Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Col. Mary Donley and Lt.Col. Mike Cassidy of the South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol in Sioux Falls. From their website: Integrity The Civil Air Patrol core values are Integrity, Volunteer Service, Excellence, and Respect.Our Civil Air Patrol core values reflect how we choose to act as an organization. It’s a statement of how we choose to treat our fellow members, our partner organizations, and the American public. They reflect our organization’s institutional commitment as well as our members’ personal commitment to public service. SOUTH DAKOTA WINGCIVIL AIR PATROL HISTORY1940’SPrior to WWI the German army was on fire and seemed unstoppable. TheAmerican aviation community was convinced that the civilian aircraft fleet ofover 25,000 aircraft could be of a benefit to the nation and our army.A writer for the New York Tribune, WWI pilot, Founder of the AircraftOwners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and director of Aeronautics for NewJersey, Gill Rob Wilson believed that something needed to be done to help theEast coast search for submarines. After numerous meetings he was able toconvince the governor of New Jersey to form the “New Jersey Civil AirDefense Service.” Feeling that more needed to be done, he enlisted the aid oftwo of his fellow newspaper publishers, Gannett and Beck to help him “winover” Hap Arnold, the chief of the Army Air Force and the head of the Officeof Civil Defense, Fiorello LaGuardia, with the idea that this civilian air forcewould be of a great benefit to the country. Under the Civil Defense Office theCivil Air Patrol was formed on December 1, 1941.The new organization now needed national leaders to organize each state withtheir own commanders. Under the first National commander, Major GeneralJohn F. Curry, recruiting began on December 8, 1941 with the publicannouncement of the newly formed “Civil Air Patrol”. Within months 48states had a new group and wing commander.South Dakota had 8 groups maned in locations all across the state.■ Spearfish – Clyde Ice■ Rapid City – Floyd Barlow■ Pierre –--------Franklin Hyde■ Huron --------- Ken Neville■ Aberdeen ----Dwight Campbell■ Watertown - Ralph Hubbard■ Brookings – Cecil Shuoe■ Sioux Falls –Knapp BrownThe first SD Wing Commander was Thomas B. Roberts Jr.a newspaper man from Pierre just like Wilson. Roberts was wing commanderfrom Dec. 01 1941 – 15 Oct. 1945.The headline in the Rapid City Journal January 7, 1942 read.“SD State Civil Air Patrol Organized”On March 5, 1942 the Costal Patrol was formed to offer help to the Navy. CAPCostal Patrol was credited with helping 91 ships in distress, 865 shipwrecksurvivors, flying over 6,000 convoy missions, finding 17 floating mines, andspotting 173 submarines, even being credited with the sinking of a few. 65 CAPpilots were killed on duty.Most members of the Costal Patrol were from the East Coast but South Dakotadid have a few pilots that traveled east to participate in the operations. One ofthose being Luverne A Kraemer from Deadwood. In March of 1942 hetraveled to Wichita, Kansas to build B29’s. Three months later he had a pilot’slicense and in April 1943 he volunteered for Costal Patrol in Atlantic City.Civil Air Patrol participated in the war efforts in numerous ways, one beinghere in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Members of the wing organizedcoyote hunts from the air and on the ground using the money from the sale ofpelts to help finance the Costal Patrol.In addition to the coyote hunts, members of the SD Wing joined the CourierService under the 2ndAir Force to help the Army Air Force transport neededitems and supplies between bases. On November 2, 1942 CAP pilots beganflying routes out of Rapid City Army Air Force Base, now known as EllsworthAir Force Base. Wing commander during this period was Col. James R.Barnett from Oct. 15 1945 - Sept. 24 1950.For an estimated 14 months 9 pilots, most of whom were not eligible to join themilitary, leased their private aircraft to the Army and flew these routes.These pilots were required to have a minimum of 150 hours of flyingexperience because these routes were a treacherous undertaking.None of the pilots were instrument-rated and they flew daily regardless ofweather. On days when the Army would ground their B-17’s the CAP CourierPilots were flying 7 routes per day with a completion rate of almost 100%.This was a miracle since most of the aircraft had no or very limitedinstruments and none had radio transmitters.Flying time was 3 hours for these planes with the exception of the commanderof the SD Courier group, Captain John Moodie. Moodie took out hispassengerseat and installed an extra fuel tank giving him extended flying time.These aircraft were small, 65-75 HP engines, but were defiantly work horsesfor the Army carrying cargo such as parachutes, rifles, mail and one secretmission carried cases of toilet paper.The biggest ...
