This piece was written with the assistance of members of the St. Louis Park CAP community, including Col. Gerald Quilling, LtCol. Thomas B. Theis, and Stan Kegel.
ABOUT CAP
The concept of the Civil Air Patrol was developed just before the onset of World War II, a week before Pearl Harbor. Its first concern was the defense of America’s coastlines. These early civilian pilots sank two enemy submarines and rescued hundreds of crash survivors. CAP became the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary after the war, but conditions of its incorporation in 1948 stated that it would be strictly civilian and never again be involved in combat.
Today CAP accepts young people ages 12 (or sixth grade) to 18 into the cadet program and adults any age and from any background and experience. The group has always been coeducational. The program has three primary missions: aerospace education, cadet programs, and emergency services. Each July, a flight academy is held in Mankato, where members learn to fly single-engine piston aircraft or unpowered glider. Missions can include searching for missing persons, transporting body tissue for transplants, and helping with rescue operations for downed planes. Other local activities include survival training, radio communications, model rocketry, disaster relief, photography, and sports.
National activities include an International Air Cadet Exchange, Cadet Officer School, and training in pararescue, aviation, national emergency services, weather, the military music academy, and space camp.
ST. LOUIS PARK SQUADRON
The St. Louis Park Civil Air Patrol Squadron met for the first time at the Village Hall in February 1953. Its purpose was the promotion of aviation for teens aged 15-18. The group was led by First Lt. Richard B. Bates, with Robert Dudley as the executive officer.
Col. Gerald Quilling joined the St. Louis Park Squadron in 1957. He was Squadron Commander from 1959 to 1961. In 1959, the St. Louis Park would also include participants from surrounding suburbs. At its peak, the St. Louis Park Squadron had 75 members “on the floor” and three airplanes.
Encampments and educational trips to locations around the country took place at various times during the year. Other activities included regional conferences, fundraisers, parades, drill competitions, and dances. The group was always on call to help with search and rescue operations.
In 1961 the St. Louis Park Squadron met at Central Jr. High, where Col. Quilling taught math and social studies. The Squadron had to leave Central due to the change in use of the building in the mid 1980’s. At that time, the Squadron met at the American Legion Post in St. Louis Park. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, the Squadron met at the Brookside Community Center. Since the 1990’s, the Squadron meets at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, preferred because it is closer to an airport.
At some point the St. Louis Park group was renamed the Bearcat Squadron, and sometime in the 1980’s it was one of several groups that merged to form Viking Squadron. In the 1980’s, Viking Squadron was largely focused on the CAP cadet program and the ground team part of the CAP search and rescue emergency services mission. Viking Squadron worked to achieve high levels of professionalism and readiness. The unit was called on for a number of search and rescue operations, searching for missing persons, missing aircraft, and emergency locator transmitters. In the 1990’s, the Squadron focused on growing its adult officer program and increasing the number of pilots in the unit.
Faced with low participation in the late 1990’s, the group was rejuvenated by a new group of leaders that joined the program after the move to Eden Prairie. An influx of home-schoolers has also contributed to the health of the Squadron.
GERALD QUILLING
Col. Gerald Quilling’ interest in flying began when he built model airplanes as a child. In High School he made model planes for the Navy for aircraft recognition training. He earned his pilot’s license at age 18 – his first passenger was his mother. He was a master sergeant in the Army during the time of the Korean War.
Col. Quilling joined CAP in 1943 in his hometown of Mankato. He became a senior member in 1950, a member of the Minnesota Wing Staff from 1954-1957, and promoted to Captain in 1958. He served as Commander of the St. Louis Park squad from 1959 to 1961. In October 1961, he was promoted to Commander of Group VIII Headquarters, responsible for units in St. Louis Park, Richfield, Bloomington, Minneapolis University, North Hennepin, Minnetonka, St. Paul, and Anoka. He served as Wing (State) Commander. Col. Quilling is a 2005 recipient of CAP’s Frank G. Brewer Memorial Aerospace Lifetime Achievement Award. He is still a flight instructor, and in 2006 he was flying with his grandson, who is a licensed pilot.