Carl Spaatz - The only CAP General?

Started by Orville_third, February 17, 2010, 02:56:58 AM

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Orville_third

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...)
Captain Orville Eastland, CAP
Squadron Historian
Public Affairs Officer
Greenville Composite Squadron
SC Wing

RiverAux


Spike

The best a General in the Military Services would get would be Lt Col when they entered CAP.

Cecil DP

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.
Michael P. McEleney
LtCol CAP
MSG  USA Retired
GRW#436 Feb 85

flyboy53

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.

Smithsonia

#5
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                       

With regards;
ED OBRIEN