New Hampshire Wing Civil Air Patrol
New Hampshire Wing of Civil Air Patrol
Associated branches
United States Air Force
Command staff
Commander Col Darin Ninness, CAP
Vice Commander Lt Col John Washington
Chief of Staff Lt Col Sandy Riis
Current statistics
Squadrons8
Cadets280
Seniors339
Total Membership609
Websitenhwg.cap.gov
Statistics as of February 2020

The New Hampshire Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (NHWG) is the highest echelon of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in New Hampshire, in the United States. Its headquarters is located in Concord, New Hampshire, near the Concord Municipal Airport. The New Hampshire Wing is part of the Northeast Region of CAP.

It currently has 8 squadrons and 1 flight: the Concord Composite Squadron (Concord), the Greater Nashua Composite Squadron (Nashua), the Hawk Composite Squadron (Laconia), the Monadnock Composite Squadron (Keene), the Seacoast Composite Squadron (Portsmouth), the Lebanon Composite Squadron (Lebanon), the Highlanders Cadet Squadron (Rochester), the Manchester Composite Squadron (Manchester), and the Mount Washington Flight (Whitefield).[1]

Mission

The Civil Air Patrol has three missions: providing emergency services; offering cadet programs for youth; and providing aerospace education for CAP members and the general public.[2]

Members of the New Hampshire Wing have flown missions searching aerially for forest fires. The New Hampshire Wing, alongside Civil Air Patrol wings from other states, provided aerial photography of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy along the east coast of the United States at the request of FEMA.[3]

Membership

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport from CAP airplane

Youth aged 12-18 may join the Civil Air Patrol as cadets in a cadet squadron, and may continue to serve as a cadet until the age of 21.[4] Adult members aged 18 and older may join a senior squadron, or be assigned to a cadet squadron in a management capacity. Composite squadrons may contain both cadet and senior programs.[5]

Organization

New Hampshire CAP's newest Cessna 172 arrives at Concord Municipal Airport on 06 Oct 2020.
Squadrons of the New Hampshire Wing[1][6]
Designation Squadron name Location Notes
NH032 Concord Composite Squadron Concord
NH053 Monadnock Composite Squadron Keene
NH056 Hawk Composite Squadron Laconia
NH014 Lebanon Composite Squadron Lebanon
NH054 Manchester Composite Squadron Manchester
NH016 Greater Nashua Composite Squadron Nashua
NH010 Seacoast Composite Squadron Portsmouth
NH037 Highlanders Cadet Squadron Rochester
NH075 Mount Washington Composite Squadron Whitefield

Resources

As of December 2020, New Hampshire Wing has 7 single-engine planes (2 Cessna 172 Skyhawks, 4 Cessna 182 Skylanes and a Cessna R182 Skylane RG). The wing also has 15 vehicles, principally 10-15 passenger vans at each of the squadrons. There are also 7 fixed radio repeaters around the state, 2 airborne-capable portable repeaters, about 75 fixed and mobile VHF stations, and 15 HF radio stations.[7]

Congressional Gold Medal

In January 2015, thirteen original members of the New Hampshire Wing of the Civil Air Patrol were presented the Congressional Gold Medal in a ceremony at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire.[8][9] This medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian awards in the United States. It is awarded to persons "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement."[10] In May 2014, the medal was jointly awarded to over 200,000 wartime members of the Civil Air Patrol by Pub. L. 113–108 (text) (PDF) for their service during World War II.

On December 10, 2018, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson was presented with the Civil Air Patrol Congressional Gold Medal in honor of her late grandfather, former New Hampshire Wing Commander Colonel George "Scotty" Wilson. Colonel Wilson served as a CAP pilot during World War II and later as the third New Hampshire Wing Commander, from November 1948 until September 1954.[11]

The medal is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution, while three-inch bronze replicas have been presented to individuals and family members in New Hampshire and elsewhere.[12]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Our Team". New Hampshire Wing Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Civil Air Patrol". Civil Air Patrol Official Website. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Jensen, Chris (19 June 2013). "Civil Air Patrol: Wings Over New Hampshire". New Hampshire Public Radio. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "Parents". Capmembers.com. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "Join CAP". Gocivilairpatrol.com. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "Civil Air Patrol Unit Directory" (PDF). Gocivilairpatrol.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "New Hampshire Wing 2020 Statistics" (PDF). Civil Air Patrol. 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  8. ↑ Julie Huss. "Civil Air Patrol members honored for service". The Eagle-Tribune. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Speckman, others honored for WWII service". seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "Congressional Research Service, Congressional Gold Medals, 1776-2012 CRS Report RL30076". senate.gov. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  11. ↑ "Secretary of the Air Force Accepts CAP Congressional Gold Medal Honoring Grandfather". cap.news. Retrieved 2019-08-21.
  12. ↑ "Congressional Gold Medal honors Civil Air Patrol's World War II service". af.mil.
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