In The News
WOAI: Congress Okays Medals for WWII Civil Air Patrol Members
Washington,
May 20, 2014
Congress Okays Medals for WW II Civil Air Patrol MembersPosted Tuesday, May 20th 2014 @ 5am by Morgan Montalvo The U.S. House of Representatives late Monday passed H.R. 755, legislation awarding Congressional Gold Medals to surviving members of the Civil Air Patrol who served on the Home Front in World War Two.Bipartisan approval of the measure punctuates years of efforts by CAP members and supporters to recognize the national public service organization's contributions to Allied victory over the Axis Powers. During World War Two, thousands of CAP volunteers patrolled the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf of Mexico in search of German submarines, scanned the U.S.-Mexico frontier looking for infiltrators, conducted missing aircraft searches, operated aerial courier routes between defense factories and military bases, towed targets for military aviation trainees, and flew forest fire watch missions.The U.S. Senate previously had passed its version of the bill, but corresponding House versions until now failed to generate enough votes for passage."This is a monumental occasion for Civil Air Patrol," said Col. Brooks Cima, commander of CAP's Texas Wing, "a wonderful opportunity for our World War Two heroes to receive the recognition they so richly deserve."Cima praised the successful House vote as "especially sweet for Texas Wing," acknowledging the efforts of U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Houston, who sponsored H.R. 755 and campaigned on both sides of the aisle for support for the bill, co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, authored corresponding legislation, S. 309, co-sponsored by Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. and approved in 2013."Without those efforts from Congressman McCaul this award would not have been possible," Cima said.Congress approved the Gold Medals with fewer than 100 wartime CAP volunteers believed to still be alive; two known survivors live in Texas."I think it’s fabulous," said Jayne Pace, 91, of Houston who, during the closing months of the war, flew CAP surveillance patrols above rural Louisiana, including missions over prisoner-of-war camps. "It's just really exciting. I think that because it's been so long that it’s hard to believe."It will take a bit to sink in," said Pace, who remains active with CAP as a squadron historian and teaching aerodynamics.The awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal, one of America's two highest civilian honors, to CAP's surviving wartime members, "ensures that long overdue and proper recognition has finally been bestowed," McCaul said in a statement on CAP's website.Other World War Two-era recipients of Congressional Gold Medals include the Tuskegee Airmen, Women Airforce Service Pilots, Navajo Code Talkers, "Nisei" Japanese-American soldiers, Montford Point Marines, and a handful of U.S. generals.Established on Dec 1, 1941, CAP’s wartime membership grew to an estimated 120.000 senior members and cadets. Postwar, Congress chartered CAP as the official U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. CAP today performs three primary missions: comprehensive Emergency Services, Aerospace Education and Cadet Programs.The Congressional Gold Medal legislation next goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. |