Salty Dawgs Lecture Series: The Civil Air Patrol

Take advantage of an opportunity to learn about a little-known group of heroes during World War II at this special presentation that’s part of the acclaimed Salty Dawg Lecture Series at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum.

Occurring almost simultaneously with the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, civilian aviators convinced the United States War Department that they could be of service as an auxiliary air patrol, and their initial request and efforts led to the formation of the Civil Air Patrol. Two branches of this organization set up Coastal Patrol Bases along the North Carolina coastline in order to scour the area up to 1,500 miles out to sea. These bases, located in Manteo and Beaufort, performed an instrumental service as the brave civilian pilots risked their lives to keep our own home shorelines safe throughout the war. Historian John Ratzenberger will go into the details of their service - from their daily tasks, to their instrumental assistance during the Battle of the Atlantic - during this informative presentation that will be an enlightening look into both local and national history. Held at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, this free event is sure to be a fascinating peek into a relatively unsung chapter of WWII