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Last Updated on Sunday, 18 December 2011 00:10

NEWS - Squadron 35 earned "Squadron of the Year" in California Wing...second year in a row!!

Squadron 35 is part of a national volunteer organization called the Civil Air Patrol. CAP was first formed in 1941 and is now a Civillian Auxiliary unit of the Unites States Air Force. CAP has three missions: Aerospace education, Emergency Services and Cadet operations.

Squadron 35, headquartered at Whiteman Airport in Los Angeles, was chartered in 1942. Its diverse membership is united by a common love of aviation, and it is acknowledged as one of the most active squadrons within the California Wing of CAP. The squadron has an active senior membership of between 60-70 members, including 11 Mission Pilots, 8 Transport Pilots and 35 Mission Observers, all of whom believe in and help maintain that spirit of service that earned CAP the nickname “The Flying Minutemen." The squadron operates numerous Cessna aircraft (our unit is assigned a Cessna 206) and manages highly trained volunteer flight crews and ground support teams dedicated to community service.

The Squadron 35 compound is named Gibson Base in honor of Major Vern Gibson, a long time pilot and manufacturer at Whiteman Airport, this CAP facility functions as headquarters for two distinct units: San Fernando Senior Squadron 35, which maintains and operates the base, and Cadet Squadron 137. The compound was formally dedicated in December of 1999 to celebrate the 58th anniversary of the formation of the Civil Air Patrol. Gibson Base is maintained as an operational Search Base and Disaster Relief Headquarters. Squadron 35 manages the Gibson Base facilities for flight briefings, mission operations, communications, supply, and administration.

The base was activated on the 11th of September 2001 following the attacks on the WTC in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.. During the next ten days, it functioned as a coordination site for transport flights between Southern California and Oakland when CAP was assigned the task of delivering vital blood supplies for the American Red Cross.

CAP conducts over 90% of all aerial search and rescues in the U.S. Squadron 35 participates in the majority of those in our area. In addition to aerial search and rescue, a typical mission may involve mercy flights (e.g., medical or evacuation), ground search and debris removal, transport of critical cargo and personnel, surveying flood or fire damage, or reconnaissance in support of law enforcement and homeland security. Gibson Base was activated on the 11th of September 2001 following the attacks on the WTC in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The base and Squadron 35 continues to serve a vital Homeland Security role. Squadron 35 transported blood supplies after the airlines and general aviation were grounded following the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center. Our aircrews also responded to the New Orleans flood.

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