Interviews: before it's too late

[BillB]

You read where evry day and average of 1000 World War II veterabs die. During the same day, how many World War II CAP veterans or cadets that were trained for the Army Air Corp die?
A Squadron should look into starting an Oral History Project to save the history of CAP, Locate and interview on audio tape, or better yeat video tape, CAP members of the 1940's,
Detective work through filoes and talks to former members, will help locate the early CAP members. This might even make a good activity for cadets working with the Unit Historian. While University level Oral History Projects get the audio or video tapes transcribed, I think this is beyond the capability of most CAP Squadrons. Possibly a Speech Recognation Program would work in that case. But still any record of past Commanders, activities or stories about the early days of CAP is of hitorical value and must be saved.
An Oral History Project should be a priority for the National Commander to consider at the Ntional level. It is a program that needs to be started before the former members pass away and the history is lodt forever.

[Smithsonia]

Amen Bill;
Don't forget that while the WW2 vets are hovering around their 90s - Korean War Vets are in their 80s and Vietnam Era members are in their 60s and 70s.

Find history where it lays and make sure you get it on paper, tape, and preserved. My squadron lost 2 Korean War era members in the last 18 months. I got most of their story but wish I had more. AND, of course I wish they were still among us. Great men, good friends, fantastic members.

[BillB]

Not only are there blanks in CAP history from World War II, but much of any squadrons early history is missing. Thus the need to try to fill in the blanks by an Oral History Project. The old CAP members from the beginning of CAP or any Squadron need to be found and their rememberences of the "old days" collected. I've taken poart in the University of Floridas Oral History Project, one of the largest Oral History attempts to retain historical information in the country. In the interviews I did for that, I learned alot about local political history and state education.
An Oral History can be researched by cadets and the interviews done by senior members of the early members of a squadron or activity such as tow target crews. And CAP is running out of time.

[BillB]

I note that only one Historian has responded to this idea. Where are the rest of the Historians? Where is the CAP leadership in responding?  Is it that Squadron Historians don't want to assume the work of obtaining interviews or just not interested in the Squadrons history? Seems like the history of CAP is vanishing with the deaths of the early members of CAP at all levels.
CAP history starts prior to 1 December 1941. Of the several hundred thousand members and former members, how much of their rememberences of the early days of CAP are recorded? How many CAP Cadets trained in World War II went on to military careers? Or what did early Squadrons accomplish for the war effort? One thread on CAPTalk is about Squadroins tracing roots to Coastal Patrol Bases. But what other activities did early Squadrons that still may be in existance do?
Many Squadrons can trace roots back to the Korean War perior or earlier, what do members know of their Squadrons history? Isn't it time an effort was made to answer these questions?

[Smithsonia]

I have started a series for our Wing Magazine "Peaks and Planes" titled "Mission of a Lifetime." Designed to cover Wing Members who were in significant missions in the military and CAP. I've written 3 stories so far: about a member who guarded the crash site of the first Bombing on and American Airliner, the largest single mission save in CAP history, and the First official CAP SAR mission.

In your Wing, Squadron, or Region - there are similar stories waiting for you to write. So DO!

Put the word out that you are looking for these kinds of stories. Fifty year members, old Wing DOs, Emergency Service Officers, Commanders, etc. are just waiting to amaze you.

"Historian" it is not just a staff position - It's a verb. "Do" some history.

[tmoe]

Our squadron (MD-140 Ft McHenry) has been involved with the Honor Flight Network, which brings WWII vets to D.C. to visit their WWII memorial. Along with active duty service men and women, we greet them as they arrive at the BWI airport. It is an amazing experience and opportunity to hear the stories of these great American heroes. I wish we had more time to spend with them.
I had one veteran notice my CAP uniform and say that he was in Civil Air Patrol in high school in 1941 before be went into the Navy. I got his contact info, and could hardly sleep waiting for him to return home so we could talk more. When we finally spoke, he told me that after thinking about it more, he was never actually a member, but remembers the CAP unit at his school.
Didn't count as a "find" this time, but it goes to show that we need to be vigilant!