary also reminds him of the work the state Civil Air Patrol did in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
“We had volunteers working that had homes under water,” Scarbrough said.
The Louisiana Wing of the Civil Air Patrol flew 1,380 sorties during 47 days as a result of Katrina, Scarbrough said.
The Civil Air Patrol shot aerial reconnaissance photography of key locations in New Orleans following the storm including the first images of the floodwater-broken 17th Street Canal, Scarbrough said.
Scarbrough said the Civil Air Patrol is known for providing search and air operations, disaster relief, aerospace education and leadership training to cadets ages 12 to 18.
The Civil Air Patrol has the largest fleet of single-engine planes in the world, Scarbrough said.
After forming on Dec. 1, 1941, the Civil Air Patrol was known for coastal patrols and going after German U-boats that were trying to destroy supply ships leaving American ports headed to support the Allied war effort.
Scarbrough said the Louisiana Wing was known for protecting an Air Force base at Grand Isle during World War II.
The Louisiana Wing is made up of people who have not been in the military as well as veterans, Scarbrough said.
The last surviving World War II-era Civil Air Patrol member died in October, Scarbrough said.
Trent Lane of Baker died at 101. He flew a Luscombe two-seater airplane for the Civil Air Patrol during World War II.
“I did not know him for a long time but I do remember he came to a meeting last year and we were all surprised that he drove himself to the meeting. He was 100,” Scarbrough said.
Besides Baton Rouge, there are Louisiana Civil Air Patrol squadrons in Gonzales, New Orleans, Hammond, Lake Charles, Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette, Monroe and other cities.
http://theadvocate.com
The CAP has squadrons in Sioux Falls, Yankton, Brookings, Pierre, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Philip, Spearfish and Custer. The South Dakota Wing is located in Rapid City.
Anyone with information about adult CAP members who served during World War II can upload the information into the World War II Congressional Gold Medal database at www.capmembers.com/goldmedal.
The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and its 300 members throughout South Dakota, will observe 70 years of service today.
The all-volunteer service of more than 61,000 members, was founded on Dec. 1, 1941.
"These members from our earliest days as an organization helped save lives and preserve our nation's freedom," said Maj. Gen. Chuck Carr, CAP's national commander. "They were truly unsung heroes of the war, using their small private aircraft to search for enemy submarines close to America's shores, towing targets for military practice, transporting critical supplies within the country and conducting general airborne reconnaissance."
The CAP is asking for public support for its efforts to pass legislation to recognize its World War II service with a Congressional Gold Medal.
The agency asks people to contact their senators and representatives, asking them to cosponsor H.R. 719 and S. 418.
Sample letters and other details, including a list of current cosponsors, are available online at www.capmembers.com/goldmedal.
No comments:
Post a Comment