What represents our history?

[James Shaw]

I would like the opinion of my fellow CAP members about how our history is represented. I have alot of respect for the earlier days of our histrory but cannot rely on that to show the full picture almost 70 years later. So my question is this: What uniform or historically significant item would best represent CAP for our different years of service. Please list what you would consider the top five for the time periods. I am listing my top five for the 40's to 49 time frame as a guide. You do not have to agree or disagree with anyone else I would just like an opinion of how you feel.

My top five: 1940 to 49
1. Sub Chasing Sleeve Device
2. Eagle Shaped Pilot Wings
3. Half Wing Observer
4. Red Epaulets
5. Admin Order establishing CAP

Here is the layout:

Your top five 1941 to 1949
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Your top five 1950 to 1959
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Your top five 1960 to 1969
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Your top five 1970 to 1979
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Your top five 1980 to 1989
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Your top five 1990 to 1999
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Your top five 2000 to current
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

[mikeylikey]

^ You ask for five uniforms for each timeframe, but your # 5 is not a uniform Sir??

[James Shaw]

^ You ask for five uniforms for each timeframe, but your # 5 is not a uniform Sir??

The second part of that was historically significant item.

[Smithsonia]

Maj. Shaw;
Might I offer, that not since the harassment of Nazi Subs in WW2 have we done anything near so significant as the following:

From the 1950s into the early 80's private and corporate general aviation flourished
in America BUT so did GA accidents.While filing flight plans helped... most down aircraft, due to a lack of radar coverage, no ELT (not required equipment until the 80s) and widely varying routes using only basic pilotage... started out with a search areas in the 10s of thousands of square miles, often covering multiple states. The air resources of the Civil Air Patrol, particularly in the Western one-third of the country did more life saving, rescues, searches, and training than will likely ever again be needed.

Remember that in these days most counties had no or very little rescue experience and
no local resources... SO, also lost is the fact that numerous local rescue units got their first SARs as detached members of a CAP Wings or Commands. In the west, Rocky Mountain Rescue and various county and state agencies who now do SAR... were first taught, assigned, broke off from, and still work today with the CAP. We didn't just do missions... we often taught the missions to everybody else. Less known or detailed today... the Civil Air Patrol of the 50s-80s performed brilliantly in the roughest terrain and the worst conditions. Let's hear it for Ground Teams in Pickle Suits, driving snow mobiles, and in Dodge Power Wagons, with Cessna 180s and SuperCubs overhead. God Bless'em for their both amazing and fine service. The other thing that seperates thes people from us today... is they got very little press at the time. Often, they'd done the "search", "find" and the rescue and departed the scene before the reporters arrived. Like the Lone Ranger... these people deserve more "thank-yous" --now than they asked for then.
With regards;
1Lt. Ed O'Brien
Black Sheep Squadron Historian
CO/WG - Heritage Project Officer

[fireplug]

50-60's
"Pepsi" patch
Long sleeve blue winter shirt. (Cold weather wings)
Availability of L-4/5/16/20 USAF aircraft
Cadet sleeve chevrons pointed up

70-80's
Comm - swithced to SSB and FM
SAR - development of radar tracking and weather information between terminals to increase search efficiency.

[RickFranz]

1960 to 1969

1.  1505's
2.  Sew on hat device
3.  "cartoon ribbons"  (at least you could tell what they were)
4.  Plastic covered ribbons
5.  fatigues