Maryland Wing Civil Air Patrol

Maryland Wing, Civil Air Patrol is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the U.S. state of Maryland. Its headquarters is located in Granite, Maryland on the site of a former Nike Missile Base. Granite is a tiny unincorporated community just northwest of Woodstock; the missile base and HQ have a listed mailing address of 3085 Hernwood Road Woodstock, MD. The Maryland Wing oversees 26 primary subordinate squadrons located throughout the state, including four school enrichment programs. The wing currently has a fleet of 11 aircraft made up of Cessna 172s, 182s, 206 and a Gippsland GA-8 Airvan. More than 1,400 members serve in Civil Air Patrol’s Maryland Wing.

Mission

The Maryland Wing performs the three missions of Civil Air Patrol: providing emergency services; offering cadet programs for youth; and providing aerospace education for both CAP members and the general public.

Emergency services

Civil Air Patrol provides emergency services, which includes performing search and rescue and disaster relief missions; as well as assisting in humanitarian aid assignments. CAP also provides Air Force support through conducting light transport, communications support, and low-altitude route surveys. Civil Air Patrol can also offer support to counter-drug missions.

Cadet programs

Civil Air Patrol offers a cadet program for youth aged 12 to 20, which includes aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness and moral leadership.

Aerospace education

Civil Air Patrol offers aerospace education for CAP members and the general public, including providing training to the members of CAP, and offering workshops for youth throughout the nation through schools and public aviation events.

History

Two Maryland Wing aircrew members die in search of military jet

On 6 April 1954, at 1:05 p.m., Capt. Anthony J. Synodinos, CAP, and Chaplain Edward G. Conrad, CAP, died when their open-cockpit Ryan PT-22 airplane crashed into the water near Havre de Grace, MD. The two men, both members of the East Baltimore Squadron, were conducting a search and rescue mission for a missing T-33 military jet that was reported as missing and was never found. The search area was long, stretching from Long Island, N.Y., to Langley Field, VA. Synodinos, serving as mission pilot, and Conrad, mission observer, had been searching the upper Chesapeake Bay in heavy fog.
In 1960, Maryland Wing dedicated a plaque in Havre de Grace, MD; to memorialize these two Civil Air Patrol members who died in service to their country.
On 3 April 2004, the Harford Composite Squadron relocated the marker and established a new plaque which commemorated the 50th anniversary of their deaths. Commanded by Lt. Col. Gerard W. Weiss, the Harford squadron held a ceremony installing the new plaque at the War Memorial in Millard Tydings Memorial Park near Commerce Street at S. Washington Street in Havre de Grace, MD..
The plaque reads:
In memory of Capt. Anthony J. Synodinos, CAP
Chaplain Edward G. Conrad, CAP
They died April 6, 1954, in an airplane crash off this point while performing a search and rescue mission. Service like theirs with thoughts more for others than themselves will lead to a far better world to live in.
Original plaque dedicated by the Maryland Wing, Civil Air Patrol, 1960
New plaque dedicated by Harford Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force Auxiliary.

Buzz One Four – B-52 Bomber Crash – 13 January 1964

A B-52D Stratofortress, from the 484th Bomb Wing, carrying nuclear weapons with its five-man crew crashed near Lonaconing, Md., near the Appalachian Mountains of Western Maryland. The aircraft left Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts on its way to Turner Air Force base in Albany, Georgia, but disappeared from contact. It was determined the B-52 crashed due to a blizzard resulting from two storm fronts converging while flying over Maryland. During the turbulence created by the fronts, the aircraft’s vertical tail fin snapped off the plane, hitting the left horizontal stabilizer and tail gunner’s pod. This resulted in the aircraft rolling onto its back and descending into a spin.
Civil Air Patrol was alerted and Maryland Wing aircrews spotted the B-52's co-pilot, who had ejected, Capt. Parker Peedin, about two miles from Grantsville, MD; and directed ground teams to rescue. The pilot, Maj. Tom McCormick, also ejected and, after walking nearly two miles, was located and transported to Cumberland for medical treatment. Sgt. Mel Wooten, tail gunner, who was riding up front; not in the tail, ejected, but was injured by parts of the aircraft and landed near the Casselman River near Salisbury, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately he did not survive. Maj. Robert Payne, navigator, parachuted from the aircraft but fell into a partially frozen stream where his body was found by rescuers. The fifth crew member, Bombardier Robert Townley, died in the plane.
Maryland State Police took command of the area due to the two, 24-megaton nuclear bombs the aircraft was carrying. The bombs were recovered and taken to Cumberland Municipal Airport for transport.
Memorials have been erected in memory of the crew members. A large memorial can be seen along U.S. Route 40, about a mile east of Grantsville, MD. The Grantsville Community Museum has artifacts on display from the crash.

Squadrons

Group	Designation	Squadron name	Location	Awards
—	MD-001	Maryland Wing Headquarters Squadron	Granite, Maryland Granite
—	MD-308	Maryland Wing Howard County Squadron	Howard County, Maryland
—	MD-999	Maryland Legislative Squadron	Annapolis
1	MD-038	Howard Composite Squadron	Laurel
1	MD-071	Bethesda–Chevy Chase Composite Squadron	Gaithersburg	2012 CAP Squadron of Distinction Award Group 1 Squadron of the Year 2015, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2015, 2011, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2000 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2010, 2007 MER Squadron of Distinction 2007, 2012
1	MD-073	Montgomery Senior Squadron	Gaithersburg	Unit Citation Award
1	MD-332	Upper Montgomery Composite Squadron	Germantown
1	MD-801	Parkland Middle School Cadet Squadron	Rockville
2	MD-008	Harford Composite Squadron	Bel Air	Group 2 Squadron of the Year 2019, 2016, 2007 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2019
2	MD-013	Towson Composite Squadron	Towson
2	MD-023	Arundel Composite Squadron	Glen Burnie	1994 CAP Squadron of Distinction Award Group 3 Squadron of the Year 2018, 2017 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2019
2	MD-031	Glenn L. Martin Composite Squadron	Middle River	Unit Citation Award Group 2 Squadron of the Year 2018, 2015, 2011
2	MD-879	Granite Cadet Squadron	Granite	2024 CAP Squadron of Distinction Award MAR Squadron of Distinction 2024 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2023 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2023 Group 1 Squadron of the Year 2023
3	MD-007	Calvert Cadet Squadron	Frederick, Maryland\|Prince Frederick]	Group 3 Squadron of the Year 2022, 2014, 2010 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2014, 2022 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2015
3	MD-019	Charles Composite Squadron	Indian Head
3	MD-011	College Park Composite Squadron	College Park	Unit Citation Award Group 3 Squadron of the Year 2007
3	MD-089	St. Mary's Composite Squadron	California	Unit Citation Award Group 3 Squadron of the Year 2020, 2019, 2013, 2011, 2006 MDWG Squadron of the Year 1982, 1984, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2020 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2001, 2003, 2005
3	MD-890	Esperanza Middle School Flight	Lexington Park
4	MD-003	Frederick Composite Squadron	Frederick	Unit Citation Award Group 1 Squadron of the Year 2016, 2014, 2013
4	MD-004	Hagerstown Composite Squadron	Hagerstown	MDWG Squadron of Merit 2004, 2002
4	MD-039	Carroll Composite Squadron	Westminster	Unit Citation Award Group 2 Squadron of the Year 2013, 2010, 2008, 2004 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2010, 2004 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2006 MER Squadron of Distinction 2006
4	MD-065	Cumberland Composite Squadron	Wiley Ford, WV	Unit Citation Award Group 1 Squadron of the Year 2019, 2017, 2018 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2017, 2018 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2018 MER Squadron of Distinction 2018
4	MD-091	Mount Airy Composite Squadron	Mount Airy	Unit Citation Award MDWG Squadron of Merit 2008, 1998 Group 1 Squadron of the Year 2020, 2021, 2022 Group 4 Squadron of the Year 2024 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2024
5	MD-028	Col. Mary S. Feik Composite Squadron	Edgewater	Group 3 Squadron of the Year 2016, 2015 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2016, 2015 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2016 MER Squadron of Distinction 2016
5	MD-052	Bowie Composite Squadron	Bowie	Group 3 Squadron of the Year 2009, 2008 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2009 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2009
5	MD-079	Easton Composite Squadron	Easton	MDWG Squadron of Merit 2017
5	MD-085	Apollo 1 Senior Squadron	Fort Meade
5	MD-086	Wicomico Composite Squadron	Salisbury	Group 2 Squadron of the Year 2014 MDWG Squadron of the Year 2005 MDWG Squadron of Merit 2013, 2006 MER Squadron of Distinction 2013

Disbanded squadrons

Charter number	Squadron name	Location
18002	Naval Academy Senior Squadron	Annapolis
18002	Hyde Field Senior Squadron	Clinton
18006	Chesapeake Bay Cadet Squadron
18007	Foxwell Composite Squadron	Pikesville
18010	Fred V. Cherry Composite Squadron	Baltimore
18012	Great Falls Cadet Sq	Tysons Corner, VA
18014	Harford
18014	White Marsh Composite Squadron	Perry Hall
18018	Catonsville Composite Squadron	Catonsville
18021	Middle River Composite Squadron	Essex
18021	Chesapeake
18023	Phoenix Composite Squadron	Jacksonville
18023	Glen Burnie Composite Squadron	Glen Burnie
18025	Eastern Baltimore Squadron
18026	Gunpowder Composite Squadron	Fork
18030	Gray Manor Composite Sq	Dundalk
18031	Group I
18044	Gwynn Oak
18044	Northwest Composite Squadron	Randallstown
18045	Odenton Cadet Squadron	Odenton
18049	Lanham Composite Squadron	Lanham
18053	Deale Senior Squadron	Deale
18054	Suburban
18066	Westside
18069	Linthicum Cadet Squadron	Linthicum
18072	Rosedale Composite Squadron	Rosedale
18075	Peninsular Composite Squadron	Severna Park
18077	Reisterstown Composite Squadron	Reisterstown
18078	Queen Anne's County Squadron	Centreville
18084	Calvert County
18086	General Foulois
18087	223rd Cadet Sq
18088	Salisbury Composite Squadron	Salisbury
18088	Wicomico County
18090	Star-Trac
18090	Indian Head Composite Squadron	Indian Head
18091	Tolchester Composite Squadron	Chestertown
18092	Blackhawk
18092	Francis M. Wood Cadet Squadron	Baltimore
18092	Southwestern
18093	Patterson Park
18094	Group 5
18095	Emmitsburg-Liberty Composite Sq	Emmitsburg
18105	Group V
18141	Chesapeake Bay Senior Squadron
MD-022	Osprey
MD-092	Southwestern
MD-096	Chesapeake Bay Senior Squadron	Bethesda
MD-140	Fort McHenry Composite Squadron	Catonsville
MD-800	Southwestern
MD-802	Spring Ridge	Lexington Park
MD-808	The SEED School of Maryland Cadet Squadron	Baltimore
	Chesapeake Composite Squadron	Baltimore
	Peoria Cadet Squadron
	Waldorf	Waldorf

Past Wing commanders

Mary Feik Achievement

The Mary Feik Achievement is awarded for successfully completing the requirements associated with Achievement 3 in Phase I of the Civil Air Patrol cadet program; it includes promotion to the grade of Cadet Senior Airman. Mary Feik, who was an active member of the Annapolis Composite Squadron, resided in Annapolis, Maryland, until her death in June 2016. Col. Feik was known for giving an aerospace education related presentation at the annual Tri-Wing Encampment sponsored by Maryland Wing, Delaware Wing, and the National Capital Wing.

Spaatz Award Achievement

The General Carl A. Spaatz Award is the highest award in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program. The award honors General Carl A. Spaatz, who was the first Chief of Staff of [the United States Air Force] and the second National Commander of Civil Air Patrol.
First awarded in 1964, only 0.5% of CAP cadets ever earn the Spaatz award. Maryland ranks 9th among the 50 U.S. states in the number of Spaatz awards earned. Award recipients from Maryland include:

Award #	Recipient	Award date	Unit
85	Linda L. Osterhoudt	18-Feb-69	Lanham Composite Squadron
95	Lloyd Moroughan	21-Oct-69	Lanham Composite Squadron
172	Raymond T. Hawkins	11-Jul-72	Frederick Composite Squadron
206	James F. Babbitt	15-Mar-73	Prince George's Comp. Sq.
207	Anne M. Skebirdis	21-Mar-73	Catonsville Composite Sq.
209	Ronald P. Ward	3-Mar-73	Catonsville Composite Sq.
231	Howard F. Eisingor	2-Aug-73	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cadet Sq.
281	Kevin A. Parks	29-Jul-74	Towson Composite Sq.
337	Randy W. Hosselrode	22-Aug-75	Cumberland Composite Sq.
352	Michael L. Smith	17-Sep-75	Middle River Composite Sq.
355	Mark P. Hetterly	2-Oct-75	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Cadet Sq.
411	William Trail	16-Nov-76	Apollo I Composite Sq.
569	Mark A. Kukucka	6-Apr-81	Gunpowder Composite Squadron
646	Cindy T. Shanabrook	3-Jun-83	Linthcum Composite Sq.
721	John C. Kilgallon	2-Nov-84	Howard Composite Sq.
722	Kevin Redman	2-Nov-84	Howard Composite Sq.
730	Martin Strittmatter	11-Jan-85	Linthcum Composite Sq.
739	Francis W. Moran	13-Mar-85	Prince Georges Composite Sq.
858	Todd Shelton	3-Sep-87	Glenn L. Martin Composite Sq.
861	Curt A. Klun	3-Oct-87	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp. Sq.
968	Kevin B. Cooley	8-Dec-89	St. Mary's Composite Sq.
1021	Tina Lumley	16-Aug-90	Whitemarsh Composite Sq.
1023	Michael Britten	21-Aug-90	Apollo I Composite Sq.
1025	Wesley Comerer	27-Aug-90	Howard Composite Sq.
1031	Richard Benet	2-Sep-90	Frederick Composite Sq.
1040	Thomas Single	1-Jan-91	Harford Composite Squadron
1155	Charles R. Midkiff III	26-Feb-93	Prince George Composite Squadron
1204	Shawn Fry	18-Mar-94	Wicomico Composite Sq.
1221	Roxanne N. Landesman	3-Aug-94	Prince George Composite Squadron
1271	Tori K. Steinmeier	5-Sep-95	Towson Composite Sq.
1291	James A. Iacarino	5-Mar-96	White Marsh Composite Sq.
1292	Brian S. Coats	23-Mar-96	Glenn L. Martin Composite Sq.
1293	Matthew R. Heusser	23-Mar-96	Wicomico Composite Sq.
1298	Gabrielle E. Lutz	28-Jun-96	St. Mary's Composite Sq.
1301	Tammy J. Blevins	1-Aug-96	St. Mary's Composite Sq.
1304	Alisha M. Cope	7-Aug-96	Howard Composite Sq.
1330	James R. Logan	7-Jul-97	Indian Head Composite Sq.
1460	Aaron J. Kleiman	22-May-02	Wicomico Composite Sq.
1463	John F. Reutemann III	10-Jul-02	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp. Sq.
1505	Abraham H. Phares	2-Jun-03	Hagerstown Composite Sq.
1562	Emily K. Hudson	18-Jun-05	Arundel Composite Sq.
1563	Rachel L. Gibbs	18-Jun-05	Carroll Composite Sq.
1586	David Wainland	31-Jan-06	Howard Composite Sq.
1598	Jacob A. Reed	8-Apr-06	Carroll Composite Sq.
1617	Carl D. Bevard Jr.	24-Oct-06	Prince Frederick Composite Sq.
1621	Grace M. Stapf	18-Dec-06	Mount Airy Composite Sq.
1653	Joanna S. Weiss	9-Jul-07	Harford Composite Sq.
1655	Syed M. Karim	13-Jul-07	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp. Sq.
1666	Elizabeth J. Peters	15-Oct-07	Harford Composite Sq.
1667	Janice A. Watson	15-Oct-07	Easton Composite Sq.
1711	Zachary T. Bowen	31-Oct-08	Mt. Airy Composite Sq.
1721	Wayne S. Mowery Jr.	15-Jan-09	Osprey Composite Sq.
1737	Victor R. Traven	25-Jun-09	St. Mary's Composite Sq.
1751	Anna B. Bladey	2-Feb-10	Frederick Composite Sq.
1763	Alice W. Chan	12-Jul-10	Howard Composite Sq.
1765	John Brennan	30-Jul-10	Bowie Composite Sq.
1779	Shaharazad Purvis	13-Jan-11	Osprey Composite Sq.
1789	Todd P. O'Brien	25-Mar-11	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp. Sq.
1792	Sascha R. Maraj	20-Apr-11	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp. Sq.
1806	Robbert J. Olson	11-Aug-11	Calvert Composite Sq.
1807	Elizabeth R. Roberts	11-Aug-11	Harford Composite Sq.
1808	Jason O. LaPre	11-Aug-11	Calvert Composite Sq.
1885	Kathleen P. Crockett	7-May-13	Frederick Composite Sq.
1905	Christopher J. La Pointe	27-Aug-13	Mount Airy Composite Sq.
1915	Eashan Samak	27-Dec-13	St. Mary's Composite Sq.
1923	Robert J. Lewis	23-Jan-14	St. Mary's Composite Sq.
1960	John S. Rowan	8-Jun-14	Bowie Composite Sq.
2052	Emmy N. Hoyt	1-Jul-16	Col Mary S. Feik Composite Sq.
2121	Natalie A. Brace	7-Aug-17	College Park Composite Sq.
2126	Jessica G. Strauss	25-Aug-17	Col Mary S. Feik Composite Sq.
2141	Alexei L. Severnyak	20-Dec-17	Frederick Composite Sq.
2232	Matthew R. Fangio	19-Jun-19	Arundel Composite Sq.
2243	Wyatt J. Hartman	17-Jul-19	Glenn L. Martin Composite Sq.
2301	Rachel Rosenzweig	7-Sep-20	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp. Sq.
2302	Robert W. Miner	19-Sep-20	Glenn L. Martin Comp. Sq.
2307	Aurora Zoe Albertson	26-Oct-20	Mount Airy Composite Sq.
2321	Daniel M. Flanick	20-Nov-20	Mount Airy Composite Sq.
2328	Xander D. Shoemake	6-Mar-21	Cumberland Composite Sq.
2352	Greggor M. Hines	17-Jun-21	Glenn L. Martin Comp. Sq.
2389	Jordan C. Regalado	28-Mar-22	Col Mary S. Feik Composite Sq.
2442	Matthew M. Gray	5-Feb-23	Glenn L. Martin Composite Sq.
2449	Moriah Dawn Hersch	12-Mar-23	Cumberland Composite Squadron
2451	Benjamin E. Mullen	17-Mar-23	Towson Composite Squadron
2458	Vincent A. Martucci Bond	7-May-23	Granite Cadet Squadron
2478	Akiva Rosenzweig	27-Aug-23	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp Sq
2485	Andrew A. Emert-Higgins	1-Oct-23	Harford Composite Sq.
2491	Estelle A. Roche	4-Oct-23	College Park Composite Squadron
2515	Timothy J. Gann	24-Feb-24	Bethesda-Chevy Chase Comp Sq
2559	Cory N. Matejovich	7-Nov-24	Granite Cadet Sq
2585	Evelyn Rouland	12-May-25	St. Mary's Composite Sq
2588	Christopher Nolte	3-Jun-25	Bowie Composite Sq
2591	Blaidd R. Wilt	23-Jun-25	Glenn L. Martin Composite Sq

Legal protection

Civil Air Patrol Leave Act of 2010

Employers within the borders of Maryland are required by law to provide at minimum 15 days per calendar year of leave for Civil Air Patrol volunteer members to respond to emergency missions as authorized by the U.S. Air Force, Governor or political subdivision as a part of Civil Air Patrol. The member must provide documentation to the employer if requested. This law was signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley on May 20, 2010.