In the late 1930s, more than 150,000 volunteers with a love for
aviation argued for an organization to put their planes and flying
skills to use in defense of their country. As a result, the Civil Air
Patrol was born one week prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor. Thousands of volunteer members answered America's call
to national service and sacrifice by accepting and performing critical
wartime missions. Assigned to the War Department under the
jurisdiction of the Army Air Corps, the contributions of Civil Air Patrol,
including logging more than 500,000 flying hours, sinking two
enemy submarines, and saving hundreds of crash victims during
World War II, are well documented.
After the war, a thankful nation understood that Civil Air Patrol could
continue providing valuable services to both local and national
agencies. On July 1, 1946, President Harry Truman signed Public
Law 476 incorporating Civil Air Patrol as a benevolent, nonprofit
organization. On May 26, 1948, Congress passed Public Law 557
permanently establishing Civil Air Patrol as the auxiliary of the new
U.S. Air Force. Three primary mission areas were set forth at that
time: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency
services.
Copyright© 2011/2014 Charles Composite Squadron. All Rights Reserved.
Charles Composite Squadron
MER - MD - 019
Group III, Maryland Wing (MDWG),
Middle East Region (MER), Civil Air Patrol (CAP)
United States Air Force Auxiliary
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