Mock Air Raids

To keep Americans from getting complacent about enemy attack, mock air raid drills were conducted – some with an added dose of realism. CAP pelted cities like Baltimore, Tampa and Birmingham with 50,000 one-ounce paper bombs printed with the warning:

“If this had been a real bomb….”

A Few Mishaps

Of course, there were a few mishaps in CAP flying…

Women in CAP

Initially women (usually the wives of volunteer pilots) served at CAP anti-sub bases in administrative roles or as radio operators. Later, women pilots flew in non-combat areas, mostly as courier and ferry pilots. A number were lost to weather and other accidents.

By war’s end, women constituted 20% of the Civil Air Patrol. Half of Army Air Forces WASPS (Women Air Force Service Pilots) had previously been CAP fliers.
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(At right: Willa Brown, National Archives photo, courtesy Spencer Harris Morfit)

Cadet Program

The CAP Cadet Program began on October 1, 1942, pioneered by CAP national recruiting and public relations officer Captain Kendall Hoyt, later a noted long-time aviation journalist.

The cadet program would become one of the major pillars of Civil Air Patrol in the Cold War years when national defense was on the line, and remained so later when Cold War threats waned but youth, anti-drug and military “all volunteer” recruiting programs were given new priority.

All in all, it was the time of our lives….

 

I.    The Gathering Threat II.   The CAP Subchasers of WWII III.   Many Other WWII Missions IV.  Post-War: Now What? V.  The Cold War Years VI.  Search & Rescue VII. CAP Today		NEXT >>
	Exhibit IV: Post-War...