The Civil Air Patrol was born one week before Pearl Harbor after volunteers with a love for aviation lobbied for an organization to put their planes and flying skills to use in defense of the country. After World War Two, the Civil Air Patrol was given the mission areas of aerospace education, cadet programs and emergency services.
In South Dakota, the volunteers of the state Civil Air Patrol do everything from locating missing planes, finding missing persons to surveying storm damage and sandbagging. Governor Dennis Daugaard has proclaimed June as General Aviation Appreciation month in South Dakota. The official proclamation cites the importance of general aviation for the state’s response to emergencies and natural disasters.
Col. John Seten, South Dakota Wing Commander of the Civil Air Patrol, joined Dakota Midday.