Earlier this week, the General Assembly passed House Concurrent Resolution 96, thanking the members of the Civil Air Patrol for their service to the State of Delaware.
Sponsored by State Rep. Danny Short (R-Seaford), the bipartisan resolution noted that the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was officially established less than a week prior to the U.S. entry into World War II.
During the war, CAP volunteers patrolled the nation’s coastlines, conducted search-and-rescue missions, and executed homeland defense operations.
After the conflict, the CAP was permanently established as a benevolent, non-combatant organization to promote aviation, foster citizenship, and provide training and education for both cadet and senior members. In 1948, the CAP was designated the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force.
Today, with more than 60,000 members nationwide, the CAP performs 90% of inland search-and-rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, providing emergency services, aerospace education, and developing young leaders through its cadet program.
The CAP’s Delaware Wing boasts 390 members (145 cadets, 245 senior members). For the last 25 years, it’s partnered with the Delaware Department of Transportation to provide traffic monitoring and collaborated with the Delaware Emergency Management Agency to aid emergency response efforts.
