OK. As we all know, the highest rank currently given in CAP is Major General. However, CAP counts General Carl Spaatz as Chairman of the CAP National Board from 1948-1959, and held the position that would become the National Commander.
My questions are:
-Was General Spaatz considered a CAP General as opposed to a lower rank (such as Major General or Brigadier General) that other commanders have had?
-Could this rank be revived if a USAF General sought to enter the CAP? (Or if CAP sought them...)
That was Air Force, not CAP rank...
The best a General in the Military Services would get would be Lt Col when they entered CAP.
Actually Barry Goldwater was carried on CAP's rolls as a Lt Gen and Jeremiah Denton as a MajGen. Saw this on a National Roster while at a National Board meeting.
Yes, and they were all CAP lieutenant colonels unless otherwise promoted. At NSC this year there were two retired AF major generals who were both CAP lieutenant colonels, as well. There is a squadron in Western New York which has as a member the retired Vice Commander of the 3rd Air Force. He's only a CAP lieutenant colonel, too.
I thought, however, that I saw somewhere that Gen. Spaatz actually carried the rank of Brig. Gen. in CAP, but I don't remember where I saw that. That's a question for our national historian.
Another question and not meant to drift this string: what rank did Gill Robb Wilson carry as the first national executive officer? His World War I rank was lieutenant.
1. Gill Robb Wilson started his CAP career as a Captain.
2. Maj. Gen. John F. Curry was a Major General in the Army and never took (or received - I don't know which) a CAP rank.
3. I thought the same was true for Gen. Spaatz, he just kept his Army/Air Force Rank, but I could be wrong.
Interestingly enough one of the highest orginal ranks was Lt. Col. Jackie Cochran who was public affairs under Curry and Earle Johnson too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Cochran
Mostly everybody else including any number of our founders were Lts, Capt's and Majors.
Here's the orginal CAP National Staff courtesy of Lt. Col. Mark Hess GA/WG
NATIONAL COMMAND / STAFF:
MEMBER NAME: UNIT: LOCATION: POSITION: DATE: RANK: MEETING PLACE
Blee, Harry H. NHQ N/A Training & Ops Officer April 1942 Colonel
Broom, James F. NHQ N/A Ops Director May 1942 1Lt
Cochran, Jacqueline NHQ Washington, DC Pilot, PR Jan 1942 Lt Col
Hawgood, Henry NHQ N/A Fiscal Officer May 1942 1Lt
Hoyt, Kendall K. NHQ Washington, DC PR Officer Oct 1942 Captain Bolling Field
Johnson, Earle NHQ New Jersey NC April 1942 Major
NHQ Washington, DC NC April 1946 Colonel Bolling Field
Leigh, Gilbert NHQ Arkansas Supply Officer May 1942 1Lt
Smith, Oscar C. NHQ N/A Finance Officer May 1942 1Lt
Vilas, Jack NHQ Illinois Executive Officer May 1942 1Lt
Wilson, Gill Robb NHQ New Jersey Chief Consultant May 1942 Captain
NHQ New Jersey Executive Officer Dec 1941-Apr 1942 Captain