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CivilAir Patrol HistorySeward Squadron History
Seward Squadron, Civil Air Patrol: The Seward Composite Squadron ofthe Alaska Wing, Civil Air Patrol evolved from the Seward Rescue Squadronin the 1960’s, shortly after the earthquake. Since that time, theSeward Squadron has been continuously providing Emergency Services on astrictly volunteer basis. Providing emergency services is the primaryfocus of the Seward Squadron, currently comprised of twenty-nine seniormembers and five cadets, including nine active pilots and seven observers. The squadron has one CAP Corporate aircraft and seven member-owned aircraftmade available to complete the squadron’s missions. The squadronoperates out of a small trailer on the airport grounds having no wateror sewer facilities that serves as a meeting place as well as an operations,maintenance and training facility.
In the past year, the squadron has flown over eighty mission hours,and received two lifesaving awards, two "saves" and eight "Find" ribbons. Due to the vagaries of the local weather, the Seward Squadron is oftenthe first responder for an area from Yakutat to Cape Suckling south ofHomer, and from Resurrection Bay to Girdwood with a normal response timeof under one hour from notification to takeoff. Without hangar facilitieslaunch times can be significantly delayed due to the requirement for nowand ice removal. This usually occurs at the worst of times. The Squadron has provided SAR services as far away as Tok and Lake Illiamna,and is available for service anywhere in the state of Alaska. Two of the more significant events for the Seward Squadron were the crashof a Harbor Air flight seeing aircraft that was full of cruise ship passengersand two Northern Edge military winter exercises, which were based in Seward. In the most recent Northern Edge exercise, Seward Squadron flew over 24hours of reconnaissance flights in support of the "blue forces."
General History
The Civil Air Patrol was formed on December 1, 1941, on the eve of theSecond World War. It served in support of the United States armedforces throughout the war, providing logistical transport, search and rescue,and even armed anti-submarine patrols. The Civil Air Patrol is creditedwith having sunk two enemy submarines and several "probables." TheCAP during this time was also credited with aiding 91 ships in distressand rescuing 363 survivors of torpedo attacks.
So successful was the Civil Air Patrol during the Second World War thatthe chief of the Army Air Corps called a special conference for the continuationof the CAP and it’s mission after the war.
Missions: The Civil Air Patrol has three primary missions: EmergencyServices, Aerospace Education and Cadet Programs. The Cadet Programsare organized to give young men and women an opportunity to develop intoresponsible citizens of the United States.
The CAP cadet program is divided into five phases. The firstis an Introductory, or Motivation, phase during which the prospective cadetbecomes acquainted with the procedures, requirements and goals of CAP. Beyond the Introductory or Motivation Phase, there are four numbered phasesin the CAP cadet program. The entire cadet program is oriented towardan activities program held within the individual squadron setting. Activities selected by a squadron for its program are designed to meetthe individual member’s need. Squadron activities such as drill teams,model rocketry, and model airplane building have been adopted by many unitswho have enthusiasts in these areas.
The CAP Aerospace Education program has two distinct programs. One is for Civil Air Patrol members, for whom aerospace education followsa definite plan of participation and progression. The second programis for nonmembers of CAP ? for teachers, school administrators, and otherinterested individuals.
The CAP Emergency Services include Search and Rescue (SAR), DisasterRelief Operations, non-combatant support of U.S. Armed Forces, and otherflights of an emergency nature such as blood and tissue transport flights.
On call 24 hours a day, Civil Air Patrol air and ground crewsperform 85 percent of all inland search and rescues as tasked by the AirForce Rescue Coordination Center at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. In performing search and rescue missions during fiscal year 1998, CAP volunteersflew 4,426 sorties in 3,153 missions logging 9,479 flight hours. This effort resulted in Civil Air Patrol being credited with 116 livessaved. The Alaska Wing alone was credited with 53 lives savedin fiscal year 1998.
For Disaster Relief Operations, the CAP is tasked by FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA) in support of disaster relief for operationsalong with other organizations such as the American Red Cross and localdisaster preparedness agencies such as the Kenai Peninsula Borough andthe City of Seward. Other missions under our Disaster Relief Operationsmay include damage assessment survey flights, courier and light cargo transport,mercy missions including blood and organ transport and patient transportfor life-saving medical evacuations, manual labor for debris removal andair and ground transport of cargo and non-CAP key personnel. As anAir Force resource, CAP may be tasked with various Department of Defensenon-combat roles and missions including Airborne control of surface vehiculartraffic, communications relay, airborne and photographic damage assessment,military low-level training route safety surveys and radar installationflight tests and controller training.
The Civil Air Patrol also maintains a national communicationsnetwork which coordinates with governmental agencies for planning and establishingprocedures to meet local and national emergencies.
A relatively new role for the Civil Air Patrol is in CounterdrugOperations. During 1998, CAP assisted in the confiscation or eradicationof more than $2.8 billion in illegal drugs. In one instance, theU.S. Drug Enforcement Agency credited Civil Air Patrol with an assistingrole in the seizure of 1,023 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $10million. More than 6,600 counterdrug missions were flown by CAP in1998 providing a valuable service to local, state and federal agenciesbattling the war on drugs. Federal Agencies such as the Departmentof Defense, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs, U.S. ForestService and numerous state and local Law enforcement agencies routinelycall on CAP to provide reconnaissance support.