Oddball squadron names

[RiverAux]

ATC?

[MIKE]

Air Training Corps

I'm thinking of defecting and getting citizenship so I can become an RAFVR(T) Pilot Officer. 

[JaL5597]

Some more oddballs that I missed the first time:

111TH SEARCH & RESCUE CADET SQDN (NC)
131ST SAR FLIGHT (TX)
141ST SAR COMPOSITE SQDN (NC)
99TH PURSUIT COMPOSITE SQDN (NE)
CONNECTICUT MINUTEMAN COMPOSITE SQDN (CT)

The only wing I see that has gone all numeric is Arkansas but they do have the location in parentheses -- for example:   102ND COMPOSITE SQUADRON (LAKE DARDANELLE).  CT has a few squadrons with just numerics. 

Sgt. Savage, as of 4-30-07 the Cumberland County Composite Squadron (ME-058) is still called that in the CAPWATCH database so it appears that no one has actually officially changed the name of your squadron yet. 

Most wins have what might be considered "odd" names.  It happens to be that Connecticut Minutemen is one of the older squadrons in Connecticut Wing.

Being here in Connecticut I can shed some light on the numbered squadrons.

103rd Composite (Formerly Hartford Composite) is named for the 103rd TFW of the Connecticut Air Guard
143rd Composite is named for the 143rd Area Support Group of the Connecticut Army National Guard
169th Composite (Formerly Manchester Composite) is named for the 169th Infantry of the Ct Army Guard
399th Composite (Formerly Danbury Composite) is named for the 399th Civil Affairs Group of the Army Reserve

And if you look around the NER there is the 102nd Composite in Rhode Island and the 104th Composite in Massachusetts.  Both are named for the respective Air National Guard Wings.

[flyguy06]

Why would you name a squadron after a Army Civil Affairs Group?

[JaL5597]

Why would you name a squadron after a Army Civil Affairs Group?

The CAP squadron met in the Army Reserve Center and the 399th CAG was the Army unit there at the time.

[flyguy06]

oh,ok.I like the 99th Pursuit Composite Squadron eventhough we dont pursuit anything in CAP

[PHall]

oh,ok.I like the 99th Pursuit Composite Squadron eventhough we dont pursuit anything in CAP

It's named after the 99th Persuit Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces of Tuskegee Airman fame.

[flyguy06]

oh,ok.I like the 99th Pursuit Composite Squadron eventhough we dont pursuit anything in CAP

It's named after the 99th Persuit Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces of Tuskegee Airman fame.

I knew that. Why do you think I said Iliked it?

[flyguy06]

sorry I shouldnt have been a wiseenhiemer. Some poeple probably didnt know that. My apoligies

[Major Carrales]

Well, if National wants to have the units renamed to reflect Charter Numbers they could codify it.

When the Brahma Cadet Flight of Kinsgville, Texas reaches the point where it is ready for a charter number of its own.  I will likely name it the Kingsville Cadet Flight...although Brahma Cadet flight would say more to the folks of the immediate area since The Brahma is the School Mascot and the raising of Cattle is pretty much one in the same with Kingsville and the King Ranch.

[Psicorp]

The squadron where I spent most of my Cadethood was charter # 08435  (FLWG)
Officially called Tyndall Cadet Squadron.  We thought that was a bit dull, so we started calling ourselves the "435th Tyndall Cadet Training Squadron".      We never had the money to get patches made.

[ZigZag911]

From CAPR 20-3, 5 c (1):

"A proposed name for the unit. Unit names must include the following elements:
1) Identifying prefix -- a short identifier, preferably associated with location (example: Shamrock, Dayton, Hot Springs, Midville, etc.). DO NOT use names such as 'Black Sheep', 'Flying Tigers', etc., or terms descriptive of major functions such as 'Communications', 'Jeep', or 'Rescue', etc."

The emphasis ("DO NOT") is contained in the regulation itself.

This is not something new, it has been the rule as long as I can recall (back to the early 70s!).....so the question then is why neither the wings nor National seem to enforce it?

[mikeylikey]

Well, if National wants to have the units renamed to reflect Charter Numbers they could codify it.

When the Brahma Cadet Flight of Kinsgville, Texas reaches the point where it is ready for a charter number of its own.  I will likely name it the Kingsville Cadet Flight...although Brahma Cadet flight would say more to the folks of the immediate area since The Brahma is the School Mascot and the raising of Cattle is pretty much one in the same with Kingsville and the King Ranch.

How about the Whataburger (R) Cadet Flight.  I love those delicious hamburgers.

[JC004]

Well, if National wants to have the units renamed to reflect Charter Numbers they could codify it.

When the Brahma Cadet Flight of Kinsgville, Texas reaches the point where it is ready for a charter number of its own.  I will likely name it the Kingsville Cadet Flight...although Brahma Cadet flight would say more to the folks of the immediate area since The Brahma is the School Mascot and the raising of Cattle is pretty much one in the same with Kingsville and the King Ranch.

How about the Whataburger (R) Cadet Flight.  I love those delicious hamburgers.

Well...if the unit does me at/is sponsored by Whataburger(R)...   

[RiverAux]

I suspect that the restrictions in the regulations are directly related to some of the squadron names I noted and that put those restrictions in place to prevent more of them from happening, but decided to allow those already so named. 

[NEBoom]

oh,ok.I like the 99th Pursuit Composite Squadron eventhough we dont pursuit anything in CAP

It's named after the 99th Persuit Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces of Tuskegee Airman fame.

I knew that. Why do you think I said Iliked it?

The founder (and still commander) of this unit is Charles Lane, who is himself an actual Tuskegee Airman.  One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, and one of those rare WWII veterans that you can listen to his war stories all day because they're all so good.

We've got an active chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen in Omaha, they're a great group.  Some of the stuff they had to deal with back in those days just makes you shake your head...

Anyway, back on topic, the 99th is one of our most active squadrons, and (without looking it up) among the largest cadet membership-wise.  They've brought the opportunity CAP offers young people to a community we hadn't reached before, plus they're keeping the legacy of the Airmen alive.  All in all, pretty cool.

[AlphaSigOU]

How about the Whataburger (R) Cadet Flight.  I love those delicious hamburgers.

Don't forget their breakfast... 

[DrDave]

Spirit of St. Louis Composite Squadron is my original squadron when I joined CAP.

Being a St. Louis squadron it honors two things:

1) Lindbergh's plane (of course), remember he was from St. Louis, and

2) Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield, Missouri, where the squadron used to meet.

Dr. Dave

[DrDave]

One I find interesting in the Missouri Wing is "St. Louis Composite Squadron One".  No, I didn't get their numbering wrong, the "one" comes after "squadron".

They're one of the oldest squadrons in the Missouri Wing, if not the oldest continuously serving squadron, formed during WWII (1943, I think).

At that time, they simply numbered each squadron as they were formed.  I.e. there was a "St. Louis Composite Squadron Two" and a "St. Louis Composite Squadron Three", etc.  St. Louis Composite Squadron One still remains.

Would be curious to know how many of our current squadrons can trace their heritage back to their formation during WWII.

Dr. Dave

[RiverAux]

I suspect that a lot more squadrons than you think are directly linked to WWII-era squadrons.  Two of three squadrons I've been associated with are.  The problem is that not many have the documentation to back it up.