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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWinging in the Help 1975 8 / foresight / May -June 1975 Winging By JOHN G. W. MAHANNA qr Emergencies on land, air, and sea test preparedness When military forces were built up enough during organizations throughout the country, but one volunteer World War II to take over the task, CAP lost its coastal group that is in a readiness condition at all times is the patrol job, and turned its attention to other wartime Civil Air Patrol, the air arm of civil preparedness. missions such as flying surveillance along the Mexican This volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force for a border. Operating from bases along the border, the CAP quarter of a century has been performing humanitarian planes flew low enough to read the numbers on auto - services effectively in a widespread number of emergency mobile license plates as the crews watched for saboteurs situations since before the outbreak of World War II. and other suspicious persons trying to slip into the A plan to mobilize the Nation's civilian air strength country. was presented to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in April 1941 — a month before the Office of Civilian Defense Post -War Role Approved (OCD) was established as an agency of the Federal Government with former New York Mayor Fiorello H. After the Germans and Japanese surrendered, ending LaGuardia as its Director. A World War I pilot, LaGuardia World War II, the emergency mission of the Civil Air recognized the merit of the plan and expressed his Patrol appeared to be ended, too. But those who knew of enthusiasm for it, but he also was aware that its success its capabilities and accomplishments, saw a potential for would depend upon the support of the U.S. Army Air CAP in peacetime and were unwilling to let it die. Corps. A special aviation committee was appointed to Congress agreed that such an organization should not "blueprint" the organization of civil aviation resources on come to an end, and in 1946 passed legislation chartering a national basis. the Civil Air Patrol as a non - profit, benevolent corpora - To satisfy the plan with military approval, General H. tion composed of volunteer members. President Harry S. H. (Hap) Arnold set up a review board of military Truman signed the bill into law on July 1, 1946. officers. He asked the board to determine the poten- In 1948, Congress made the CAP a civilian auxiliary of tialities of the Civil Air Patrol plan, recommending that the U.S. Air Force, making it possible for the military to Army Air Corps officers help set up and administer CAP. donate surplus equipment and supplies to the organiza tion, and to aid it in carrying out the missions assigned to CAP Created Just Before Pearl Harbor it in the 1946 legislation. Today, the Civil Air Patrol is still organized basically as LaGuardia signed the formal order creating the Civil it was in the beginning, with a structure resembling that Air Patrol on December 1, 1941 — less than a week of the Air Force. A national board of senior members, before the United States entered World War II. with Brig. Gen. William M. Patterson as Chairman, directs The day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, its corporate affairs. And although CAP is a civilian Major General John F. Curry, U.S. Army Air Corps, was organization, its national commander is an Air Force designated as CAP Commander, marking the beginning of General Officer, appointed by the Secretary of the Air the growth and development of the CAP in the service of Force. Currently serving in that capacity is Brig. Gen. the Nation. Four days later, when Germany and Italy Leslie J. Westberg. declared war against the United States and Congress declared that a state of war existed, the Civil Air Patrol More Than 65,000 Involved went into action, flying out over the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts aiding the Nation's defense effort. At that time the General Westberg, former Deputy Assistant Chief of Navy and the Army Air Corps did not have the men and Staff for Air Force operations in the Pacific Command, machines to patrol the entire coast line. commands the all- volunteer CAP organization of more 9 / foresight / May -June 1975 in the Help than 65,000 young people and adults, in addition to more quarters in devising and presenting special training courses than 160 U.S. Air Force personnel assigned at Maxwell expressly for Civil Air Patrol members. Air Force Base, Alabama, national headquarters for CAP and at State Wing and regional levels, as advisors. Ready for All Emergencies Through the years the relationship between CAP and CAP is unique among the many general aviation civil defense has been close. Coordination has continued organizations in that it has an in -being structure capable with CAP taking an active part in Federal emergency of responding to emergency situations. Wing Commanders preparedness programs. One prime example of the high take an active part in emergency planning at the local degree of cooperation that exists was demonstrated when level, and in many cases actually participate on the staffs the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency Staff College at Battle Creek, Michigan, joined with CAP national head - MISSISSIPPI CAP plane on a search mission. 10 / foresight / May -June 1975 Winging in the Help of State and local Emergency Operations Centers. From during all types of emergencies. It is the means by which these they direct CAP resources as an integral part of an a State, in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Admin- over -all emergency operation. istration, controls the use of small aircraft for emergency There are many examples of CAP's involvement in missions. In order to maintain a state of readiness for emergencies. One that stands out is the case of Major emergencies, each CAP Wing has a continuing civil defense John L. Elliott, who served as CAP mission commander training program and takes part in an annual test of its for the Mississippi Gulf Coast area during Hurricane CAP capabilities. Camille. He was personally involved in aiding victims of CAP's contribution to the Defense Civil Preparedness the storm, working hand -in -hand with civil defense Agency's program is not limited to the air. It has authorities and other agencies coordinating the efforts of members trained in ground -based radiological monitoring, the many Mississippi CAP Wing volunteers. first aid, shelter utilization, and operational communica- When the hurricane was approaching the coast, he tions. assisted civil defense workers in evacuating people from beach homes. He continued doing this even after winds Response in Hurricanes, Earthquakes reached 85 miles per hour with tides breaking over the An outstanding example of CAP's contribution during seawall. After directing 22 people to shelter in his own a disaster in providing communications into and within home, he finally joined them during the height of the the affected area occurred in 1970 when Hurricane Celia storm. hit Texas. At the request of the Texas Department of The group huddled together while Camille devastated Public Safety, CAP moved into the coastal area before the the Gulf Coast with winds in excess of 100 miles per hurricane struck and for a time operated the only com- hour, torrential rains, and rampaging tides. In the midst munications available in Corpus Christi. of this howling chaos, the roof of a neighboring house The Alaskan earthquake of 1964 was another example flew through the air and demolished one wall of their of the Civil Air Patrol in an effective disaster - relief refuge. Gas gushed from a broken line in the rubble, operation. The earth shocks, tidal waves, and fires —with ready to explode with the first sparks. Exposing them- attendant casualties— produced a situation comparable in selves to this new danger plus Camille 's full fury, Major many ways to that which could be expected as a result of Elliott and his sons managed to cap the broken gas line, a nuclear attack. making the 22 refugees' haven relatively safe again. The CAP Group based in Anchorage went into action Silver Medal of Valor Awarded almost immediately following the earthquake, in close cooperation with the State authorities. The group airlifted As dawn broke on Monday morning, Major Elliott left critically needed equipment, personnel, and supplies to his storm damaged home and went on foot to survey hard -hit outlying areas. The U.S. Air Force provided a damage in the immediate area. While working his way liaison officer from nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base, through fallen trees, power lines, and standing water he and also furnished gasoline and oil for the operation of received a frantic call for help. Entering the remains of CAP aircraft. Ten pilots of the group flew scores of relief what had been a home, he found a man so distraught missions to striken areas, and delivered trained specialists from the destruction of the night that he was threatening and thousands of pounds of critically needed supplies. to use the gun he held on both his wife and himself. Often First on the Scene Ignoring the danger, Major Elliott encouraged the man, calmed him down, and eventually dissuaded him from Besides providing critically needed communications in taking their lives. earthquakes and hurricanes, CAP volunteers can be found During the next two weeks Major Elliott, as CAP on the scene during floods, tornadoes, forest fires, snow Mission Commander, supervised the meshing of Civil Air storms, and aerial searches for lost planes. Key officials Patrol people and equipment with those of civil defense, are transported to critical areas in CAP aircraft along with American Red Cross, and others. He received the Civil Air vital supplies. CAP vehicles are often the first into Patrol Silver Medal of Valor for his actions during the stricken areas, and since many are radio equipped, are storm. instrumental in expediting relief efforts to the points One of the primary tasks CAP performs during civil where they are needed most. defense emergencies is providing mission controllers at Membership in Civil Air Patrol includes more than designated airports to implement the SARDA (State and 23,000 young men and women between the ages of 13 Regional Defense Airlift) plan, which is the national plan and 21, known as cadets. They make up the 420 squad - for the utilization of general aviation aircraft and people rons in the CAP program. 11 / foresight / May -June 1975 Emergency services of a wide variety occupy the signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement attention of the cadets. For example, they can be found calls for the development of effective State and local civil in flood - striken areas filling and stacking sandbags to keep preparedness arrangements with CAP Wings, including back flood waters. They help to provide two -way radio agreements on the conditions and types of CAP support communications to civil defense authorities and other available to the civil preparedness agencies during emer- rescue agencies when telephones are knocked out. In gencies, and provision for CAP support in search and California, cadets helped repack mountains of food and rescue missions, radiological monitoring, transportation, supplies which were donated for shipment to Nicaragua communications, reconnaissance and damage assessment, following the 1972 earthquake there. and other emergency support capabilities as appropriate. Also, the Memorandum of Understanding provides for Annual Training Encampments Held CAP representation in State and local civil defense Emergency Operations Centers (EOC's) during tests, Cadets spend a week each summer at U.S. Air Force exercises, and emergencies, including making space avail - base encampments near their homes. There, among other able in each EOC communications area for the installation courses, they are trained in emergency services. The of CAP radio equipment, and for training of CAP per - Department of Defense supports the cadet encampment sonnel in civil preparedness assignments. program by providing personnel at 50 Defense Depart- Closer working relationships between the Civil Air ment installations under the cosponsorship of the Air Patrol and civil defense are aimed at one goal: more Force and CAP. effective response to those in need when disaster strikes. In a move to strengthen and broaden the effectiveness of this country's disaster relief capability, the Defense CAP CADET weighs a package of supplies prior to shipment to Civil Preparedness Agency and Civil Air Patrol recently Manauga, Nicaragua earthquake victims.