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Civil Air Patrol to mark 67th anniversary

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt Mark Swanson
  • CAP New Jersey Wing public affairs
McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  The New Jersey Wing of the Civil Air Patrol will mark the 67th anniversary of the organization's founding Dec. 1. The celebration commemorates the rich history of vigilant service provided by the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force over the past seven decades.

A number of CAP's New Jersey units, called squadrons, have scheduled ceremonies and other celebrations for the anniversary.

"Our citizen volunteers have a proud legacy of selfless service to their country and their communities. They truly go above and beyond each day, giving their best as needs arise," said Maj. Gen. Amy Courter, CAP's national commander. "This occasion provides citizens across America the opportunity to honor Civil Air Patrol and its members. Be sure to say 'thanks' to these unsung heroes in your communities who provide such vigilant service, often without fanfare. Each day, through their volunteer efforts, our members help save lives and preserve liberty for all."

The New Jersey Wing is proud to be the historical home of the Civil Air Patrol. The organization created its first wartime base in 1941 at Bader Field in Atlantic City, N.J., and the wing continues those proud traditions today.

In fact, NJ Wing existed before the Civil Air Patrol as part of the New Jersey Civil Air Defense Service, founded in 1938. The organization, backed by the Chief of the Army Air Corps, General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, and the Civil Aeronautics Authority, called for single-engine, propeller-driven aircraft to patrol uninhabited stretches of coastline and vital infrastructure such as dams, aqueducts and pipelines, to guard against sabotage. In addition, security measures, such as policing the airports and fingerprinting those people associated with light aviation, were to be performed by CADS.

The all-volunteer, nonprofit organization of 57,000 members was founded Dec. 1, 1941, less than a week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor led to America's involvement in World War II. Its members soon proved their worth by conducting aerial patrols, vigilance that discouraged and eventually stopped deadly German U-boat attacks on shipping in American waterways. Fifty-nine heroic members died; 26 were lost at sea; and seven others were seriously injured while carrying out CAP missions during the war.

The Civil Air Patrol was made the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force in May 1948.

Today, the New Jersey Wing consists of more than 1,200 professionally-trained volunteers. They are cadets, who are between 12 and 21 years old, and adult officers over age 18. CAP members come from all walks of life and work in 25 units located all over the state, from Teterboro to Cape May and Fort Monmouth to Cherry Hill.

"We at New Jersey Wing are proud to carry on the traditions and the mission of the Civil Air Patrol," said NJ Wing Commander Col. Robert McCabe. "I am especially proud of our volunteers who train and work so hard not just on our cadet program, but on providing emergency services."

Nationally, the Civil Air Patrol performs a multitude of missions in communities throughout the nation's 50 states and Puerto Rico:

· CAP responds day or night when planes are overdue and emergency locator transmitters go off. Its volunteers perform 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions, as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and were credited by the AFRCC with saving 90 lives in fiscal year 2008.
· CAP provides disaster relief during hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes and countless other emergencies. In addition, members perform homeland security and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.
· CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education and mentors nearly 22,000 young Americans through its cadet program. By partnering with 900 educators nationwide, members nurture the talents of generations of the nation's sons and daughters with cadet programs that stress leadership and moral responsibility and teach aviation and emergency response skills.

To learn more about the Civil Air Patrol, its missions or cadet programs, visit www.njwgcap.org, call wing headquarters at (609) 723-8200 or stop in at Building 3412 Neely Rd. The McGuire Composite Squadron meets Monday nights at 7 p.m. at Building 3412.