Facts, Myths and Legends

[almostspaatz]

I am working on a presentation discussing common myths that float around the CAP community and already have a good list.

Does anyone have any good little known facts or myths usually believed? Please cite sources...

[DakRadz]

Uniforms are NEVER a point of contention.

[LSThiker]

I am working on a presentation discussing common myths that float around the CAP community and already have a good list.

Does anyone have any good little known facts or myths usually believed? Please cite sources...

What is already on your list?

[Eclipse]

You might include which members are actually considered "Total Force", however the reality
will make people sad, since the real number is a small percentage of total membership.

[JeffDG]

You might include which members are actually considered "Total Force", however the reality
will make people sad, since the real number is a small percentage of total membership.

And changes depending on what the member is doing.

[Майор Хаткевич]

CAP sunk submarines in WW2

[RogueLeader]

CAP sunk submarines in WW2

Prove we didn't.  There's speculation that we didn't.

[Alaric]

CAP sunk submarines in WW2

Prove we didn't.  There's speculation that we didn't.

You can't prove a negative.

[Spam]

You might include which members are actually considered "Total Force", however the reality
will make people sad, since the real number is a small percentage of total membership.

Absolutely, do this one. Not all of us are TF, all the time. Great suggestion.

V/R
Spam

[winterg]

You might include which members are actually considered "Total Force", however the reality
will make people sad, since the real number is a small percentage of total membership.

Absolutely, do this one. Not all of us are TF, all the time. Great suggestion.

V/R
Spam

Maybe I should have held off on the tattoo. 

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.

[Майор Хаткевич]

CAP sunk submarines in WW2

Prove we didn't.  There's speculation that we didn't.

What Alaric said.


Why don't you provide records to the contrary?

[Spam]

CAP sunk submarines in WW2

Prove we didn't.  There's speculation that we didn't.

On the contrary, the speculation is that we DID have kills. The evidence is that we did not.

Self reporting two kills without evidence has led to what has amounted to the persistent organizational self-delusion that we "believe" we did have two kills, and several other probables, as noted in CAP wartime reports, which were quoted with little independent verification in Army historical documents, and formed the basis of NHQ/historian LTC Pogorzelskis monograph, at http://www.capmembers.com/media/cms/CAP_UBOATSDOWN_ECFBEC512D7DB.pdf


Subsequent to Navy analysis (remember, the Navy was the ASW lead service) and with extensive post war analytical support, the results have gradually appeared to completely discount the wishful CAP claims. The Navy did not confirm the claims, and the kills are not proven.


From 5MAR42 to AUG43 (CAP Coastal Patrol mission).
CAP planes were first armed after the MAY42 Rinker/Manning mission.
The first kill claimed was the 11JUL42 Haggins/Farr mission, based on "debris".
CAP internally accepted the claim, sent it up the chain, and the Army and Navy (at the time) recorded it.

Here's the later analysis of a preponderance of evidence showing that we didn't:
Check the data: http://uboat.net/fates/losses/1942.htm
Also see: http://uboat.net/forums/read.php?3,86029,86029#msg-86029
Dr. Axel Niestle's work and full reference data is available at: https://www.amazon.com/German-U-Boat-Losses-During-World/dp/1557506418?ie=UTF8&qid=1282695498&ref_=sr_1_2&s=books&sr=1-2


V/R
Spam

[JeffDG]

You might include which members are actually considered "Total Force", however the reality
will make people sad, since the real number is a small percentage of total membership.

Absolutely, do this one. Not all of us are TF, all the time. Great suggestion.

V/R
Spam

Nobody is Total Force all the time.  You attending your unit meeting is not Total Force.

Unless you're signed into an AFAM 24/7, you're not Total Force all the time.

[Spam]

New suggestion:

D&C myths and legends are always fun, and are useful to cover when coupled with the admonition to go back to the USAF Instruction for the real truth data on how to drill. Examples that keep popping up of myths and bad habits coming from sacred tradition but not any approved manual or reg:

- The fall out "twirl" on dismissal.
- The hallway passing brace to attention and "BY YOUR LEAVE SIR/MA'AM".
- The Third Person Form of Address "THISCADETDOESNOTKNOWBUTWILLFINDOUTSIR".
- The no hands in pockets in uniform sin.
and so forth.

V/R
Spam

[raivo]

- The Third Person Form of Address "THISCADETDOESNOTKNOWBUTWILLFINDOUTSIR".

Believed to have originated with the Faceless Cadet Squadron of Braavos.

[Ed DeSocio]

I like the Lee Harvey Oswald story. He was a cadet. It's unfortunate that we have anything in common with him, but the story is worth telling.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=16983.0

[MSG Mac]

I like the Lee Harvey Oswald story. He was a cadet. It's unfortunate that we have anything in common with him, but the story is worth telling.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=16983.0

Don't forget to add that former National Chairman of the Board BG Byrd was the owner of the Texas School Book Depository.

[RNOfficer]

A well-established fable is that CAP cadets were considered for the teenage resistance group in the original "Red Dawn".

[Майор Хаткевич]

A well-established fable is that CAP cadets were considered for the teenage resistance group in the original "Red Dawn".

Recruiting boom averted?

[Waterflame6]

Wait, that's a thing???

why did they not go through with it tho