Special: First Items in Lt. Col. Dick Forman CAP Historical Collection

In June of 2010, Dr. Dick Forman, a thirty year-plus member of the South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, died.  Lt. Col. Forman had also taught at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. for 50 years.  His wife and son were also involved in CAP and they too rose to the rank of Lt. Col.

Lt. Col. Forman's family not only donated a fund for cadet programs at the Sioux Falls Composite Squadron in his honor, but also donated his many CAP items, ranging from model airplanes, aviation books, uniform items, patches, ribbons, and a many, many other items.


As squadron historian, with the help of several of our cadets, I have been slowly going through the collection.  My goal is to put together a physical display of some of the more more interesting and unique items at our squadron.  But I also wanted to make sure the collection can be accessed online, so I have began "digitizing" the collection.

Here is the first group of items I've photographed.  Believe me, there's much more to come.  I need assistance on identifying some of the items.  Please leave a comment or email me at eppcap(at)gmail(dot)com if you have any additional information you can add.

Lt. Col. Forman influenced generations of Augie students and CAP cadets and senior members.  I greatly appreciate his and his family's service to CAP and for this generous donation!

Item description starting at top right and going clockwise. 1. 1980s "Smurf Suit."  2. Obsolete CAP clip-on tie.  3. Ham radio vehicle window sticker.  4. Classic CAP bumper sticker.  5. Mess dress CAP emblem.  6. Ribbon holder.  7. Old SDWG patch.  8. (Top left) Old CAP/AFX patch.
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August 28, 2006: ARCHER-equipped Airplane Brought in for North Dakota Search

Image via Wikipedia

On this date in 2006, an ARCHER-equipped Gipsland Airvan joined elements of the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota Civil Air Patrol in the search for a missing pilot.

An excerpt from the Sioux City Journal:

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- Officials brought in an airplane with a special imaging system on Sunday to help search for a small plane that went missing in stormy weather on Thursday.  The Gippsland GA-8 Airvan, an Australian-made aircraft based in Minneapolis, is one of 15 aircraft stationed across the nation equipped with the ARCHER system, said Rick Robinson, a spokesman for the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services. ARCHER stands for Airborne Real-Time Cueing Hyper-spectral Enhanced Reconnaissance system. . . The search on Sunday, which was called off around 8 p.m., included two aircraft from North Dakota, five from South Dakota and seven from Minnesota. With two ground crews, there were a total of 70 Civil Air Patrol personnel involved in the search.

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June 21, 1946: South Dakota Wing Hosts Air Show Featuring a Jet

On this date in 1946, the South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (my home wing) sponsored an air show at the Sioux Falls Army Air Base (now South Dakota Air National Guard Base) and featured a jet aircraft.

This item comes courtesy of Lt. Col. Mark Hess of the Georgia Wing.  Thank you for an awesome find and sharing it!

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May 23, 1947: SD CAP to Hold First Air Races Since 1934

On this date in 1947, a South Dakota newspaper reported that the Civil Air Patrol was holding the first air races at the Sioux Falls airport since 1934 and sponsoring an air fair on May 25, 1947.

Below is an actual clipping of the article from, what I believe, is from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.  The clipping is courtesy of Mark Hess, Lt. Col, CAP of the Georgia Wing.

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May 21, 2003: South Dakota CAP Locates Gyrocopter Crash Site

Image by pilot_micha via Flickr

On this date, the South Dakota Civil Air Patrol located the site of a fatal gyrocopter crash.

An excerpt from the SDWG and the Codington County Sheriff's Office:

At approximately 12:45 p.m., on May 21, 2003, wreckage was spotted by the Civil Air Patrol approximately 1 – 3/4 miles northeast of South Shore. The aircraft was piloted by one subject who did not survive the crash. The Codington County Sheriffs Office, Codington County Emergency Management, the Civil Air Patrol, and the National Transportation Safety Board will be conducting an investigation at the crash site, which is located in a remote, hilly, pasture region northeast of South Shore.

The private helicopter disappeared early Monday morning after it departed Sioux Falls for the Watertown/Sisseton area on a trip originating in Kansas.  The aircraft had no emergency locator transmitter on board.  CAP has been conducting an airborne and ground visual search during daylight hours, and following up leads and reports from the public, since mid-day Monday.

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April 5, 2005: South Dakota CAP Assists in Black Hills Fire Spotting and Assessment

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On this date in 2005, the South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol was assisting state and federal officials in spotting fires and assessing damage in the Black Hills.

An excerpt from the Sioux City Journal:

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Dry conditions and a dry forecast make for conditions that could spark a lot of fires again in the tinder-dry Black Hills, but much of the firefighting effort going into the season is to keep the fires small. . . When a fire is spotted, fire engines and crews are dispatched immediately, as is an air tanker that can snuff out the flames, when the fire risk is high. . .  Much of the credit for keeping fires small goes to the local Civil Air Patrol. . . The volunteer CAP pilots, known best for finding missing or lost people, now take to the air when the weather and forest conditions are right for fires sparked by lightening.

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April 2, 2009: Dakotas, Minnesota Wings Continue Aerial Assistance for Flooding

On this date in 2009, the South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota Wings of the Civil Air Patrol continued to provide aerial assistance with flooding in the region.

An excerpt from NHQ:

MINNESOTA – The North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota wings continue to support flood relief efforts in northeastern North Dakota with aircraft and aircrews. 
Aircrews were providing aerial imaging of the confluences of several rivers along with a survey of the Red River in the Grand Forks area. The mission base opened at 8 a.m. April 2 with two missions assigned at the time. Operations ended with nightfall but are expected to resume at first light in the morning.

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March 24, 2009: CAP North Central Region Assists with Northern Plains Flooding Missions

On this date in 2009, Civil Air Patrol units from across the North Central Region continued to assist the United States Air Force with flood overflights.

An excerpt from the North Shore Journal:

The North Central Region of CAP has been flying AFAUX missions since March 19, when the unit received word about the potential of flooding in the Red River area of North Dakota, as well as other surrounding areas in Minnesota and South Dakota. Since then, they have flown more than 30 sorties and captured hundreds of visual images to give emergency responders and on-scene commanders the most up-to-date picture of the affected areas. In the case of flooding, CAP imagery can alert decision makers of damage to vital infrastructure, which can ultimately help save lives.

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