MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. – On Dec. 1, Civil Air Patrol, the
official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, observes 70 years of
vigilant service. But the celebration won’t be complete until
CAP’s earliest members – now in their eighties and nineties –
are “rightly honored” with the Congressional Gold Medal. CAP, an
all-volunteer service of more than 61,000 members, was founded
70 years ago on Dec. 1, 1941, less than a week before the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor led to America’s involvement in
World War II. Known at the time as the Coastal Patrol, members
soon proved their worth by conducting aerial missions at the
request of the Office of Civilian Defense, displaying heroism
that discouraged and eventually stopped deadly German U-boat
attacks on supply ships leaving American ports headed to support
the Allied war effort. The “subchasers” flew at great personal
risk. In all, 90 CAP planes were forced to ditch at sea. Of the
59 CAP pilots killed during World War II, 26 were lost while on
Coastal Patrol duty