Established in the opening days of World War II, the Civil Air Patrol was organized to provide civilian assistance with a variety of military activities including Coastal Defense. Utilizing privately-owned light aircraft, these citizen volunteers patrolled Atlantic waters in search of German submarines and their victims. Some of these planes were subsequently armed. A small unpaved airfield located on the west side of nearby Airport Road was the second of 21 bases on the East Coast established for submarine detection. During 1942 and 1943, CAP members assigned to this location flew countless missions in search of enemy vessels. Though coastal patrol duties were later assumed by the regular military, the “Flying Minute Men” of the Civil Air Patrol continued to serve with distinction through the remainder of the war.
Installed in 2006.
The Honorable F. Gary Simpson, Delaware State Senate, 2006
35721 Airport Road, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Related Topics: Citizen Volunteers, Civil Air Patrol, Coastal Defense, Flying Minute Men, Historic Location, Historical Markers, Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, World War II, WWII