Longest Serving CAP Member 65 Years - A true CAP Hero

Started by James Shaw, September 18, 2007, 02:03:18 PM

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James Shaw

Col. Ben Stone Joined CAP December 1, 1942
Alan Shepard's first ground school instructor.
Aeronautical Engineer
Member of the Civilian Pilot Training Program selection Board during WWII
Accepted to Naval Academy (medically disqualified)
Accepted to West Point (medically disqualified)
During WWII he had 13 Cousins with the Rank of Admiral in the US Navy
Grandfather hated planes and called them the Devils Machine
Attended one of the first launches by Dr. R. H. Goddard
Nominated for the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame
Grandfather served aboard the USS Juniata and commissioned by President Abraham Lincoln
Worked as Instructor Pilot for US Navy during WWII. Trained fighter pilots.
Him and his wife sponsor the Benjamin H. Stone Cadet Scholarship for Georgia Wing

Is a very good friend and tells others I am his grandson.
Jim Shaw
USN: 1987-1992
GANG: 1996-1998
CAP:2000 - Current
USCGA:2018 - Current
SGAUS: 2017 - Current

SDF_Specialist

God bless him for everything he has done. A true dedicated member if CAP.
SDF_Specialist

jimmydeanno

That's awesome!  I really like that the NB voted to recognize these members.  We just had our conference a few weeks ago and recognized two for their efforts and dedication to the program.

One of them was a member but had retired a long time ago, the other only recently retired and was serving on Region Staff, she said she misses being active in CAP.
If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law. - Winston Churchill

dougsnow

Talk about BTDT, I bet he has stories to tell... :)

When I worked for United Airlines back in 1999 as a pilot crew controller, when the Ropestart B747s were still around (ones with an Engineer), we had several ROPEs - Real Old Pilot Engineer - a former pilot who, after reaching 60, slid back and flew as an engineer until the 747 was retired post-9/11.

One had a pilot seniority date (date he was first designated as a UAL Pilot) during the Battle of Midway in 1942. He held a type rating on every jet up to the 747 ropestart that UAL had ever flown; Caravelles, DC-8s, you name it. When he reached his 60th birthday, he retired as a captain, and slid back and flew as an engineer for over 25 years, until 9/11, when afterwards all of the 747-classics and 727s were retired.  He was one of the first UAL B747 captains, and knew more about that airplane then anyone else at UAL. From what I was told from some of the other pilots at the SFO domicile, this ROPE was very short, hadnt changed his crewcut in about 50 years, his flight bag was as big as him - and always flew the 3-day SFO-HNL-SFO trip with the redeye return flight back to SFO - and never called in sick.

Oh the stories... :)


James Shaw

I am attaching a few more photos. Just a note that he has his original records all of them back to 1942 when he first joined.

Layout of base he designed and helped build from the ground up.
Him and a guy from Florida. that is featured in the book From Maine to Mexico, and him with his parents.
October 1932, getting ready to work on stalls...notice the parachute.

He is by far one of the greatest people I have been given the pleasure to meet.

He lives in Atlanta GA.
Jim Shaw
USN: 1987-1992
GANG: 1996-1998
CAP:2000 - Current
USCGA:2018 - Current
SGAUS: 2017 - Current

JAFO78

This gentleman is living CAP History.

When I was in Navy JROTC in Ca. 1976-78, My Senior Instructor was at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7th 1941, aboard the USS Nevada. LTCDR Johnson spent his whole career in the Pacific. He was the biggest influence to many of his students to join the military.
JAFO

Skyray

With that join date I don't think you are going to find anyone senior to him, no matter how hard you look.
Doug Johnson - Miami

Always Active-Sometimes a Member

Major Carrales

Quote from: caphistorian on September 18, 2007, 02:03:18 PM
Col. Ben Stone Joined CAP December 1, 1942
Alan Shepard's first ground school instructor.
Aeronautical Engineer
Member of the Civilian Pilot Training Program selection Board during WWII
Accepted to Naval Academy (medically disqualified)
Accepted to West Point (medically disqualified)
During WWII he had 13 Cousins with the Rank of Admiral in the US Navy
Grandfather hated planes and called them the Devils Machine
Attended one of the first launches by Dr. R. H. Goddard
Nominated for the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame
Grandfather served aboard the USS Juniata and commissioned by President Abraham Lincoln
Worked as Instructor Pilot for US Navy during WWII. Trained fighter pilots.
Him and his wife sponsor the Benjamin H. Stone Cadet Scholarship for Georgia Wing

Is a very good friend and tells others I am his grandson.

Hey, that photo was from the National Board in Atlanta, I'm sorry I had to leave after the PAO academy.  I would have liked to have met you.
"We have been given the power to change CAP, let's keep the momentum going!"

Major Joe Ely "Sparky" Carrales, CAP
Commander
Coastal Bend Cadet Squadron
SWR-TX-454

SDF_Specialist

Quote from: Skyray on September 19, 2007, 10:13:39 PM
With that join date I don't think you are going to find anyone senior to him, no matter how hard you look.

Not unless they joined 30 November 1941
SDF_Specialist

BillB

Or anytime between Dec 1 1941 and Dec 1 1942.  This is part of the Coastal Patrol period which was before Dec 1 1942 (or did Jim make a typo)
Gil Robb Wilson # 19
Gil Robb Wilson # 104

Dragoon


Larry Mangum

We have a member who is still active and flies his own plane who joined in Feburary of 1942, Col Gordon Ebbert. 
Larry Mangum, Lt Col CAP
DCS, Operations
SWR-SWR-001