CAP World War II Operations

March 1, 2011

Legislation introduced to honor CAP World War II veterans

WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislation has just been introduced in the 112th Congress to honor World War II members of Civil Air Patrol. The two identical bills are intended to award a single Congressional Gold Medal to Civil Air Patrol in recognition of the highly unusual service performed by the volunteer men and women of the organization who, using their own aircraft, conducted combat operations and other emergency missions during a period of great danger to America.

In the U.S. Senate, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, introduced S. 418, along with Sens. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore. In the U.S. House, Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., has introduced H.R. 719. The introduction of the two bills starts a national campaign to honor Civil Air Patrol veterans in time for the organization’s 70th anniversary on Dec. 1, 2011. CAP was established in 1941, one week before Pearl Harbor.

Inouye, commenting recently on the wartime service of Civil Air Patrol members, said, “During World War II, these courageous men and women dutifully patrolled our air space, searched for submarines off our coasts and provided our nation with whatever they were asked to give. They made the same sacrifices I and thousands of uniformed armed service members made during that historic conflict. They deserve our praise and should be honored for their service."

The Congressional Gold Medal commemorates distinguished service to the nation and is considered by many to be the highest form of congressional recognition. Since 1776, only about 300 such awards have been given to a wide range of military leaders and accomplished civilians, including George Washington, John Glenn, Robert Frost, Douglas MacArthur and Colin Powell. Foreigners awarded the medal have included Winston Churchill, Simon Wiesenthal and Mother Teresa.

The award to Civil Air Patrol would be unusual in that a single medal would be awarded for the collective efforts of all CAP World War II adult members. Other organizations that have been recognized by Congress for their wartime contributions include the Navajo Code Talkers, Tuskegee Airmen and Women’s Airforce Service Pilots.

CAP and its members have received little recognition for their World War II service, particularly the anti-submarine coastal patrols, and were not granted veterans’ benefits. Other than some air medals for Coastal Patrol participants, CAP volunteers received little official recognition of their service.

In order for this legislation to be considered by the appropriate congressional committees, 67 senators and 290 representatives must co-sponsor the legislation.

CAP’s World War II volunteers were a diverse group, consisting of men and women 18 to 81 years of age. Surviving CAP members from World War II who are no longer in CAP (or the families of those who are deceased) should contact Holley Dunigan at hdunigan@capnhq.govor call 1-877-227-9142, ext. 236. More information is available at www.capmembers.com/goldmedal.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 61,000 members nationwide. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 113 lives in fiscal year 2010. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the more than 26,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 69 years. It is a major partner of Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. For more information on Civil Air Patrol, visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com.

Civil Air Patrol contacts:

Julie DeBardelaben ♦ Deputy Director, Public Affairs
W: (877) 227-9142 Ext. 250 ♦ C: (334) 549-2224
Steve Cox ♦ Public Affairs Manager
W: (877) 227-9142 Ext. 251 ♦ C: (334) 296-5881

• FACT SHEET •

Established a week before the war started, Civil Air Patrol quickly became involved in combat operations off the Atlantic and Gulf Coast. Within weeks of the war German submarines began sinking vital shipping within sight of Americans standing on the East Coast. Because the military lacked the necessary ships and aircraft to respond and the attacks were so numerous and successful, the entire early war effort was threatened. At the insistence of the oil industry, the military decided to use CAP’s civilian assistance as a 90-day experiment.

For 18 months, CAP members flew 24 million miles in search of the enemy. After CAP repeatedly discovered submarines that got away, members’ small personal aircraft were armed with bombs and depth charges. The combat operations were often flown in weather conditions that grounded the military. CAP was ultimately credited with sinking two submarines, attacking 57 and reporting 173 to the military.

This is only part of the story of CAP’s wartime service. It quickly established itself as a vital resource to the military as well as communities across the nation, and its missions included search and rescue, border patrol, forest fire patrol, target towing, courier/cargo flights and other essential tasks. These critical missions supported the war effort and freed up personnel needed elsewhere. By war’s end CAP had flown more than 750,000 hours with a total loss of only 64 members and 150 aircraft – a credit to the organization’s emphasis on organization and safety.

Civil Air Patrol was established as part of the Office of Civil Defense one week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. During much of the war it was under control of the Army and flew antisubmarine coastal patrol missions for the Navy. Many of its volunteers were too young, too old or otherwise unqualified for regular military service.

Its most critical role came early in the war when German submarine attacks, often within sight of land, were being conducted against essential war shipping in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. CAP began anti-submarine coast patrols in March 1942 after 52 oil tankers had been sunk. Patrols were conducted up to 100 miles off shore, generally with two aircraft flying together, in planes often equipped with only a compass for navigation and a single radio for communication. Personal emergency equipment was lacking, particularly in the beginning, where inner tubes and duck hunter’s kapok vests were used as flotation devices.

CAP operations were conducted in bad weather as well as good, often when the military was unable to fly, and in all seasons including the winter, when ditching an aircraft would likely mean certain death. The idea was CAP aircraft would report submarines they spotted and request assistance from the military to attack them.

There were too few armed military aircraft to assist, but many opportunities arose for CAP pilots to attack submarines. As a result CAP aircraft were equipped with 50-, 100- and 325-pound bombs or depth charges. The arming of CAP aircraft meant these civilian aircrews were now conducting missions. During the coastal patrol, CAP reported 173 submarine sightings and found 325 survivors of submarine attacks.

While the Coastal Patrol was ongoing, CAP established itself as a vital wartime service to communities. These included 20,500 missions involving target towing (with live ammunition) and gun/searchlight tracking. It also involved a courier service, including three major Air Force commands over a two-year period, carrying more than 3.5 million pounds of vital cargo and 543 passengers, and southern border operations flying more than 30,000 hours, with 7,000 reports of unusual sightings including a vehicle (which was apprehended) with two enemy agents attempting to enter the country.

During the war roughly 60,000 civilians were CAP members. CAP’s war service was extraordinary in scope, especially since it involved civilian volunteers conducting combat operations in their own aircraft.

Since the war, CAP has become a valuable nonprofit, public service organization chartered by Congress. It is the auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, charged with providing essential emergency, operational and public services to communities and states nationwide, the federal government and the military.

CAP National Headquarters
105 S. Hansell St., Bldg. 714
Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6332
(334) 953-7748, Ext. 251
www.gocivilairpatrol.com