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 with volunteer civilian pilots using private airplanes to spot U-boats, evolving into a vital auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.
- Today, CAP operates the world's largest general aviation fleet with 60,000 volunteers, performing diverse missions including support for Air Force training, disaster relief, search and rescue, and aerospace education.
- CAP offers pilots volunteer opportunities to contribute to critical community and national services, benefiting from training and reduced flying costs for CAP aircraft, provided they commit to the organization's time requirements.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
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