Legislation introduced to honor CAP WWII veterans
Early CAP members stand ready for assignment
during World War II.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – 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 CAP 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, as
noted in a news release from Harkin’s office. 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 CAP 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 CAP would be unusual in that a single medal would be
awarded for the collective efforts of all 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. Individuals and organizations interested
in supporting this legislation should contact the offices of their
two senators and their representative to urge they become
co-sponsors — in the Senate S. 418 and in the House H.R. 719.
Questions concerning this legislation can be addressed to John
Swain, CAP’s Washington representative, at dcoffice.cap@verizon.net.
CAP’s World War II volunteers were a diverse group, consisting of
men and women 18-81 years old. 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 National Headquarters at
hdunigan@capnhq.gov or call 1-877-227-9142, ext 236. More
information can be found on CAP's website.
CAP’s World War II Operations
Established a week before the U.S. entered World War II, Civil Air
Patrol quickly became involved in combat operations off the Atlantic
and Gulf Coast. Within weeks of the U.S. involvement in 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.
CAP 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 anti-submarine 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, and 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.