The threat from Axis submarines prowling the East Coast of the United States was scary and very real. Onshore shelling terrorized civilians, but the real low-hanging fruit for the submarines was on the seas. By as early as August 1942, Axis subs had caused the loss of thousands of lives, mainly merchant mariners, and sunk more than 600 ships totaling 3 million tons. Winston Churchill was quoted as saying, “The only thing that really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril.”
The Surprising Missions of the Civil Air Patrol
Key Takeaways:
- The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) originated during WWII to combat U-boat threats and now serves as a volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, operating the world's largest general aviation fleet.
- CAP conducts diverse missions, including supporting the Air Force (e.g., training targets, drone operations), providing disaster relief and search-and-rescue for communities, and promoting aerospace education.
- Driven by 60,000 volunteers, CAP heavily invests in youth development through cadet programs, offering orientation flights and STEM training, with pilot members able to fly aircraft for missions and training at reduced costs.
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