Wartime Coastal Patrols: With the Civil Air Patrol

Civil Air Patrol was signed into being in December 1941 just as the USA entered World War Two. As a voluntary service, with a structure and hierarchy mirroring that of the United States Air Force and underpinned by the US government, this auxiliary service provided an opportunity for civilians to contribute to the war effort in three service areas: border patrol, courier services and coastal patrol. The latter branch forms the focus of this book. Units from the Eastern Seaboard states took on this role, with each volunteer effectively loaning their private aircraft and using it to patrol a specific band of coast in the search for German U-boats, a sighting of which would be relayed to the US military. In time, the service evolved so that private aircraft were adapted to carry armaments. This narrative tells the story of each of the units established for wartime coastal patrol, their headquarters, capability, volunteer capacity, and significant action logged. In addition, every known aircraft loaned for the purpose, its owner, registration number and capability are included, effectively providing a logbook of the volunteers who served and put their lives on the line in support of the nation's war effort. Illustrated with images of aircraft, unit logos, airfields, and service personnel, this narrative documents a snapshot in time of a significant volunteer group who gave so much to serve their country.