WHEREAS, Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was founded on December 1, 1941 in order to mobilize the nation’s civilian aviation resources for national defense; and

WHEREAS, CAP is now the official civilian auxiliary and Total Force Partner of the United States Air Force; and

WHEREAS, CAP’s three primary missions of Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs and Emergency Services are accomplished by volunteers serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures; and

WHEREAS, since its founding, the volunteers who form CAP have provided critical service to the nation in its most tumultuous times, including locating enemy submarines during World War II, assisting rescuers and state agencies following the September 11 terrorist attacks, and aiding communities affected by natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, Maine Wing CAP has played a crucial role since the organization’s founding, manning two bases along the state’s coastline during WWII, Base 19 in Portland and Base 20 in Trenton; and

WHEREAS, today, Maine Wing’s 10 squadrons continue to serve our state and nation with the cadet program, aerospace education and assisting with search and rescue missions, disaster relief, counter drug efforts, and homeland security; and

WHEREAS, Maine Wing members stepped up to serve our state during the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing COVID-19 testing centers and delivering personal protective equipment and vaccines to first responders by land and air; and

WHEREAS, this year, Maine Wing has participated in Operation Pulse Lift, a mission to help collect and transport needed blood, which was the Civil Air Patrol’s largest mission since World War II and is its longest running humanitarian mission to date;

NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Janet T. Mills, governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2024 as

Civil Air Patrol Day

throughout the State of Maine, and I urge all citizens to recognize the contributions of this volunteer led organization.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this twenty fifth day of November Two Thousand Twenty-Four