Part I: Early Days and Influences (Cont.)
No doubt taking a nod from their ally in the Atlantic, the American government, under President Franklin Roosevelt, formed the ‘Office of Civilian Defense’ in May 1941. The ‘CD,’ as it was later popularly known, was soon composed of a similar group of volunteer veterans and ‘4-Fers’ eager to defend their homeland. These semi-uniformed civilians became responsible for everything from inspecting bomb shelters to scanning the skies and beaches for signs of enemy invasion. It was under this organisation that the ‘Civil Air Patrol’ was born. On 1 December 1941, 6 days prior to the Japanese attack on the US Naval Station at Pearl Harbor (and 6 years prior to the formation of the US Air Force) Civil Air Patrol was formed with the signing of ‘Administration Order 9’ by the then Director of Civilian Defense and New York City mayor and airport namesake, F.H. LaGuardia. |
Though few people in the last couple of decades may have ever have known a Civil Defense volunteer or even seen a CD sign, the group's value grew in the United States and their image at times was even iconic.
A brief but classic example of this can be seen in the Frank Capra film It’s a Wonderful Life where, despite his real life heroic war record, CAP Squadron namesake, James Stewart portrays a loveable yet 4F-status CD Warden George Bailey who ‘does his part for the war effort.’ In short everyone was expected to do their duty regardless of their status, and members of Civil Air Patrol felt they were no exception. Click Here to Learn More |