North Dakota Wing Civil Air Patrol
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History

ND Wing aircraft and vehicle at the West Fargo Airport during the 1950s.

Historical information for the ND Wing CAP is currently being researched. As information is recovered, new articles, information and photographs will be added from the archives. Due to the limited resources available, it will take some time to reconstruct a complete history of the North Dakota Wing. We are especially in need of any information about the Wing prior to 1976. If you have information to contribute, please contact LtCol Chad Grondahl or the ND Wing Headquarters. News clippings, magazine articles, photographs or other artifacts should be mailed to:

ND Wing Civil Air Patrol
P.O. Box 608
Bismarck, ND 58502-0608

For information from the ND Wing publication WINGSPAN, click here.

House Bill No. 691
The following history of the North Dakota Wing was included as an addendum to House Bill No. 691 for the Thirty-Sixth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota. This legislation was signed into law by Gov. John E. Davis on 19 March 1959, creating the North Dakota Department of Civil Air Patrol.

Gov. Davis signs H.B. 691 into law as ND Wing Commander Col. Stanley C. Frank looks on.

FACTS ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA WING, CIVIL AIR PATROL

The North Dakota Wing, Civil Air Patrol was organized in 1942 to assist in the Civil and Military Defense of our country. The members compiled an enviable record during the war years and also established the Civil Air Patrol Cadet program in the State of North Dakota. Since the Cadet program was established 737 youth of North Dakota have spent 10 days in summer camp at Air Force bases; 18 youth have participated in the International Air Cadet Exchange Program visiting such countries as Switzerland, Portugal, Brazil, Belgium, Spain, England, Peru, Greece, Norway, Denmark, and Cuba; 6 girl cadets have visited Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico; 3 cadets have attended a Jet Orientation Course at an Air Force base and 3 have attended the Congressional Dinner held in Washington, D.C.

The North Dakota Wing, Civil Air Patrol has units located at Bowman, Hettinger, Dickinson, Williston, Watford City, New Town, Minot, Devils Lake, Langdon, Grafton-Park River, Grand Forks, Cooperstown, Valley City, Enderlin, Wheatland and Fargo-Moorhead. The Wing Headquarters and United States Air Force Liaison Office are located at Fargo, North Dakota. Units are contemplated at Crosby and Bottineau.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN RESCUE AND DISASTER RELIEF
MARCH 1945 CAP flew a series of flights transporting blood from Fargo to Grand Forks to stock the blood donor bank set up by the State Health Department.
FEBRUARY 1946 Relief supplies, including food and medical supplies were flown to five snowbound towns in Cavalier County. In the same month, road conditions were surveyed in the area.
APRIL 1947 Aerial Survey of Red River concerning flood conditions.
NOVEMBER 1947 Search for missing person in McIntosh area.
JANUARY 1948 Establish CAP radio network in North Dakota.
FEBRUARY 1948 Search for five missing persons in Minot area. Flew supplies and mail to marooned farmers in Emerado area.
JANUARY 1949 Flew food and fuel to farmers marooned in Minot area, Bowman area and Watford City area.
FEBRUARY 1949 Received letter of appreciation from North Dakota Air Guard for participation in search for Air Guard pilot.
MARCH 1949 CAP member delivered mail by air due to road conditions.
MAY 1949 Received letter of commendation from Secretary of the Air Force for participation in relief work in North Dakota.
JUNE 1949 North Dakota CAP radio network connected to national network to Washington, D C.
JANUARY 1950 Participated in snow survey in Stutsman County.
APRIL 1950 Search for missing aircraft in McHentry County.
MARCH 1951 Assisted Ground Observers Corps in Defense Test.
MARCH 1951 Participated in search for missing person in Van Hook area.
APRIL 1951 Letter of appreciation from President of Minneapolis Moline Co. for search for missing person in Van Hook area.
MARCH 1952 Mercy flights flown in Bowman and Dickinson areas. Snow survey in Lidgerwood area.
SEPTEMBER 1954 NORTH DAKOTA WING, CAP, received tribute from USAF Air Rescue Service.
JUNE 1954 Participated in search for missing Moorhead pilot.
OCTOBER 1954 Participated in search for missing boy in the Powers Lake area.
FEBRUARY 1957 Participated in search for missing pilot in the Williston area.
JUNE 1957 Participated in Fargo Tornado disaster, rescue, radio communications, traffic control Red Cross locater service.
JULY 1957 Participated in search for missing person in Wildrose area.
NOVEMBER 1957 Participated in search for missing Air National Guard Pilot in Grand Forks area.
MARCH 1958 Participated in search for missing boy in Fargo area.
NOVEMBER 1958 Furnished radio communications for power company in Langdon-Devils Lake area during blizzard.
 
 
CAP Speeds Aid Within 12 Minutes
After Tornado Smashes Fargo, N.D.
 
IN THE SHADOW of destruction left by the smashing winds of a tornado, Fargo (N.D.) CAP members plan rescue and relief operations. Civil Air Patrol volunteers were on the job 12 minutes after the crushing winds hit Fargo late in June.

-- Red Cross Photos by Ray A. Palmer
FARGO, N. D., June 25 -- Civil Air Patrol volunteers leaped into action and were on duty 12 minutes after a lashing tornado whirled through the city leaving death, destruction and misery in its wreckage-marked wake.

According to Ray A. Palmer of the Cass County Chapter of the American Red Cross, the enitre Fargo CAP staff -- 99 seniors and 57 cadets -- turned out to offer help in the disaster.

Four mobile units and a central dispatch office, set up by CAP, became the communications system for Fargo. With all regular channels of communications knocked out by the tornado, CAP radio was the "vital link" in the mammoth Red Cross job of listing victims and locating missing persons.

600 Relief Calls

In the 24 hours following the tornado, some 600 calls came into Red Cross relief headquarters. Red Cross and CAP members, working around the clock received these messages, checked out the families concerned, and sent out replies -- all through CAP radio facilities.

The crushing tornado, on of the worst of the season, ripped through business and residential areas in Fargo. Civil Air Patrol members responding to the emergency described the scene as "frightening" and the destruction "sickening."

In providing the "long arm" of communications, CAP made Red Cross relief activities possible. As CAP members probed the wreckage for the dead and injured, other CAP volunteers worked with Red Cross people in directing rescue operations, maintaining communications, and tabulating "safe," "hospital" and "death" lists.

Members of the CAP units in Fargo received praise from the Red Cross for their services.

"We want to compliment your organization . . . for the perfectly magnificent job they did," a Red Cross spokesman said today.

SENIOR AND CADET members turned out 156-strong in Fargo to assist Red Cross and other volunteers in the wake of the devastating tornado that struck the city in June. At Red Cross relief headquarters messages moved in and out, at the rate of 600 during the first 24 hours, thanks to CAP emergency communications facilities.
 

(Reprinted from the July 11, 1957 edition of the Civil Air Patrol News)
 
READY TO BOARD a C-124 Globemaster at Hector Airport Tuesday were 61 cadets of the N.D. Civil Air Patrol, who will attend a 10-day CAP encampment at Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rapid City, S. D. The group included 21 cadets from Fargo-Moorhead, and others from Grand Forks, Minot, Devils Lake, Grafton, Dickinson, Langdon and New Town.

(July 16, 1958)
 
 
North Dakota Wing Commanders
Col. Karl Altenburg April 2006
to
Present
Col. K. Walter Vollmers April 2002
to
April 2006
Col. Thomas D. Weston March 1998
to
April 2002
Col. Laurence L. Ruebel March 1994
to
March 1998
Col. Wynola F. Thornton-Eide April 1990
to
March 1994
Col. Paul E. Eide July 1984
to
April 1990
Col. Thomas A. Dahle December 1982
to
July 1984
Col. David E. Wachal December 1980
to
December 1982
Col. Maurice E. Cook May 1976
to
June 1980
Col. Kermit K. Schauer August 1974
to
May 1976
Col. Erling A. Nasset July 1972
to
August 1974
Col. Richard A. Salsman September 1968
to
July 1972
Col. Stanley C. Frank February 1957
to
September 1968
Photo Not
Available
John M. Kurke December 1954
to
February 1957
Photo Not
Available
Paul S. Roel October 1951
to
December 1954
Photo Not
Available
Julias M. Hetland September 1950
to
October 1951
Photo Not
Available
Floyd W. Plath February 1949
to
September 1950
Photo Not
Available
Lt. Col. Irven A. Myrha August 1944
to
February 1949
Photo Not
Available
W. E. Van Walker November 1942
to
August 1944
Photo Not
Available
Arthur M. Sampson December 1941
to
November 1942

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Last modified: 4 January 2008 by Lt Col Ludlow