WHEREAS, The Civil Air Patrol was born on December 1, 1941, just
days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, for the purposes of liaison
flying and interdiction of infiltrators on the east coast and the
southern border of the United States, and the Civil Air Patrol
insignia, a red three-bladed propeller in the Civil Defense white-triangle-in-blue-circle, began appearing everywhere; and
WHEREAS, When German submarines began to prey on American ships,
the Civil Air Patrol's mission grew to include a 1,000-member coastal
patrol, 64 of whom died in service and 26 of whom were lost at sea; and
WHEREAS, After Civil Air Patrol planes were issued bombs and depth
charges in response to a crew watching in vain as a grounded sub off
Cape Canaveral, Florida, escaped before the military arrived, the Civil
Air Patrol Coastal flew 24 million miles and found 173 subs, attacked
57, hit 10, and sank two; and
WHEREAS, By presidential executive order, the Civil Air Patrol
became an auxiliary of the Army Air Force on April 28, 1943, and some
months later the Germans withdrew coastal U-boat operations "because of
those damned little red and yellow airplanes"; and
WHEREAS, The Civil Air Patrol went on to target-towing operations,
courier service for the Army, liaison and cargo flights between war
plants, and southern border patrol against enemy infiltrators crossing
from Mexico, and air, search and rescue, and nonflying Civil Air Patrol
members guarded airfields and trained a rapidly growing corps of Civil
Air Patrol cadets; and
WHEREAS, During the postwar years, the Civil Air Patrol was put to
work in search and rescue missions, saving the United States millions
of dollars in operational costs, because there was no other
organization with the equipment and training to continue this vital job
as military aircraft was far too expensive to operate and flew too fast
to accurately spot downed planes and personnel; and
WHEREAS, During floods and other natural disasters, the Civil Air
Patrol has flown vital serum and vaccines to areas unreachable by
heavier aircraft, and ground teams have helped in the evacuation of
cities and towns; and
WHEREAS, The Civil Air Patrol has a cadet program with over 23,000
young people between the ages of 12 and 20, one of its major
attractions being the aerospace program which provides both classroom
and practical instruction in flight and rocketry, and each cadet is
offered the opportunity to participate in orientation flights in both
powered and glider aircraft, while learning search and rescue
techniques and many other valuable skills, with an emphasis on military
history, leadership, and service to others both within the squadron and
the community as a whole; and
WHEREAS, On May 18, 1980, when Mt. St. Helens in Washington state
exploded, devastating approximately 150 square miles and triggering
massive mud flows, floods, and ash fall, the Civil Air Patrol quickly
responded to the county sheriff's request for help by establishing a
24-hour headquarters, aiding search and rescue missions, updating
weather advisories, and assisting in ash cleanup; and
WHEREAS, Today's Civil Air Patrol continues its service and
commitment to our state and country with three primary missions:
Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services; and
WHEREAS, In Washington state alone, the Civil Air Patrol is
composed of approximately 748 senior members and approximately 624
cadets, who in 2010 flew their eleven aircraft 2,650.7 hours in service
to our state, at a value of 3 million dollars in volunteer hours, and,
primarily for cadet aerospace education, their Washington state gliders
flew 374 hours;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington state Senate
recognize the Washington state wing of the Civil Air Patrol for its
courageous and unwavering dedication to our citizens; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be
immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Civil Air
Patrol Wing Commander, Colonel David Lehman, to Colonel Theodore Tax,
and to newspaper editors throughout the state of Washington.