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History and tradition are a
part of every military organization. Members must remember the
accomplishments of the past in order to succeed in the future.
Civil Air Patrol was founded Dec 1, 1941- even before the US Air Force. CAP members both too old to fight in WWII joined CAP. Female aviators who were not allowed to fight came to CAP to make a difference in the war. Many members gave their life defending the homeland from German U- Boats attacking the Atlantic Coast. CAP members sank two and were credited with running a third aground near New York.
Civil Air Patrol completed its mission during the war and then turned its focus to three missions: Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services. Hundreds of thousands of men and women of all ages joined over the next sixty years. CAP members completed 80% of all Air Force funded search and rescue missions. They brought aerospace into hundreds of class rooms and watched as the little program grew into one people look upon with pride.
On Sep 11, 2001, CAP members were called upon again to defend their homeland. Terrorists attacked New York and Washington, DC. CAP aircraft were among the first Civil Aviation aircraft to be allowed in the air. They surveyed ground zero over both locations from the air; bringing back some of the most startling pictures. Ground Team Members manned shelters and volunteer stations. Air Crews transported desperately needed blood to the people in need. They also began patroling the US boarder from Canada to Mexico, from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. They surveyed airports and helped to avert more attacks.