MORRIS COUNTY — On Tuesday, May 23, cadets with the Picatinny Squadron of Civil Air Patrol based at the Dover American Legion held a formal ceremony marking the first official Memorial Day events locally. The squadron planted flags at hundreds of veterans’ grave sites together with members of Dover American Legion Baker Lodge 27 at the Locust Hill Cemetery. Afterwards they played “Taps” and presented a salute to honor the memory of those who have fallen.
The Picatinny Composite Squadron NJ-093 of the New Jersey Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, the nation’s official United States Air Force Auxiliary, celebrates 45 years of service this year. This milestone coincides with the 75th anniversary celebration of the founding of CAP as a civilian homeland defense operation under the US Army Air Force in December 1941, seven days before Pearl Harbor.
During the past 45 years the New Jersey Squadron has helped locate lost hikers, tracked down and recovered missing planes, ferried sick children for specialized hospital treatment, and trained hundreds of young men and women in military customs and courtesies, powered and glider flight, aerospace history and the basics of flight, emergency services, and search and rescue.
Like its predecessors, today’s Picatinny Squadron is providing young people with the opportunity to experience flying, receive STEM training in aerospace, cyber-security, and scientific advancements, as well as supporting the community in Northern New Jersey with search and rescue and emergency service preparedness.
The national organization of Civil Air Patrol is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. CAP has 58,000 adult and youth members nationwide, and maintains more than 500 aircraft throughout the country. In 2014, Congress awarded CAP members who served during World War II with a Congressional Gold Medal recognizing their contributions towards the war effort stateside.
In a world of heightened vigilance and an increased need for homeland security, the Civil Air Patrol motto “Semper Vigilans” or “Always Vigilant” remains as important today as it was when it was first founded during the dawn of the Second World War. In honor of its proud history the Picatinny Squadron here in New Jersey continues the tradition of America’s Air Force Auxiliary, building the nation’s finest force of citizen volunteers serving America.
The Picatinny Composite Squadron is part of the CAP Northeast Region, New Jersey Wing. Its members are comprised of adults as well as teens from 13-17 from Morris, Warren and Sussex Counties. The group meets every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information click here.
