CAP NHQ Ellington AFB photo

Started by James Shaw, November 05, 2008, 04:24:10 PM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

James Shaw

Had a great time at NSC this past week. Had a chance to meet fellow historian Charles Wiest during this time. Charles beat me to the Air Force research center during this time and located some pictures of the CAP NHQ building when it was at Ellington AFB. As luck would have it we did not have much time to go through this stuff at the time, and Charles did take a picture of the picture of the building. Great discovery on his part. I went back the next day with laptop and my scanner to finish the job. A total of 17 pictures all together. This attached picture is the only one of the actual NHQ building after renovations. There are a few pics of the building before I scanned as well. I hope you enjoy the picture.
Jim Shaw
USN: 1987-1992
GANG: 1996-1998
CAP:2000 - Current
USCGA:2018 - Current
SGAUS: 2017 - Current

jimmydeanno

Is it the CAPNHQ building or the CAP-USAF HQ Building, or both?  The sign is a little misleading...

Great picture though, thank you for sharing!
If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law. - Winston Churchill

Smithsonia

I've been looking for the following information. I've sent emails to Maxwell a couple of times without luck. So let me add to this thread. Maj. Gen. John F. Curry was Maxwell's Commander from 1932-1935. While there he undertook an ambitious building program and brought Fighter Training Command from Langley, where it was split from the R and D and flight test groups. This building program proceeded right up to WW2 when it was expanded yet again.

During this period, ('32-'35)I believe that the old infirmary was built and this building later became the Hospital which is now CAP-HQ. My question is does anyone have a pre-1933 picture of the area at Maxwell in question? Does anyone know if the infirmary was built on to as an expansion or just bull-dozed for the new hospital? We know the hospital is now CAP-NHQ... but was it built by Curry? Or, did it come from another building program in the 40s? Which would make it newer than '32-'35

Any help would be appreciated. I think the coincidence of Curry and CAP-NHQ is important history but I am at a loss to fully confirm it at the moment.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

JAFO78

Excuse me sir are you sure you are talking about Ellington AFB TX?

When was CAP National HQ located there? Maybe I missed something somewhere.
JAFO

Smithsonia

Rob G; FROM WIKIPEDIA
In 1959, Ellington was downgraded to a reserve Air Force base, and has served the military in that capacity since; the Civil Air Patrol moved its headquarters from Bolling Air Force Base to Houston the same year. In addition, Ellington also hosted several college level Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps summer courses/Field Training encampments, hosting officer candidates from 22 states. The Civil Air Patrol has since relocated their national headquarters to Maxwell AFB, Alabama, but a local CAP unit still remains at Ellington.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

JAFO78

^^^ Thank you for this information. I have learned new things this week, from you not only this topic, but your information about Major Gen. Curry.
JAFO

Smithsonia

Rob G;
You are welcome. Being an Historian... they don't let us out of the library basement. SO, it's good that our little expeditions into the past make it to the world. Thanks for reading.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

DNall

i can go take a picture of the empty field where that used to be if you want. I'm drilling there all weekend.

SarDragon

NHQ was at Ellington when I joined in '64. ISTR that it moved to Maxwell sometime in the '70s, but I don't have my reference handy.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

Ohioguard

I joined in Oct 68 and NHQ was at Maxwell AFB.


Jeffrey C Wandell, Lt Col, CAP

SarDragon

Quote from: Ohioguard on November 06, 2008, 06:08:32 PM
I joined in Oct 68 and NHQ was at Maxwell AFB.


Jeffrey C Wandell, Lt Col, CAP

OK, found some olde stuff, and my 1967 CAPM 50-3 has NHQ at Maxwell.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

AlphaSigOU

The CAP HQ building at EFD was of wood construction, and was nicknamed 'The Ponderosa' after the Bonanza TV series. When CAP moved to Max-hell - oops, Maxwell  ;D - the building was demolished as changes to fire safety and occupancy codes made it very expensive to bring up to standard.
Lt Col Charles E. (Chuck) Corway, CAP
Gill Robb Wilson Award (#2901 - 2011)
Amelia Earhart Award (#1257 - 1982) - C/Major (retired)
Billy Mitchell Award (#2375 - 1981)
Administrative/Personnel/Professional Development Officer
Nellis Composite Squadron (PCR-NV-069)
KJ6GHO - NAR 45040

BuckeyeDEJ

Quote from: jimmydeanno on November 05, 2008, 04:39:56 PM
Is it the CAPNHQ building or the CAP-USAF HQ Building, or both?  The sign is a little misleading...

Great picture though, thank you for sharing!
Probably both, since until recent years, NHQ was run by the Air Force. (The executive director was dual-hatted as the CC of CAP-USAF.)


CAP since 1984: Lt Col; former C/Lt Col; MO, MRO, MS, IO; former sq CC/CD/PA; group, wing, region PA, natl cmte mbr, nat'l staff member.
REAL LIFE: Working journalist in SPG, DTW (News), SRQ, PIT (Trib), 2D1, WVI, W22; editor, desk chief, designer, photog, columnist, reporter, graphics guy, visual editor, but not all at once. Now a communications manager for an international multisport venue.

drcomm

#13
I was a cadet (former cadet commander) at the Ellington Composite Squadron from 1978-1985.  At that time CAP used Building 1056.  I am not sure where they are now.  I do remember seeing what I was told was the old HQ before it was torn down.  Even building 1056 was a fire hazard.  From a Google Earth image it appears 1056 is still there. 

Edit:  Forgot to mention, I have a Leadership Laboratory Manual listing National HQ as Ellington AFB.

Edit added and post removed - MIKE
David Romere, Maj, CAP
Starbase Composite Squadron, SWR-OK-151
Oil Well 767
Mitchell Award #2536 (May 1981)
Amateur Radio Call Sign: KA5OWI

DNall

It's not. They were there when I came into CAP in the mid-90s. Lot of history there & some good missions run out of that place. That's all torn down now.

There's a lot of space now, and they're building in new stuff. The very large joint reserve center at OST just got moved to a brand new facility right next to our north gate. If you can find that north gate on a map, take a left thru there, CAP is the first bldg on the left. There's a radar tower nearby & a large ordnance related berm behind it.

rebowman

I was a cadet in the Ellington Composite Squadron from 1995 until I graduated high school in 1998.  I then moved away to go to college.  I believe I heard they moved to the new location shortly after I left.

rebowman

Quote from: Rob Goodman on November 05, 2008, 07:12:53 PM
Excuse me sir are you sure you are talking about Ellington AFB TX?

When was CAP National HQ located there? Maybe I missed something somewhere.

See CAP Pamphlet 50-5 (Introduction to Civil Air Patrol), page 17:

"Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters moved to Maxwell AFB, Alabama from Ellington AFB, Texas in 1967."

CAP history should be required knowledge for all members.

SarDragon

Quote from: rebowman on November 12, 2008, 07:16:42 PM
Quote from: Rob Goodman on November 05, 2008, 07:12:53 PM
Excuse me sir are you sure you are talking about Ellington AFB TX?

When was CAP National HQ located there? Maybe I missed something somewhere.

See CAP Pamphlet 50-5 (Introduction to Civil Air Patrol), page 17:

"Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters moved to Maxwell AFB, Alabama from Ellington AFB, Texas in 1967."

CAP history should be required knowledge for all members.

CAP history is required. It's a part of Level I. As someone who was a member when NHQ was at Ellington, it's a nice tidbit of info knowing when the move to Maxwell, was made, but not something important enough to make testable material, as you seem to imply.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret