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Escondido Cadet Squadron 714 Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force Auxiliary |
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HOME • NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM • ESCONDIDO CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL |
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About the Civil Air Patrol Our history dates back to World War II, when civilian pilots flew their private aircraft from the Atlantic coast, patrolling America's shores for German U-boats. With most of the Army Air Corps aircraft deployed in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific, only the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), established just 6 days before Pearl Harbor on Dec. 1, 1941, was left to search for enemy subs. When a U-boat was found, CAP pilots called in air strikes against the subs. German U-boat commanders quickly recognized the threat of these tiny, civil, aircraft. U-boats would crash-dive upon sighting a CAP aircraft. Many German sub crews would try to shoot down CAP aircraft. As a result, the Army Air Corps began arming CAP planes with bombs. Two German U-boats were sunk by CAP aircraft. But victory was not without its price. CAP aircraft that were shot down left their crews with little chance of survival in the cold Atlantic waters. As a result, CAP quickly learned the art of search and rescue, taking care of their own in the process. These early CAP pilots came to be known as the Flying Minutemen. These civilians, with no formal military training, would leave their homes and families in the morning, go to fight in war, and return home for supper. They were the only men to do anything of the sort since the Revolutionary War. In 1946, Congress granted a charter to Civil Air Patrol, charging its |
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| members with three missions. First, CAP was to promote aviation. As years passed, that mission expanded to include aerospace education as well. Second, CAP was to provide a training program to support the nation’s youth in contributing to society and preparing for successful adult lives. Finally, CAP was to continue its emergency services, the work for which CAP is still best known today. | |||
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Our Congressionally Chartered Missions |
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Aerospace Education - CAP maintains both internal and external aerospace education programs. CAP members, both adults and cadets, follow a rigorous program to learn about aviation and aerospace principles. CAP also reaches out to the general public through a special program for teachers at all grade levels. Through this program, CAP provides free classroom materials and lesson plans for aerospace education and each year sponsors the premier national conference in this field. | ||
| Cadet Programs - Civil Air Patrol's cadet program is a traditional military-style cadet program. CAP cadets wear modified versions of Air Force uniforms, hold rank and grade, and practice military customs and courtesies. They are also required to maintain physical fitness standards and are tested on their fitness and their knowledge of leadership and aerospace subjects for each promotion. This program is similar to that of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) primarily because the Air Force JROTC program was 'cloned' from the CAP Cadet Program in the 1960s. However, there are several key differences between the two programs. Cadet Program operates at a local unit (squadron) level with weekly meetings and weekend activities but also has national and wing-sponsored events, including week-long and multi-week summer activities, of which encampments are an example. | |||
| Emergency Services - Best known for its members’ work in search and rescue and disaster relief missions, CAP is expanding its role in the 21st century to include an increasing number of homeland security operations and exercises. CAP also performs counter-drug reconnaissance missions at the request of law enforcement agencies and can do radiological monitoring and damage assessment. CAP members undergo rigorous training to perform these missions safely and cost-effectively. | |||
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