 
Assembly Resolution No. 52
 
BY: M. of A. Crouch
 
        COMMEMORATING  the  77th  Anniversary of Civil Air
        Patrol
 
  WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in recognizing  and
honoring  those  organizations  selflessly  dedicated  to protecting our
country  and  improving  the  health  and  well-being   of   communities
throughout the State and our nation; and
 
  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body is justly proud to commemorate the
77th Anniversary of the Civil Air Patrol; and
 
  WHEREAS, Each year,  on  the  first  day  of  December,  this  vital
organization  remembers  the  sacrifices  of its earliest members, whose
extraordinary contributions to America continue  today  in  its  citizen
volunteers' vigilant service to country and community; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Civil  Air  Patrol  (CAP) was founded on December 1, 1941,
less than one week before the Japanese attack on  Pearl  Harbor  led  to
America's  involvement in World War II; its members quickly proved their
worth  by  conducting  aerial  patrols  on  their  own,  heroism   which
discouraged  and  eventually  helped  stop  deadly German U-boat attacks
along United States coastlines and waterways; and
 
  WHEREAS, On May 26, 1948, Congress passed a law designating  CAP  as
the  Air  Force  Auxiliary  with  three  primary  missions  -  emergency
missions, cadet programs, and aerospace education; and
 
  WHEREAS, The wartime service of CAP's "subchasers" helped  stop  the
loss of American and Allied merchant vessels, saving the lives of untold
thousands  of  sailors and countless millions of dollars of war materiel
destined for the battlefields in Europe and the Pacific; and
 
  WHEREAS, In addition to coastal patrols, CAP aircrews assisted  with
other  essential  wartime missions on the home front, such as search and
rescue, disaster relief,  border  patrol,  forest  fire  patrol,  target
towing for military practice and transporting critical supplies; and
 
  WHEREAS,  CAP  members also managed hundreds of airports and trained
aviators, many of them teenage cadets, for future service in CAP and the
military; and
 
  WHEREAS, Those services provided by Civil  Air  Patrol's  World  War
II-era  veterans  earned  CAP  a  Congressional  Gold Medal, the highest
civilian honor bestowed by Congress, on December 10, 2014; and
 
  WHEREAS, Today, more than 61,000 CAP members continue  to  build  on
the terrific foundation forged by their forefathers; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Under  the luminous direction of Major General Mark Smith,
CAP's legacy lives on in today's all-volunteer force, which continues to
contribute to America's defense by providing aerial  reconnaissance  for
homeland   security,   giving  Air  Force  fighter  pilots  practice  in
 
protecting airspace and helping train United States military troops  for
service overseas; and
 
  WHEREAS,  CAP  members truly make a profound difference in more than
1,500 communities across the nation, saving  lives  through  search  and
rescue  and other emergency services, and conducting aerospace education
and youth programs which help develop the nation's  next  generation  of
leaders; and
 
  WHEREAS,   Over   its   distinguished   77-year   history,  CAP  has
demonstrated continuous service to the residents and  communities  which
it serves; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The success of CAP is in direct correlation to the efforts
of  its  volunteers,  whose  involvement  is,  and  always   has   been,
characterized  by an impressive commitment, an unbridled enthusiasm, and
an uncompromising standard of excellence in all endeavors on  behalf  of
the organization and the community it serves; and
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  sense  of  this  Legislative  Body  that when
individuals and organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are
brought to our attention, they should be celebrated  and  recognized  by
all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 77th Anniversary of Civil Air Patrol; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted  to  Major  General Mark Smith, National Commander and Chief
Executive Officer, Civil Air Patrol.
Commemorating the 77th Anniversary of Civil Air Patrol

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