Streamer on CAP Flag Carries Extra Meaning
on 75th Anniversary of the End of World War II
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Sept. 2 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. It’s especially fitting that the Civil Air Patrol flag at National Headquarters is now adorned with the American Theater Service Streamer.
The streamer, authorized by the U.S. Air Force in January, recognizes CAP’s antisubmarine coastal patrol operation from May-August 1943 while serving under the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command. Although the streamer is authorized only for the flag at National Headquarters, it is a visual reminder of the role CAP’s volunteers played during the war.
Special thanks goes to Col. Frank Blazich, Col. Louisa S. Morse Center for Civil Air Patrol History director, for all of his work getting this streamer authorized for CAP.
The blue color of the streamer represents the Americas; the central blue, white and red stripes, taken from the American Defense Service Medal ribbon, represent the continuance of American defense after Pearl Harbor. The white and black stripes represent the German part of the conflict on the Atlantic Coast, while the red and white stripes are for the Japanese colors and refer to that part of the conflict on the Pacific Coast.
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La. Wing Launches Photo Flights in Laura's Wake;
Imagery Used to Assess Impact of Hurricane
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The Louisiana Wing is flying damage assessment photo missions over storm-devastated areas in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
On Aug. 30, three wing aircrews flew over areas the Federal Emergency Management Agency identified as targets, using specialized photographic and navigational equipment. A fourth aircrew flew over Alexandria, using conventional cameras to produce damage imagery requested by city emergency managers.
A fifth CAP plane served as high bird, flying at a relatively high altitude between the photo airplanes and their Baton Rouge mission base in order to serve as an aerial relay station for radio messages between the other planes and mission base.
“The weather gave us a break,” said Maj. Tracy Breithaupt, Louisiana Wing incident commander for the mission. “Our highly trained aircrews safely and successfully executed their flights today. We’ll be doing more tomorrow.”
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Over 100 members in CAP’s Southwest Region have been activated to support hurricane-related missions as assigned by FEMA and state and local emergency services agencies in those three states.
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Conn. Wing Provides Tornado Damage Photos |
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Connecticut Wing members took to the air to provide more than 300 damage assessment photos at state agencies’ request after a tornado struck parts of the state Aug. 27.
Two aircrews from Groton and Oxford made three damage assessment flights the following day, capturing images of downed trees, residential damage and the tornado’s path. They were supporting ground teams from the National Weather Service and the state Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security.
Earlier in August, aircrews carried out a similar mission in the wake of Tropical Storm Isaias.
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Members in N.J. Make Over 10,300 Masks |
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First Lt. Peter Hinge (at right) of the New Jersey Wing's Lone Eagle Composite Squadron and his wife, Sylvia, turned their dining room into a “mask factory” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are part of a small but tireless group of wing members who are producing personal protective equipment to stem the COVID-19 spread, going about their work with keen eyes, deft fingers and blazing machines.
Under the coordination of Maj. Lorraine Denby and 1st. Lt. Carol Faaland-Kronmaier of the Raritan Valley Composite Squadron and Senior Member Catherine Lackey of the Jack Schweiker Composite Squadron, the wing literally spun into action when the request came in.
In all, 127 volunteers have produced more than 10,300 masks. They’re continuing the effort as long as it’s needed.
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Nowak, Busch 53rd, 54th Cadets to Earn 'Wings' |
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On Aug. 29, Cadet Airman Kayla Nowak (above) and Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jacqueline Busch (below) became the 53rd and 54th cadets to earn their private pilot certificate via CAP's Cadet Wings program.
Both members of the Mankato Composite Squadron, Nowak received her certificate following a morning flight while Busch received her certificate after an afternoon flight.
To date, five cadets from the Minnesota Wing have graduated from the Cadet Wings program. The others are Sarah Skjeveland (No. 51), Jacob Seres (No. 24) and Tabitha Plasschaert (No. 4).
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Del. Officers' Virtual sUAS Classes Draw Across CAP |
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The Delaware Wing’s small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) officers, Lt. Col. Gordon Robertson and 1st Lt. Michael Panco III, have kept busy during the COVID-19 pandemic hosting a trio of virtual training sessions.
Each virtual class involves five evenings of training a week for about four weeks. From 50-100 members, both senior members and cadets, from CAP wings across the U.S. participate in an average session.
A third class was added in August due to popular demand. Within a week, class registration reached the 200-member capacity.
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CAP Reprises National Commander's Video Series |
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Civil Air Patrol marked the fifth anniversary of its Total Force partnership with the U.S. Air Force last week – on Aug. 28 to be exact. On that date in 2015, the Secretary of the Air Force formally adopted CAP, as its official auxiliary, into the Total Force.
To commemorate the occasion, National Headquarters' Marketing & Strategic Communications team is reprising National Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Smith's What Does It Mean? Video Series from 2019. The first of this four-part weekly series answers the question, “What Does It Mean To Be a Part of the Total Force?”
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Thank You, CAP, for Supporting Our Cadets! |
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"Without this scholarship I don’t believe that I could have continued my studies. While everything else is being canceled this summer, I am glad that Civil Air Patrol is able to help me out in my final year as a cadet. I’m so grateful for this opportunity, and I don’t know what else to say except thank you!"
–Cadet Lt. Col. Jacob Tyler, Ohio Wing, 2020 CAP National Scholarship recipient
Conference attendees contributed nearly $9,000 last month to support CAP's National Cadet Scholarship Campaign. Your generosity and mentorship help shape the lives of our cadets as they return to school this year.
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This Week's Top Headlines
“New Hampshire CAP Cadet Honored With Spaatz Award”
“Teens Learn How to Fly Planes as Southern Indiana's Civil Air Patrol Resumes Cadet Training Program”
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CAP Marketing & Strategic Communications
877-227-9142
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