By Senators Honeyford, Billig, Chase, Hasegawa, Conway, Becker, Warnick, Mullet, King, Miloscia, Angel, Hobbs, Baumgartner, Takko, Braun, Nelson, O'Ban, Rivers, Brown, Cleveland, Schoesler, Padden, Rolfes, Fain, Bailey, Sheldon, Short, and Pearson

WHEREAS, The Civil Air Patrol was commissioned December 1, 1941, just days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, for the purpose of liaison flying and interdiction of infiltrators on the east coast and southern border of the United States; and from then on the Civil Air Patrol insignia, a red three-bladed propeller in the Civil Defense white-triangle-in-blue-circle, began appearing; 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 a crew was forced to watch in vain as a grounded submarine off Cape Canaveral, Florida escaped before the military arrived, Civil Air Patrol planes were issued bombs and depth charges, and thereafter the Civil Air Patrol coastal patrol flew 24 million miles and found 173 submarines, ultimately attacking 57 and hitting 10; and

WHEREAS, On April 28, 1943, by presidential executive order, the Civil Air Patrol became an auxiliary of the United States Army Air Forces, and several months later the Germans withdrew coastal U-boat operations "because of those damned little red and yellow airplanes"; 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 as the only organization with the equipment and training to perform this vital job, with military aircraft being far too expensive to operate and flying too fast to accurately spot downed planes and personnel; and

WHEREAS, During the deadly 2014 highway 530 mudslide in Darrington, Washington, the Civil Air Patrol flew vital supplies to areas unreachable by heavier aircraft; and ground teams helped to evacuate cities and towns, maintained the Temporary Flight Restriction over the area, and provided high-bird communications for other agencies; and

WHEREAS, The Civil Air Patrol's National Cell Phone Forensics Team and National Radar Analysis Team, which used cutting-edge technology to complement the efforts of searchers in the air and on the ground for missing airplanes and individuals, were credited by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center with saving 70 lives in fiscal year 2016; and

WHEREAS, The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program, celebrating its 75th year in 2017, has over 24,000 participants between the ages of 12 and 20, one of its major attractions being its aerospace program, which provides both classroom and practical instruction in flight and rocketry, and offers each cadet the opportunity to participate in orientation flights in both powered and glider aircraft while learning search and rescue techniques and other valuable skills, emphasizing military history, leadership, science, technology, engineering, and math education, and "service before self" to members' community, state, and nation; 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, The Washington Wing's commitment to service includes three nationally recognized leaders: 2014 Chaplain of the Year, (Lt. Col.) Dave Franklin; 2015 Legislative Squadron Commander of the Year, Senator (Lt. Col.) Jim Honeyford; and 2016 Public Affairs Officer of the Year, (Capt.) Jessica Jerwa, along with the many officers and cadets; and

WHEREAS, In Washington State alone, the Civil Air Patrol is composed of approximately 744 senior members and 626 cadets, adding up to 144 volunteer aircrew personnel and 779 emergency responders who, in 2016 alone, flew their 14 aircraft 1,537 hours in service to our state, a value of 4.9 million dollars in volunteer hours; and

WHEREAS, The McChord Composite Squadron Color Guard, located at McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and comprised of youth Cadet members, have volunteered their time to represent the Civil Air Patrol's state headquarters while presenting the colors;

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 Colonel James P. Furlong, Commander of the Civil Air Patrol Washington Wing.