By Capt. Ray BurbySpecial to Aroostook Republican
CARIBOU — Civil Air Patrol was founded in December 1941, one week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, by more than 150,000 citizens who were concerned about the defense of America‘s coastline. Under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Forces, CAP pilots flew more than one-half million hours, were credited with sinking two enemy submarines and rescued hundreds of crash survivors during World War II. On July 1, 1946, President Harry Truman established CAP as a federally chartered benevolent civilian corporation, and Congress passed Public Law 557 on May 26, 1948. CAP was charged with three primary missions – aerospace education, cadet programs and emergency services.
The first squadron at the Caribou Municipal Airport was formed sometime in the mid 1940s by civilian pilots who feared that all general aviation flying would be grounded during the war years. The squadron has moved several times over the years to Loring Air Force Base and Presque Isle Airport. Some of the past commanders include Ernest Ashby, Melton Dixon, Jerry Drake, John Trask, Tom Goetz, Wayne KilCollins, Richard Saucier and our current commander David Barbosa.
Contributed photoCapt Jerry Drake of Caribou, on wing, accepts a Beechcraft T-34 trainer from the Loring Air Force Base Aero Club in November 1970.
Capt. Jerry Drake was commander from 1968-71. During the years many different aircraft have been flown by CAP. In the early years, an Aeronica L-16 similar to the aircraft Capt. Drake flies to this day was used. During the late ‘60s and early ‘70s Capt. Drake received two Beechcraft T-34s trainers from the Loring Aero Club. One went to the New Hampshire Wing and the second stayed in Caribou.
Today, we fly a Cessna 172 with newer aircraft coming on line as older ones are removed from service.
A downed aircraft brought out our squadron during the winter of 1960. Capt. Drake and several members discovered the crash site of the Piper 400 in the snow-covered fields south of Houlton. More recently, Major Tom Goetz and Lt. Col. John Trask were called in to help find a lost research submarine off the coast of Maine. They found the little yellow sub and it was recovered by the research agency.
Today, the County Composite Squadron has six cadets and 16 senior members — all volunteers — performing aerial reconnaissance for Homeland Security missions and providing disaster-relief support to local, state and national organizations.
Civil Air Patrol, the official Air Force Auxiliary, is a nonprofit organization. It performs more that 90 percent of inland search and rescue missions in the continental United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Volunteers also take a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to America’s youths through CAP Cadet Programs.
For more information about Civil Air Patrol programs go to www.gocivilairpatrol.com or call Capt. Ray Burby at 492-1615.
