Information on CAP Memorials

By Major Joe Ely Carrales, CAP
SOUTH TEXAS – The U.S. Civil Air Patrol is about to celebrate its 66th year of existence. In that time many CAP Officers and even some Cadets have made sacrifices conducting the Missions of the Civil Air Patrol, many of them making the Ultimate sacrifice. Currently, a Memorial to the Civil Air Patrol is being organized and created for display at U.S. CAP National Headquarters.

Assistant National Historian Major. Jim Shaw, CAP announced on line on 2 July 2007 that he has finished the first panel of the Civil Air Patrol Memorial. The memorial will initially be housed at the NHQ Building. Afterwards it is to be moved outside to an area on the premises of Maxwell A.F.B. in Alabama. I think they want to see what it looks like before they commit to putting it on the base for public display.

The Five panels will describe:

Dedication - This is the panel that will be above the names of the people that have lost their lives.

Created With A Purpose - This panel has founding and charter information. Dates started, public law, first base, first patrol, first line of duty death.

Achieved Through Resolve - This panel will have a map of the United States with each of the original bases identified.

Proven In Time Of Need - This panel will have a picture of the plane dropping a bomb on a U-Boat. The Sub will be full length and the bomb will be era specific, as well as the plane.

Members - This panel will have current Missions For America and will list Operations, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace Education with a graphical representation for each. It will also have the tag line "CAP provides 95% of the ....."

If you note the first letter of each of these panels you will see the Meaning of this pentagon shaped memorial.

Dedication - Dedicated

Created / People - Civil

Achieved in the Air & Ground -Air

Proven on Patrol - Patrol

Members current Missions - Members


The first letters of these panels will be "slightly" enlarged more than the others.” said Major Shaw, “The pentagon shaped frame is being built by a iron works company in Warner Robins and lead by Lt. Col. Todd Engelman. We are both working on this as well as my son a C/SSGT.

This memorial is being paid for by myself and Todd. The NB collected some money to support our work and had to approve it. ” While there are some individual memorials to members lost (including on at Arlington National Cemetery), this memorial will be different. The difference is that this one will have the members names listed on the memorial. After the panels are completed a process to verify all of the members killed in the line of duty and their names will be engraved on a brass name plaque and added to the memorial.

“If anyone would like to donate for this,” adds Major Shaw, “you are more than welcome to. Just send an e-mail to caphistorian@mchsi.com I will give you the address. We appreciate any and all help.”