CAP receives the Congressional Gold Medal

I spent several days earlier this month in Washington, D.C., because the Civil Air Patrol received the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress.

As stated in a news release from CAP's NHQ/PA, 46 founding CAP members were present on Dec. 10 to see the organization honored with the Congressional Gold Medal for the service they and more than 200,000 other CAP volunteers provided during World War II, when they helped protect U.S. shipping against German U-boat attacks and carried out other vital wartime domestic missions.

I spent most of that day with James Fletcher and Jayne Pace, both 92-year-old Texans, visiting Washington, D.C. with their families for the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony and dinner.
The day started with a visit to the World War II Memorial, a first for both Fletcher and Pace, who were greeted by their Texas Congressman, Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-10, who arranged for a tour by a National Park Service ranger. The temperature was in the mid-30s with wind guests up to 37 mph.

Fletcher was a Virginia Wing pilot and Coastal Patrol Base 4 member as well as an Air Medal recipient. In addition, because he rescued a colleague who crashed in the Atlantic Ocean following a fuel problem, he is a member of the “Goldfish Club,” an association of those who have jumped by parachute from an aircraft into the water, or whose aircraft crashed in the water and who survived thanks to a life jacket.

Pace served as a coastal patrol pilot in the Louisiana Wing starting about February 1945. She was trained to fly by a crop duster and she’s still a CAP member.

“I flew surveillance along the coast because of those German subs,” Pace told me. “I thought I spotted one and I reported it, a couple of times.”

“I was lucky,” Fletcher interjected. “I didn’t see one.”

“We had to fly low and slow and you had to be using 360-degree eyesight. Sometimes I was scared,” Pace added, noting that she always flew alone.

With Congressman McCaul at the World War II Memorial.

After looking at the arches and gold stars at the World War II Memorial plaza and learning about the symbolism behind the wreaths and rope, Fletcher and Pace posed with McCaul for photos in front of the Texas pillar. Then it was off to the Capitol for a tour, a stop in the gift shop and lunch.

After visiting McCaul’s office, his staff took Fletcher and Pace to the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, inside the original U.S. Supreme Court, and out on the Speaker of the House’s private balcony. With family members, CAP members and Congressional staff, the entourage was more than a dozen people. Along the way Fletcher, wearing a jacket and tie, and Pace in her CAP uniform, received many smiles, handshakes and nods of approval from busy Congressmen and staff.

James Fletcher with his medal.

Next was the official ceremony, where the ranking members of Congress presented the actual Congressional Gold Medal to CAP in the Emancipation Hall. Fletcher and Hall had seats to the left of the podium, where Speaker John Boehner addressed a standing room only audience of more than 500.

Fletcher, who received his pilot certificate in 1941, joined the Army Air Corps after flying for CAP, married a woman he met at an airport, and accumulated 17,000+ hours in various single- and multi-
engine aircraft and earned an airline transport pilot rating. He is a longstanding member of the Aircraft Owner’s and Pilot’s Association with a 60-year plus membership pin. Fletcher’s wife, Maybelline, was an FAA designated examiner for more than 30 years and has been a member of the Ninety Nines women pilots organization since 1947. Today, their son David continues in the family’s tradition of aviation excellence by restoring Grumman American aircraft.

Pace hasn’t slowed down and continues to go to meetings of the Texas 179th Thunderbird Composite Squadron, offering advice and encouragement to the cadets.

The medal will be on permanent display at the Smithsonian

Three-inch bronze replicas were presented to the veterans and their families at a celebratory dinner that night sponsored by CITGO at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

I was honored and thrilled to be able to be there and also to play a small part in the overall success of the ceremony and dinner. Kudos for everyone at NHQ for making this an historic occasion!