Evening star., 1942-01-04
Private Flyers Told
To Help War Effort Or
Accept Grounding
PIunes Over Restricted
Areas Very Likely
To Be Shot Down
By w. H. sHIPPEN, Jr.

To Be Shot Down
BY w. H. SHIPPEN, Jr.
Private flyers must join some sort
Of organized war effort or accept
almost total grounding for the dura-
ton.
This fact wassconveyed gently but
firmly yesterday to aviation writers
invited here by Federal authorities
in hope they will help get the gen.
eral idea across to the public.
It was explained in all courtesy
that fighter planes are now alott
with loaded guns to insure that no
unauthorized flyers will go barging
about over areas which might be
damaged or mapped from the sky.
This was made clear in nice way.
IF you're making an unauthor-
ized flight over some restricted
area" said Maj. Reed Lands. avia-
tion aide to Mayor La Guardla. d.
rector Of Civilian Defense. don't
worry about having your license re-
voked, or that you may be fned OF
Jailed you may be shot down.
"very Likely" to Be Shot Down.
Questioned on the subject, Maj.
Gen. John F.. Curry, formerly OF the
Army Air Corps, and new COM
mander of the Civil Air Patrol. de-
clared that no private airplane
should fly in the United States
whose flight plans are not known to
the Air Force Combat Command
He added that planes making un-
authorized flights over sections
deemed important in the defense
scheme are very likely to be shot
down. and properly so"
The meeting was called at the
Commerce Department auditorium
to enlist support of the writer's In
organization of the National Civil
Air Patrol. More than 1000 appI-
cations a day are being received al
the Office of Civilian Defense fol
enrolment in the c. A. P. 1t was
said. and this number is increasing
Women as we'll as men are being
accepted. along with ground per-
sonnel, airport guards and helpers
automobile drivers, clerical en-
ployes, medical officers, etc.
Many Pilots on Duty Now.
Many experienced pilots who have
applied for enrolment in the patro
now are being assigned to ferryine
military planes for the combat serv-
Ices, it was said. Request for the
names of qualified flyers was made
of Gen. Curry by the War Depart
ment shortly after the first appll-
cations began to flood C. A. P head
quarters. The general admitted his
group is losing some of its best mer
before they can be enrolled but eX-
pressed qualification that the armed
services will benefit.
The c. A. P. units of which are
being formed at Congressional Air
port on Rockville pike, in Maryland
and at Beacon Airport. on the Rich
mond highway below Alexandria, i:
rapidly being welded into nationa
utility organization under command
Of Gen. Curry.
Already the State wings. still il
process of formation. have beer
called on to discharge urgent mis-
sions. In Ohio, for example, uni
Identified airplanes were flying owe
certain arsenals. Gas pipe lines vita
to defense plants needed to be pa
trolled. C. A. P. pilots located ant
grounded the Objectionable planes
and still are patrolling the pipt
lines.
Airport Helpers Needed.
Other requests made on the
c. A. P. have been for volunteer
airport helpers to gas bombers ano
fighters in mass flights. to provide
transportation for military pilots
to and from airports, to aid the
Forest Service in fire-preventior
patrols, to patrol coast lines, INLAND
waterways and bridges, to act as
volunteer airport guards, to tow
targets for anti-aircraft batterie:
and provide practice for search
light batteries and civilian spottel
nets
Mai. Lands expressed the view
that the c. A. P. is the best mean:
Of keeping private flying active a
a time when all other warning ma
tions have eliminated this form
of aviation. He warned this nigh
happen in the United States un
less private flyers can organize ant
demonstrate their usefulness ant
self f-discipline.
A staff of volunteers at the Offlc
of Civilian Defense is checking ap
plications for enrolment in tn
c. A. P. with the files of the Fedora
Bureau of Investigation, the Civ
Aeronautics Administration an
other Government agencies. Ac
ceptances are being returned a
rapidly as possible to wing com
manders Of the various States.
Training Planned.
The general training plan for tf
c. A. P. was explained by Col. Harl
Blee. in charge of this phase OF tf
program. He said there would be
training and operations officer a
tached to each wing, group ar
squadron.
The first general course will
on military courtesy and dlsclplln
Col. Blee said, followed by infantl
drill as applied to foot troops witt
out arms. This, he said, should col
tribute to morale and the spirit
cohesion
The third study will be that
the local civilian defense setup, IL
cluding special course OF first a
Martin, Flynn