A Congressional Gold Medal was awarded collectively Dec. 10, the U.S. Mint announced.
It was given to World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) during a ceremony in Emancipation Hall in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. All of these individuals were recognized for their humanitarian, combat and national service 1941-1945.
The CAP began operations under the Office of Civilian Defense Dec. 1, 1941, just prior to the Japanese Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor. Within a few months, the unpaid volunteers became involved in military operations by assisting the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy.
Using privately owned aircraft and personal funding, the CAP members performed numerous essential tasks in support of the military and the nation, including armed convoy and antisubmarine patrols off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
The heroic air crew is credited with escorting more than 5,600 convoys, reporting 173 U-boats and attacking 57, flying 86,685 total missions, logging 244,600 total flight hours, and flying more than 24 million total miles, according to the Mint.
The medal’s obverse was designed by U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart.
Weaver designed the reverse and it was sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Michael Gaudioso.
This article was originally printed in Numismatic News.
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