Civil Air Patrol celebrates 50th anniversary
                       Released: May 27, 1998
     MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) - May 26 marks a special day
 in the relationship between Civil Air Patrol and the U.S. Air Force.
 On that day 50 years ago, Public Law 557 designated Civil Air Patrol
 as the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. For a half
 century, the official Air Force Auxiliary has carried out noncombat
 missions on behalf of the U.S. Air Force.
     These noncombat missions include inland search and rescue within
 the continental United States. The Air Force is tasked with the co-
 ordination of these missions, and Civil Air Patrol, on behalf of the
 Air Force, carries out 85 percent of the searches.
     When an Air Force A-10 crashed in the mountains of Colorado in
 April 1997, Civil Air Patrol was the lead agency in the search. But
 this is just one striking example of the service Civil Air Patrol
 performs for the U.S. Air Force. Civil Air Patrol performs most its
 search and rescue missions out of the limelight, searching for miss-
 ing persons and downed aircraft, tracking electronic locator trans-
 mitter signals, and helping out in times of disaster.
     On September 18, 1947, the U.S. Air Force became an independent
 military service. A mere eight months later, Congress passed a law
 permanently establishing Civil Air Patrol as the auxiliary of the
 new U.S. Air Force.
     Though the Civil Air Patrol predates the Air Force, the designa-
 tion was a natural for the organization founded Dec. 1, 1941, one
 week before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. When Americans were called
 to duty during World War II, a group of aviation enthusiasts, who
 for one reason or another were unable to actively participate in the
 organized military, banded together with their light aircraft to
 protect our nation's shores and borders. Flying under the auspices
 of the Army Air Corps, these volunteers patrolled the coasts of the
 United States, searching for enemy submarines. In fact, they are
 credited with sinking at least two German submarines off the coast
 of New Jersey during World War II.
     During this same time, other volunteers provided much needed
 services to the nation by flying the mail, patrolling the borders
 in Texas and California, transporting equipment, supplies and mil-
 itary personnel from one location to another.
     In 1946, President Truman declared CAP a benevolent, nonprofit
 organization with three primary missions: emergency services, aero-
 space education, and cadet programs.
     Today, people volunteer their time and financial resources in
 service to our country through CAP missions. CAP members play a vital
 role in national disaster relief efforts through Memorandums of
 Understandings with Federal Emergency Management Agency, American Red
 Cross, and the U.S. Forest Service. Trained CAP pilots also fly drug
 interdiction reconnaissance on behalf of the Drug Enforcement Admin-
 istration, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs, Federal Aviation Admini-
 stration, and the Forest Service.
     Almost 25,000 young people, ages 12-21, participate in CAP's
 Cadet Program. The Cadet Program provides these youths the opportun-
 ity to develop leadership skills through their love of aviation.
 Parents of CAP cadets credit the program for teaching their children
 the significance of personal integrity, self-discipline and trust in
 personal and professional environments. Ten percent of the U.S. Air
 Force appointees are former CAP cadets. In addition, both West Point
 and the U.S. Naval Academy admit many CAP cadets each year.
     Another part of each CAP member's training is the study of aero-
 space. CAP provides aerospace education materials and workshops to
 thousands of teachers at universities throughout the nation. As a
 direct result of CAP's aerospace education endeavors, more than
 500,000 school children are taught how aerospace affects their lives
 and their environment.
     For more information about Civil Air Patrol programs,
 call 1-800-FLY-2338. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training
 Command News Service)
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