America's Best Kept Secret Celebrates 80th Anniversary

Billings, MT—Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was officially established by the Office of Civilian Defense on December 1, 1941, just six days before the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy. From March 5, 1942, until August 31, 1943, 26 CAP civilian-volunteers lost their lives fending off German submarines, and sinking two submarines, that were attacking Merchant Marine cargo ships, United States Coast Guard ships, or United States Navy ships, off the East Coast of the United States, often within sight of land. In total, 65 CAP civilian-volunteers lost their lives actively participa...