The Ohio Wing (OHWG) of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of CAP in the state of Ohio. The Ohio Wing headquarters are located in Columbus at the Defense Supply Center, Columbus. The wing is a member of the Great Lakes Region of the CAP.

History The Ohio Wing's foundation corresponds with the late 1930s movement to organize civilian aviation for domestic defense. In 1940 in Toledo, Milton Knight organized a Civil Air Reserve unit. After taking office in 1939, Governor John W. Bricker appointed Cleveland resident Earle L. Johnson as Director of the Ohio Bureau of Aeronautics. A graduate of the Ohio State University, Johnson's interest in aviation began in the mid-1920s thanks to his neighbor and Cleveland native David Ingalls, the only United States Navy fighter ace from World War I. While working for Governor Bricker, Johnson in September 1941 organized Ohio's civilian pilots into a state Civil Air Defense wing. When the federal Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) established the Civil Air Patrol in December 1941, the state Civil Air Defense wing evolved into a CAP wing, with Johnson serving as the first wing commander. In March 1942, Johnson entered active army service and succeeded Major General John F. Curry as the national commander of the CAP, a position he held until his death in 1947."Civil Air Patrol Commander, Two Others Killed in Crash," The Washington Post, 17 February 1947.

The Ohio Wing grew rapidly following the onset of the war. Governor Bricker joined CAP in May 1942, as did Congressman John M. Vorys, himself a World War I naval aviator and former director of the Ohio Bureau of Aeronautics. By July 1942, the wing numbered 3,282 men and women organized in nine groups and 39 squadrons, making the Ohio Wing the third largest CAP wing in the nation; over 4,200 members served in the Ohio Wing by 31 October 1942. Ohio squadrons undertook a variety of missions on behalf of the war effort, including searches for scrap metal, aerial patrol over the state's valuable timber resources, preventing large forest fires from erupting, surveillance of coal, oil, and gas resources, patrolling flood-stricken areas across the state, and served as aerial couriers during the war."Civil Air Patrol Volunteers Comb the Clouds for Uncle Sam," The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, July 26, 1942.

Ohio, far removed from the U-boat menace, resolved to contribute to the coastal patrol effort. In July 1942, Vorys made an open request for volunteers to help form an all-Ohio CAP Coastal Patrol base, which was authorized on July 16, 1942, by the activation of Coastal Patrol Base No. 14 at Panama City, Florida. Aircrews spotted oil slicks, debris, reported suspected U-boats, remains of crashed aircraft, and anything out of the ordinary. They assisted in the rescue of shipwreck survivors, reported sinking or suspicious vessels to the military, and ensured that the valuable tankers and supply vessels leaving ports in the Gulf made their way safely to military forces in Europe and the Pacific.Louis E. Keefer, From Maine to Mexico: With America's Private Pilots in the Fight Against Nazi U-Boats. Reston, V.A.: COTU Publishing, 1997, pp. 316-45.

Since World War II, the Ohio Wing has continued to prosper, developing scores of young men and women into model citizens and future personnel in the armed forces. Members of the wing have assisted in the rescue of downed aviators, provided assistance to state and national officials in natural disasters and local emergencies, and proudly represented the Birthplace of Aviation by promoting Ohio's aviation resources and heritage.

In January 2009, members of the Ohio Wing, along with CAP members from the Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky Wings, flew sorties surveying damage and boosting communications for the Kentucky National Guard following a severe ice storm in Kentucky, while CAP ground crews assisted National Guardsmen in going door to door to perform wellness checks on residents.

Annual encampment The Ohio Wing holds a cadet encampment annually. Serving as a weeklong training camp for cadets, the encampment involves instruction in discipline, teamwork, and leadership. Other activities involve instruction in drill and ceremonies, customs and courtesies, basic CAP knowledge and military tradition. Encampment attendance is a prerequisite for the Gen. Billy Mitchell Award. Senior members may also be awarded the ribbon for providing leadership at CAP this encampment. The encampment has been held in several locations over the years, including but not limited to: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in Dayton, Ohio, Athletes in Action sports complex, in Xenia, Ohio, Camp James A. Garfield, in Newton Falls, Ohio, and most recently, Wright State University, in Fairborn, Ohio.

Groups and squadrons

+ Groups and squadrons of the Ohio Wing Group Number Squadron name Location Wing Headquarters GLR-OH-001 Ohio Wing Headquarters Columbus GLR-OH-000 Ohio Reserve Squadron Columbus GLR-OH-999 Ohio Wing Legislative Squadron Columbus Southwest Group GLR-OH-044 Southwest Headquarters Blue Ash GLR-OH-037 Wright-Patterson Composite Squadron Wright-Patterson AFB GLR-OH-078 Lunken Cadet Squadron Cincinnati GLR-OH-114 Don Gentile Composite Squadron 709 Piqua GLR-OH-145 Lt Col Jerome P. Ashman Composite Squadron Maineville GLR-OH-178 Springfield ANGB Composite Squadron Springfield GLR-OH-197 Dayton Aero Cadet Squadron 706 Troy GLR-OH-244 Lt Col James R. Sanders Senior Squadron Blue Ash GLR-OH-279 Clermont County Composite Squadron Batavia GLR-OH-284 Wright Brothers Composite Squadron Miamisburg GLR-OH-288 Pathfinder Cadet Squadron Middletown Northeast Group GLR-OH-058 Northeast Headquarters Cleveland GLR-OH-003 Lorain County Composite Squadron Elyria GLR-OH-051 Youngstown ARS Composite Squadron Vienna GLR-OH-096 96th Composite Squadron Stow GLR-OH-131 Cuyahoga County Cadet Squadron Brecksville GLR-OH-219 Median County Skyhawks Composite Squadron Wadsworth GLR-OH-236 Lakefront Senior Squadron Cleveland GLR-OH-252 Frank H. Kettlewood Composite Squadron Painesville GLR-OH-275 Akron-Canton Senior Flying Squadron Green GLR-OH-278 Akron-Canton Composite Squadron North Canton Northwest Group GLR-OH-064 Northwest Headquarters Bowling Green GLR-OH-016 Toledo ANGB Composite Squadron Swanton GLR-OH-018 Wood County Senior Squadron Bowling Green GLR-OH-177 Mansfield 177th Squadron Mansfield GLR-OH-298 Flag City Composite Squadron FindlayGLR-OH-802Galion City Schools Cadet SquadronGalion Southeast Group GLR-OH-291 Southeast Headquarters Columbus GLR-OH-085 Columbus Senior Squadron Columbus GLR-OH-121 Rickenbacker ANGB Composite Squadron South of Columbus GLR-OH-139 Columbus Composite Squadron Worthington GLR-OH-157 Licking County Composite Squadron Newark GLR-OH-234 Victor A. Hammond Composite Squadron Marysville GLR-OH-299Knox County Airport Cadet FlightMt Vernon

+ Former Groups and Squadrons of the Ohio Wing Group Number Squadron name Location Group I GLR-OH-156 Warren County Cadet Squadron Lebanon Group II GLR-OH-293 Headquarters Group II Columbus Group IV GLR-OH-004 Eagle Composite Squadron Beachwood Group V GLR-OH-292 Headquarters Group V Cleveland Group VI GLR-OH-801 Sandusky High School Cadet Squadron Sandusky Group VII GLR-OH-070 Ross P. Barrett Composite Squadron Springfield GLR-OH-227 Xenia Cadet Squadron Xenia GLR-OH-231 Grand Lake Composite Squadron Celina GLR-OH-282 Wright Brothers Composite Squadron Dayton GLR-OH-285 Dayton Senior Squadron Wright-Patterson AFBGroup VIIIGLR-OH-115Capt Eddie Rickenbacker Composite SquadronColumbusGLR-OH-210Rickenbacker ANGB Composite SquadronLancaster, Ohio GLR-OH-243 Ross County Senior Squadron Chillicothe

Wing commanders

+Commanders of the Ohio Wing of the Civil Air Patrol Commander's name Period of service Earle L. Johnson* December 1, 1941 – April 1, 1942 Col George A. Stone, Jr. April 7, 1942 – June 1, 1947 Col John R. McGuire June 1, 1947 – July 17, 1951 Col Edmund P. Lunken July 17, 1951 – September 23, 1953 Col John O. Swarts September 23, 1953 – September 14, 1957 Lt Col Lyle W. Castle September 14, 1957 – August 12, 1960 Col Robert H. Herweh August 12, 1960 – December 6, 1963 Col William W. Kight December 6, 1963 – December 8, 1967 Col Patrick R. Sorohan December 8, 1967 – June 1, 1970 Col Gerald M. Tartaglione June 1, 1970 – June 1, 1974 Col Leon W. Dillon June 1, 1974 – January 4, 1978 Col Claude H. Fore, Jr. (interim) January 4, 1978 – December 1, 1978 Col Marjorie J. Swain December 1, 1978 – February 20, 1983 Col Loren G. Gillespie February 20, 1983 – May 6, 1987 Col Larkin C. Durdin May 6, 1987 – December 31, 1989 Col Leslie S. Bryant December 31, 1989 – January 1, 1992 Col Carl C. Stophlet, Jr. January 1, 1992 – October 1, 1994 Col Jacquelyn L. Hartigan October 1, 1994 – September 19, 1998 Col Robert M. Sponseller September 19, 1998 – August 4, 1999 Col Michael J. Murrell August 4, 1999 – September 14, 2003 Col Charles L. Carr, Jr.* September 14, 2003 – March 1, 2007 Col Dave Winters (interim) March 1, 2007 – June 6, 2007 Col Dave Winters June 6, 2007 – June 11, 2011 Col Gregory L. Mathews June 11, 2011 – June 23, 2013 Col Theodore L. Shaffer October 13, 2013 – October 14, 2017Col David J. JennisonOctober 14, 2017 – May 28, 2021Col Peter K. BowdenMay 28, 2021 – April 20, 2024Col David A. "DAD" DlugiewiczApril 20, 2024 – Present * denotes commanders who have gone on to become the national commander of the Civil Air Patrol.

See also Ohio Air National Guard Ohio Army National Guard Ohio Military Reserve Ohio Naval Militia

References

External links