Report to Congress - 1947 and later

[sardak]

The Reports to Congress, beginning with 1947 through the present, have been posted on the NHQ website at: http://www.capmembers.com/cap_national_hq/cap_reports/
While the collection is not complete, most of the reports are there. The early reports have very interesting information.

The 1947 "report" is an unsigned speech, presumably by the National Commander, delivered at the Congressional Dinner in Washington in May, 1948.  The speech contains many stats about CAP's beginning. Among interesting items in the document is that the speech is being broadcast to all CAP wings through CAP's own radio network, using the two radio frequencies the USAF allocated to CAP.

The early reports repeatedly make references to Gen Spaatz's goal to have 100,000 cadets in CAP. However, the 1951 report finally states that "actual attainment of the 100,000 cadet goal would be no mean accomplishment at any future date..."

Membership
                           31 Dec 1950           31 Dec 1951
Active seniors       42,314
Inactive seniors   118,900 The National Board made a decision to discontinue inactve and reserve memberships in 1951.
Total seniors       161,214                      34,467
Total cadets         28,310                      42,945
Total active          70,624                      77,412

Financials (FY= Jan-Dec)
                             FY48          FY50             FY51
Receipts              $11,680.00   $66,541.91   $139,591.50
Disbursements        $9,486.60   $45,165.72    $58,333.60
These are in dollars, not thousands of dollars as seen in today's financials. Yearly dues were $3.00 if paid before July1 and $1.50 if paid afterwards.

Each wing CAP-USAF LO was issued a 2 1/2 ton K-60 truck-van and a Twin Beech BE-18.

Some post-war ES items.
- Pennsylvania Wing worked out "a plan of assignments for pilots and observers whereby the entire state of Pennsylvania can be searched in one day."
- PAWG also had a field hospital which could "do any type surgery - in the field and with only CAP volunteers."
- Over 1,000 personnel in ground search teams, working in conjunction with 200 CAP aircraft, participated in a search for a lost hunter in Pike County, Pennsylvania.
- Wyoming Wing flew 1700 hours in a search for a downed aircraft, "one of the longest aerial searches in history."
- CAP flew "approximately 1000 aircraft" to saturate the airways of the northeast to test the Eastern Air Defense Force and the Ground Observer Corps.

All CAP Talk threads must mention uniforms, so, from 1949:
NHQ submitted to the Uniform and Insignia Committee a draft of CAP Reg 35-4 "Prescribed Uniform, Decorations, Badges and Service Ribbons for CAP Personnel."  The committee recommended three changes and the regulation was published two months after it was submitted for review. The committee chairman stated "I wish to compliment NHQ on this extremely well and clearly written regulation. This publication once and for all should establish the uniform pattern to be followed throughout Civil Air Patrol." The report then describes how three vendors were asked to bid on production of an initial supply of insignia.  The winner was Vang... Gemsco of NYC. The first orders of insignia would be shipped COD to all Wing HQs.

The reports contain all sorts of interesting history of the organization.

Mike

[James Shaw]

This is a great reference for any member. I dont have the email anymore but I did receive these on discs several months back and was told they were going to be posted on the website. If youhappen to have copies of the ones that are missing maybe you could list them in this thread and help complete the work.

I supplied some for the project and I am sure that other members could do the same.

[Smithsonia]

I've spent several days on this site. It is great. It is well worth the time.

[RiverAux]

Very good resource.  Can't wait to start diggin in. 

[DakRadz]

The CAP-USAF LOs got a truck/van AND a plane?

Not knocking the job, but how involved were they and what were the official responsibilities?

If there is a document detailing the LOs job back then, I would love to see it. That history interests me.

I only want it for interest purposes, not to go on another thread and bash modern LOs. Heck, I'd do the LO job! (well, the version of the time period in the OP)

[BillB]

The Wing LO's had basically the same job as the current Wing Directors. They were normally USAF field grade officers. They had a staff of an NCO and a civilian secretary. The difference between Wing Director and the USAF LO is the LO had more responsibility. He was the direct contact with the Air Force Bases in the state or other military activities. Most of the twin Beech aircraft were pulled from the LOs and they were given a smaller USAF aircraft or a budget for civilian aircraft rentals.
The Wing LOs operated directly under the Region LO. So there was a chain of command directly to HQ CAP-USAF. In most all cases there was coordination between the Air Force side and the Corporate side (Wing Commanders) But keep in mind, during the period the LO program existed, the Corporate side was not as strong. CAP-USAF ran the program overall as far as funding and most activities. CAP ran the training program for cadets and seniors. CAP also ran ES programs, but with closer coordination with The LO's.

[vmstan]

"I wish to compliment NHQ on this extremely well and clearly written regulation. This publication once and for all should establish the uniform pattern to be followed throughout Civil Air Patrol."

:clap: