Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol
Associated branches
United States Air Force
Command staff
Commander Col Peter K. Bowden
Vice Commander Lt Col David Dluegiewicz
Chief of Staff Lt Col Michael Hood
Command NCO CMSgt Dennis Orcutt
Current statistics
Cadets485
Seniors598
Total Membership1,083
Websiteohwg.cap.gov
Statistics as of 20 July 2021

The Ohio Wing (OHWG) of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of CAP in the state of Ohio. The Ohio Wing headquarters are located in Columbus at the Defense Supply Center, Columbus. The wing is a member of the Great Lakes Region of the CAP.

History

The Ohio Wing's foundation corresponds with the late 1930s movement to organize civilian aviation for domestic defense. In 1940 in Toledo, Milton Knight organized a Civil Air Reserve unit. After taking office in 1939, Governor John W. Bricker appointed Cleveland resident Earle L. Johnson as Director of the Ohio Bureau of Aeronautics. A graduate of the Ohio State University, Johnson's interest in aviation began in the mid-1920s thanks to his neighbor and Cleveland native David Ingalls, the only United States Navy fighter ace from World War I. While working for Governor Bricker, Johnson in September 1941 organized Ohio's civilian pilots into a state Civil Air Defense wing. When the federal Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) established the Civil Air Patrol in December 1941, the state Civil Air Defense wing evolved into a CAP wing, with Johnson serving as the first wing commander. In March 1942, Johnson entered active army service and succeeded Major General John F. Curry as the national commander of the CAP, a position he held until his death in 1947.[1]

Civil Air Patrol pilots and planes in 1942.

The Ohio Wing grew rapidly following the onset of the war. Governor Bricker joined CAP in May 1942, as did Congressman John M. Vorys, himself a World War I naval aviator and former director of the Ohio Bureau of Aeronautics. By July 1942, the wing numbered 3,282 men and women organized in nine groups and 39 squadrons, making the Ohio Wing the third largest CAP wing in the nation; over 4,200 members served in the Ohio Wing by 31 October 1942. Ohio squadrons undertook a variety of missions on behalf of the war effort, including searches for scrap metal, aerial patrol over the state's valuable timber resources, preventing large forest fires from erupting, surveillance of coal, oil, and gas resources, patrolling flood-stricken areas across the state, and served as aerial couriers during the war.[2]

Ohio, far removed from the U-boat menace, resolved to contribute to the coastal patrol effort. In July 1942, Vorys made an open request for volunteers to help form an all-Ohio CAP Coastal Patrol base, which was authorized on July 16, 1942, by the activation of Coastal Patrol Base No. 14 at Panama City, Florida.[3] Aircrews spotted oil slicks, debris, reported suspected U-boats, remains of crashed aircraft, and anything out of the ordinary. They assisted in the rescue of shipwreck survivors, reported sinking or suspicious vessels to the military, and ensured that the valuable tankers and supply vessels leaving ports in the Gulf made their way safely to military forces in Europe and the Pacific.[4]

Air Force Reserve Master Sgt. Dan Bryant, a communication and navigation systems craftsman with the 910th Maintenance Squadron, explains the components of avionics equipment to Ohio Civil Air Patrol cadets.

Since World War II, the Ohio Wing has continued to prosper, developing scores of young men and women into model citizens and future personnel in the armed forces. Members of the wing have assisted in the rescue of downed aviators, provided assistance to state and national officials in natural disasters and local emergencies, and proudly represented the Birthplace of Aviation by promoting Ohio's aviation resources and heritage.

In January 2009, members of the Ohio Wing, along with CAP members from the Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky Wings, flew sorties surveying damage and boosting communications for the Kentucky National Guard following a severe ice storm in Kentucky, while CAP ground crews assisted National Guardsmen in going door to door to perform wellness checks on residents.[5]

Annual encampment

The Ohio Wing holds a cadet encampment annually. Serving as a weeklong training camp for cadets, the encampment involves instruction in discipline, teamwork, and leadership. Other activities involve instruction in drill and ceremonies, customs and courtesies, basic CAP knowledge and military tradition. Encampment attendance is a prerequisite for the Gen. Billy Mitchell Award. Senior members may also be awarded the ribbon for providing leadership at CAP this encampment. The encampment is held at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.[6][7]

Groups and squadrons

Base Operations personnel at Grissom Reserve Air Base screen Ohio Civil Air Patrol cadets prior to an orientation flight on a 434th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker.
Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Jenelle Rodriguez, an aerospace propulsion journeyman with the 910th Maintenance Squadron, explains the functioning of a C-130H Hercules propeller to Ohio Civil Air Patrol cadets.
A delegation from the Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol meets with Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.
Air Force Reserve SrA Jerry Winkler, an aerospace propulsion helper with the 910th Maintenance Squadron, explain the functioning of a C-130H Hercules propeller to Civil Air Patrol cadets.
Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Derek Pressell, an aerospace propulsion technician, with the 910th Maintenance Squadron explains the components of a C-130H Hercules aircraft cut away engine to Ohio Civil Air Patrol cadets.
Groups and squadrons of the Ohio Wing[8]
Group Number Squadron name Location
Wing Headquarters GLR-OH-001 Ohio Wing Headquarters Columbus
GLR-OH-000 Ohio Reserve Squadron Columbus
GLR-OH-999 Ohio Wing Legislative Squadron Columbus
Group I GLR-OH-044 Group I Headquarters Blue Ash
GLR-OH-078 Lunken Cadet Squadron Cincinnati
GLR-OH-145 Lt Col Jerome P. Ashman Composite Squadron Maineville
GLR-OH-244 Lt Col James R. Sanders Senior Squadron Blue Ash
GLR-OH-279 Clermont County Composite Squadron Batavia
GLR-OH-288 Pathfinder Cadet Squadron Middletown
Group III GLR-OH-254 Group III Headquarters North Canton
GLR-OH-051 Youngstown ARS Composite Squadron Vienna
GLR-OH-096 96th Composite Squadron Stow
GLR-OH-177 Mansfield 177th Squadron Mansfield
GLR-OH-219 Median County Skyhawks Composite Squadron Wadsworth
GLR-OH-275 Akron-Canton Senior Flying Squadron Green
GLR-OH-278 Akron-Canton Composite Squadron North Canton
Group IV GLR-OH-058 Group IV Headquarters Cleveland
GLR-OH-003 Lorain County Composite Squadron Elyria
GLR-OH-131 Cuyahoga County Cadet Squadron Brecksville
GLR-OH-236 Lakefront Senior Squadron Cleveland
GLR-OH-252 Frank H. Kettlewood Composite Squadron Painesville
Group VI GLR-OH-064 Group VI Headquarters Bowling Green
GLR-OH-016 Toledo ANGB Composite Squadron Swanton
GLR-OH-018 Wood County Senior Squadron Bowling Green
GLR-OH-298 Lt Jacob Parrott Composite Squadron Lima
Group VII GLR-OH-043 Group VII Headquarters Wright-Patterson AFB
GLR-OH-037 Wright-Patterson Composite Squadron Wright-Patterson AFB
GLR-OH-114 Don Gentile Composite Squadron 709 Piqua
GLR-OH-178 Springfield ANGB Composite Squadron Springfield
GLR-OH-197 Dayton Aero Cadet Squadron 706 Troy
GLR-OH-284 Miami Valley Composite Squadron Miamisburg
Group VIII GLR-OH-291 Group VIII Headquarters Columbus
GLR-OH-085 Columbus Senior Squadron Columbus
GLR-OH-115 Capt Eddie Rickenbacker Composite Squadron Whitehall
GLR-OH-139 Columbus Composite Squadron Worthington
GLR-OH-157 Licking County Composite Squadron Newark
GLR-OH-210 Rickenbacker ANGB Squadron Columbus
GLR-OH-234 Victor A. Hammond Composite Squadron Marysville
Former Groups and Squadrons of the Ohio Wing
Group Number Squadron name Location
Group I GLR-OH-156 Warren County Cadet Squadron Lebanon
Group II GLR-OH-293 Headquarters Group II Columbus
Group IV GLR-OH-004 Eagle Composite Squadron Beachwood
Group V GLR-OH-292 Headquarters Group V Cleveland
Group VI GLR-OH-801 Sandusky High School Cadet Squadron Sandusky
Group VII GLR-OH-070 Ross P. Barrett Composite Squadron Springfield
GLR-OH-227 Xenia Cadet Squadron Xenia
GLR-OH-231 Grand Lake Composite Squadron Celina
GLR-OH-282 Wright Brothers Composite Squadron Dayton
GLR-OH-285 Dayton Senior Squadron Wright-Patterson AFB
Group VIII GLR-OH-243 Ross County Senior Squadron Chillicothe

Wing commanders

Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Jenelle Rodriguez shows the engine room to Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol cadets.
Ohio Wing Civil Air Patrol members during an encampment at Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Ohio.
Air Force Reserve Technical Sgt. Mike Lamantia explains the C-130 Modular Aerial Spray System (MASS) to a group of Ohio Civil Air Patrol cadets.
Commanders of the Ohio Wing of the Civil Air Patrol[9]
Commander's name Period of service
Earle L. Johnson* December 1, 1941 – April 1, 1942
Col George A. Stone, Jr. April 7, 1942 – June 1, 1947
Col John R. McGuire June 1, 1947 – July 17, 1951
Col Edmund P. Lunken July 17, 1951 – September 23, 1953
Col John O. Swarts September 23, 1953 – September 14, 1957
Lt Col Lyle W. Castle September 14, 1957 – August 12, 1960
Col Robert H. Herweh August 12, 1960 – December 6, 1963
Col William W. Kight December 6, 1963 – December 8, 1967
Col Patrick R. Sorohan December 8, 1967 – June 1, 1970
Col Gerald M. Tartaglione June 1, 1970 – June 1, 1974
Col Leon W. Dillon June 1, 1974 – January 4, 1978
Col Claude H. Fore, Jr. (interim) January 4, 1978 – December 1, 1978
Col Marjorie J. Swain December 1, 1978 – February 20, 1983
Col Loren G. Gillespie February 20, 1983 – May 6, 1987
Col Larkin C. Durdin May 6, 1987 – December 31, 1989
Col Leslie S. Bryant December 31, 1989 – January 1, 1992
Col Carl C. Stophlet, Jr. January 1, 1992 – October 1, 1994
Col Jacquelyn L. Hartigan October 1, 1994 – September 19, 1998
Col Robert M. Sponseller September 19, 1998 – August 4, 1999
Col Michael J. Murrell August 4, 1999 – September 14, 2003
Col Charles L. Carr, Jr.* September 14, 2003 – March 1, 2007
Col Dave Winters (interim) March 1, 2007 – June 6, 2007
Col Dave Winters June 6, 2007 – June 11, 2011
Col Gregory L. Mathews June 11, 2011 – June 23, 2013
Col Theodore L. Shaffer October 13, 2013 – October 14, 2017
Col David J. Jennison October 14, 2017 – May 28, 2021
Col Peter K. Bowden May 28, 2021 – Present

* denotes commanders who have gone on to become the national commander of the Civil Air Patrol.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Civil Air Patrol Commander, Two Others Killed in Crash," The Washington Post, 17 February 1947.
  2. ↑ "Civil Air Patrol Volunteers Comb the Clouds for Uncle Sam," The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, July 26, 1942.
  3. ↑ "Robert E. Arn". Mywarhistory.com. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  4. ↑ Louis E. Keefer, From Maine to Mexico: With America's Private Pilots in the Fight Against Nazi U-Boats. Reston, V.A.: COTU Publishing, 1997, pp. 316-45.
  5. ↑ "Ice Storm Puts Kentucky in Deep Freeze" (PDF). Capmembers.com. 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ "2012 Ohio Wing Encampment". encampment.ohwg.cap.gov. Ohio Wing, Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Encampment Location". encampment.ohwg.cap.gov. Ohio Wing, Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Units". ohwg.cap.gov. Ohio Wing, Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  9. ↑ Blazich, Frank. "Ohio Wing of the Civil Air Patrol in World War II – A Brief Overview". ohwg.cap.gov. Ohio Wing, Civil Air Patrol. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
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