During World War II the Civil Air Patrol’s coastal patrol flew 24 million miles, found 173 enemy U-boats, attacked 57, hit 10 and sank two, dropping a total of 83 bombs and depth charges throughout the conflict. By the end of WWII, 64 CAP members had lost their lives in the line of duty.
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Tags: Civil Air Patrol
Semper Vigilans!
I remember learning those WWII statistics as a CAP cadet back in the 70’s. Decades later, nobody seems to be able to match up known losses of specific U-boats with the two sinkings credited to CAP. Not saying they didn’t happen, but it illustrates the fogginess of the wartime AAR process. Certainly, the spotting/reporting/harassing of U-boats along the Atlantic coast did make a difference.
Also not disputed is the loss of 64 lives, civilian volunteers, some at sea on light planes that never returned to base. But sadly, today CAP has no comprehensive list of these casualties by-name or incident, apparently because HQ CAP-USAF historical records were summarily tossed in dumpsters during a reorganization of the CAP-USAF relationship.
Ha ha, I never thought I would see any kind of story about CAP on here. Very cool. Got to love that old yellow paint scheme they use to paint the CAP plains.
As a child, I was always greatly in love with airplanes and War movies about airplanes. I was greatly enthralled by the success of the 99th Pursuit Squadron. I was glad to be able to represent my black people as a qualified Mission pilot with Civil Air Patrol in the 1980s and recruitment officer, in later years. My son became a Cadet chief Master Sergeant with CAP.
It was in 1944 when I was a junior in high school that I joined the CAP. The war was in its Second year for us and freighters were being sunk everyday off the New Jersey Coast. We met once a week at a small field in Almonesson, NJ that had a dirt runway. We learned the mechanics of flying, how to use the radio and military drilling. Never went up in a plane which is what I really wanted. The uniforms duplicated those who were in the service to the point that I often felt like an imposter. It was a great experience and a great training ground for those who eventually wound up in the service. I am now 90 years old but have not forgotten those great times.
Thank you. From a CAP mom. I have 4 in the program.
Wow! Very truly thank you for your wartime contribution, and for sharing your experience here. I had met many CAP members who were WWII vets, but I’m not sure I’ve ever met someone who actually was a CAP member during the war. Thank you sir!
Unfortunatley, the part about two uboats being sunk has not been proven true. At the present time no sources backup this claim. I love the poster though.
Have you been interviewed, sir? I’m a CAP historian and would be happy to interview you for the CAP records. Feel free send me an email at Joshua.Bell@mawg.cap.gov.