Pennsylvania Wing Civil Air Patrol


The Pennsylvania Wing of the Civil Air Patrol is the highest echelon of CAP in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Wing headquarters is located at Fort Indiantown Gap, an Army National Guard installation near Harrisburg, PA. Pennsylvania Wing is abbreviated as "PAWG", and is often referred to by its members as "PA Wing". A Pennsylvania keystone is a symbol commonly used in patches and designs of PAWG.

History

Pennsylvania Wing is one of the original 48 wings in Civil Air Patrol.
In the spring of 1942, the Pennsylvania Wing conducted a 30-day experiment with the intention of convincing the Army Air Forces that they were capable of flying cargo missions for the nation. PA Wing transported Army cargo as far as Georgia, and top Army officials were impressed. After the 30 day trial period, the War Department gave CAP permission to conduct courier and cargo service for the military, often flying mail, light cargo, and important military officials between USAAF bases.
One of the Civil Air Patrol's very first "Aviation Cadet Programs" was established at the Pittsburgh Army Air Field in the Spring of 1943. Accepting young men as "Aviation Cadets" in a delayed enlistment program for the Army Air Forces, the Pittsburgh Squadron trained these boys in Aerospace and Military subjects and vetted them for service as Army Air Force Pilots. Graduating a total of 16 Aviation Cadets for the Army in less than ten months, the Pittsburgh Squadron model was copied by units in Philadelphia, New York City and as far south as Florida. Today, the current Squadron with direct lineage to that Aviation Cadet Unit is the CAP's second longest, continually operated unit on a Military Installation.
On December 31, 1999, PA Wing units were put on stand-by in case of any problems arising from the Y2K bug.
During the September 11 attacks, Pennsylvania Wing was ordered to a stand-by state. Although not officially tasked with any missions in direct support, PAWG radio communications centers were operational and prepared to offer assistance.
In 2006, PA Wing was activated to fly reconnaissance missions during the 2006 flood. PAWG aircraft flew over major waterways to provide detailed photographs of flood-affected areas and to monitor floodwaters as they moved downstream.
31 Members from Pennsylvania Wing Civil Air Patrol traveled 28 hours to Pascagoula, Mississippi to aid in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. PAWG Ground Teams went door-to-door ensuring that local residents had adequate food, water, and medical care.
In August and September 2011, all CAP emergency service teams in Pennsylvania Wing and CAP members from Maryland,West Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana Wings were activated to assist communities affected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
During the time between September 1, 2010 to December 1, 2011, the Pennsylvania Wing saved eleven lives, provided emergency response in Pennsylvania during the 2011 flooding and severe winter storms.
In November 2012, CAP Pennsylvania Wing emergency services air crews and ground teams were activated to assist communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware during flooding and high wind of Hurricane Sandy.
During Late December 2017 and early January 2018, CAP Pennsylvania Wing emergency services ground teams were sent to help dig out Erie Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Wing Commanders

  1. Lt. Col. William L. Anderson — December 1, 1941 to August 18, 1945
  2. Lt. Col. Philip F. Neuweiler — August 18, 1945 to March 26, 1946
  3. Lt. Col. Carl A. Reber — March 26, 1946 to August 15, 1947
  4. Col. Philip F. Neuweiler — August 15, 1947 to March 21, 1970
  5. Col. Angelo A. Milano — March 22, 1970 to November 5, 1977
  6. Temp. Col. Andrew E. Skiba — November 5, 1977 to June 28, 1978
  7. Lt. Col. Edward T. Kelly — June 28, 1978 to January 1, 1979
  8. Col. Angelo A. Milano — January 1, 1979 to December 7, 1987
  9. Col. Raymond F. Schuler — December 7, 1987 to February 16, 1990
  10. Col. M. Allen Applebaum — February 16, 1990 to November 14, 1990
  11. Col. Larry Kauffman — November 14, 1990 to November 20, 1993
  12. Col. Joseph A. Guimond, Jr. — November 20, 1993 to August 19, 1995
  13. Col. Jean-Pierre J. Habets — August 19, 1995 to August 15, 1999
  14. Col. Fredric K. Weiss — August 15, 1999 to June 14, 2003
  15. Col. M. Allen Applebaum — June 14, 2003 to September 29, 2007
  16. Col. Mark A. Lee — September 29, 2007 to November 12, 2011
  17. Col. Sandra E. Brandon — November 12, 2011 to May 16, 2015
  18. Col. Gary Fleming — May 16, 2015 to May 18, 2019
  19. Col. Kevin Berry — May 18, 2019 to Present

    Pennsylvania Spaatz Awards

  21. Michael F. S. Hanford — February 14, 1966
  23. Kenneth B. Hibbert — September 12, 1967
  25. Ramon L. Bennedetto — May 16, 1968
  27. Michael A. Allen — November 22, 1968
  29. Richard B. Smith — January 7, 1969
  31. James I. Heald — May 15, 1969
  33. Paul S. Draper — January 14, 1970
  35. Harry Z. Mertz — January 14, 1970
  37. Gary J. Kirkpatrick — May 14, 1970
  39. Roy K. Salomon — April 11, 1972
  41. Marie E. Stutz — June 28, 1972
  43. Donald P. Flinn — July 24, 1972
  45. Mark L. Sweeney — March 15, 1973
  47. George S. Rose — June 18, 1973
  49. Robert P. Pelligrini — August 2, 1973
  51. Gary P. Standorf — November 7, 1974
  53. Keith D. Kries — March 7, 1975
  55. Konrad J. Trautman — February 14, 1977
  57. Robert Mattes — October 2, 1977
  59. Lawrence L. Trick — November 22, 1977
  61. Jerrold Warthman — March 1, 1978
  63. Richard Magners — July 3, 1978
  65. Richard Graves — August 22, 1978
  67. James Kraftchak — January 2, 1979
  69. William Snee — May 1, 1979
  71. Bryan Watson — November 13, 1979
  73. Robert Atwell — November 16, 1979
  75. Terry Hawes — November 19, 1979
  77. Jeff Riley — August 8, 1980
  79. Terry Friend — September 3, 1980
  81. Tim Hawes — October 27, 1980
  83. Richard Yingling — May 6, 1981
  85. R. Steven Rickert — October 7, 1981
  87. Edward Czeck — June 25, 1982
  89. Sean Neal — December 13, 1982
  91. Anthony Sodano — December 17, 1982
  93. Walter Garnett — April 1, 1984
  95. Kurt Hack — February 28, 1985
  97. Robert Lutz — January 22, 1986
  99. Daniel Weston — May 8, 1986
  101. David Mertes — September 5, 1986
  103. Paul Andrew — April 6, 1988
  105. John Angeny — July 1, 1988
  107. Lawrence L. Stouffer — April 18, 1989
  109. John Talaber — August 8, 1989
  111. Henry Lutz — August 29, 1989
  113. William Davis — June 12, 1990
  115. Kerim Yasar — January 16, 1991
  117. Joseph Shirer — August 27, 1991
  119. Randy Lentz — August 27, 1991
  121. Isaac Zortman — November 21, 1991
  123. Richard Gray — December 9, 1991
  125. Nathaniel Szewczyk — February 25, 1992
  127. Kara Grimaldi — January 18, 1993
  129. Timothy Cheslock — June 29, 1993
  131. Sarah Ferdinand — June 29, 1993
  133. Julian Rivera — January 12, 1995
  135. Julius Armstrong — December 22, 1995
  137. Joel A. Martin — December 3, 1995
  139. Broderick A. Jones — December 3, 1995
  141. Michael T. Bauer — July 19, 1998
  143. Jason Secrest — July 16, 1999
  145. Sean T. Conroy — June 9, 2000
  147. Joshua Plocinski — December 21, 2002
  149. Shawn M. Cressman — March 13, 2003
  151. Erin M. Nelson — February 21, 2006
  153. David J. Spillane — April 21, 2007
  155. Robert A. Nolt — July 26, 2007
  157. Matthew J. Postupack — August 28, 2007
  159. Thomas P. Carr — December 22, 2007
  161. Courtney Gallagher — December 23, 2009
  163. Dane V. Carroll — August 19, 2010
  165. Noah D. Bendele — April 21, 2011
  167. Abigail R. Hawkins — August 9, 2013
  169. Ethan J. Dunlap — May 20, 2014
  171. Nicholas A Cavacini — June 19, 2015
  173. Nicholas G Basile — September 28, 2015
  175. Jared K. Przelomski — January 19, 2016
  177. Adam I. Parker — May 17, 2016
  179. Josiah L. Acosta — August 1, 2017
  181. Matthew J. Chirik — November 6, 2017
  183. Brandon M. Webber — January 21, 2018
  185. Matthew D. Robinson — June 15, 2018
  187. Mallory Fichera — July 26, 2018
  189. Nolan E. Hulick — January 9, 2019
  191. Andrew G. Myers — February 9, 2019
  193. Andrew S. Wieder — August 10, 2019
Source:

Structure

Pennsylvania Wing is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in Pennsylvania. PA Wing reports to Northeast Region CAP, who reports to CAP National Headquarters.
Pennsylvania Wing Headquarters is located in a renovated former World War Two Post Exchange and Non Commissioned Officers Club complex at Fort Indiantown Gap in Annville, Pennsylvania. Offices, classrooms, a communications center and an emergency operations center are located inside the Headquarters. Additionally, the headquarters building is located approximately one mile from Muir Army Airfield.
Reporting to the Wing level, Pennsylvania is divided into six geographic groups. Each group conducts training, activities, classroom learning and programs, with actual missions assigned to a group from the Wing. Originally, the state was divided into three groups ; but with an increasing number of squadrons, PAWG divided split each group into northern and southern sections, creating six groups in 2007.
Reporting to each group are 60 squadrons. Squadrons are the local level of organization and serve the local community, and squadrons meet weekly to conduct conducts training, activities, classroom learning and programs to carry out the three missions of Civil Air Patrol - Emergency Services, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace Education.
There are three types of Civil Air Patrol squadrons.
  1. A cadet squadron focus primarily on providing for cadets.
  2. A senior squadron is a unit dedicated to allowing senior members to focus on CAP's missions.
  3. Composite squadrons have both cadets and senior members working together.
As of December 1, 2014, the PA Wing operates 60 squadrons, in six groups, 15 aircraft, 34 ground vehicles and a state-wide radio communications network that is operational 24/7 and is part of a national network.

Groups and Squadrons

Group 1

Group 1 is responsible for operations in and around the Pittsburgh area.
Squadron NumberName/Location/TypeNotes
Group 1 HeadquartersAllegheny County Airport
Squadron 601Washington Composite
Squadron 602Allegheny County Composite
Squadron 603Golden Triangle Composite
Squadron 606Greene County Compositewww.squadron606.us
Squadron 704Beaver County Composite
Squadron 712Butler Composite
Squadron 1502Somerset Composite

Group 2

Group 2 operates around Harrisburg.
Squadron NumberName/Location/TypeNotes
Group 2 HeadquartersFort Indiantown Gap
Squadron 301York Composite
Squadron 302Capital City Composite
Squadron 304Jesse Jones Composite
Squadron 306Harrisburg International Composite
Squadron 307Lebanon Composite Squadron 307
Squadron 308Gettysburg Composite
Squadron 811Reading Composite

Group 3

Group 3 operates in the greater Philadelphia area.
Squadron NumberName/Location/TypeNotes
Group 3 HeadquartersWillow Grove JRB
Squadron 102Philadelphia CompositeUnit Citation Award
Squadron 103Philadelphia CompositeUnit Citation Award
Squadron 104Northeast Philadelphia Composite
Squadron 812General Carl A. Spaatz Composite
Squadron 902Willow Grove JRB CompositeUnit Citation Award
Squadron 1006West Philadelphia CompositeUnit Citation Award
Squadron 1007Delco Composite
Squadron 1008Chester County Composite

Group 4

Group 4 conducts operations in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Lehigh Valley areas.
Squadron NumberName/Location/TypeNotes
Group 4 HeadquartersQuakertown Airport
Squadron 101Lower Bucks Squadron
Squadron 201Scranton Composite
Squadron 203Luzerne County Composite
Squadron 207Mt Pocono Composite
Squadron 251Hilltown Senior
Squadron 805Lehigh Valley Composite Squadron
Squadron 807Bangor Slate Belt Composite
Squadron 904Quakertown CompositeUnit Citation Award
Squadron 907Doylestown CompositeUnit Citation Award

Group 5

The Group 5 region encompasses much of North Central Pennsylvania, including State College, Altoona, and Williamsport.
Squadron NumberName/Location/TypeNotes
Group 5 HeadquartersState College
Squadron 335Bedford County Composite
Squadron 338Nittany Composite
Squadron 401Williamsport Composite
Squadron 522Columbia County Composite
Squadron 714Jimmy Stewart Composite
Squadron 1504Keystone Country Composite

Group 6

Group 6 is responsible for operations near Erie.
Squadron NumberName/Location/TypeNotes
Group 6 HeadquartersGreenville
Squadron 124Tri City Composite
Squadron 125Armstrong County Composite
Squadron 332Mercer County Composite
Squadron 337Lawrence County Composite
Squadron 501Major Don Beatty Composite
Squadron 502Erie Composite
Squadron 503Crawford County Composite
Squadron 504Clarion Composite
Squadron 505Warren County Composite
Squadron 507Elk County Composite