My 1960s Female Civil Air patrol cadet uniform

[kyhistorian01]

He is my late 1960s Civil Air Patrol cadet dress. This uniform came from the collection of a freind and it had once belonged to his ex-wife. It was left to me along with a number of other C.A.P. items after his death so I don't know much about her other than she was a mitchell cadet and she served in the late 1960s to early 1970s.

 

Robert

[kyhistorian01]

close up of insignia

[Lee Ragan]

VERY nice! I had one like this years ago (Cadet Sergeant), and let it get away from me. :crying: Finding one of these that is complete is not that easy. All you wing collectors out there note the half-wing above her ribbons is not an aeronautical rating like pilots or observers. This was the girl Cadets "Stewardess", half wing and was awarded for completion of the special activity that gave girl cadets orientation into the workings of an airline stewardess job. It began to be awarded in March of 1964 and eventually fell from disuse in the late 60's. These are all made on the "droopy", style CAP wing pattern and by the time the more current "upswept", style wings came into use in the mid-1970's, the Stewardess 1/2 wing was no longer being made or used. The ribbon rack of old "Capt'n Crunch", Cadet ribbons is a nice touch. Many of these obsolete ribbons are also hard to find.

Thanks for sharing this uniform! :thumbsup:

Also note that she was wearing C.A.P. collar cut-outs which indicates this was worn sometime after Nov. 1966 when Cadets dropped the use of the C.A.P.C. collar brass.

[flyboy53]

Which then places this uniform sometime between 1970 and 1976 where the gold pip represented cadet warrant officer. The lapel cutouts would still be incorrect because the devices of that period went to a simple "CAP" without the periods between the letters.

 

Of note about the ribbons. This young lady participated in the cadet program when it was transitioning from a set of 15 achievements dating from World War II to the beginning of the "milestone" achievement program in use today, so there's a red training ribbon, girl's exchange ribbon and early encampment ribbon at the bottom, which were made like normal ribbons but the ribbons above are laminated plastic molded for ribbon bars. These ribbons would actually melt or lose shape when exposed to long periods of extreme heat.

 

The last time I ever saw this particular uniform worn in CAP was the 1976 Indiana Wing Encampment at Chanute AFB, IL.

[Teamski]

Outstanding uniform and a great educational opportunity. Thanks! I never knew about the stewardess wings. How sexist is that? I think we quit wearing Captain Crunch ribbons by 1985 or so. I think I was at 1Lt when we switched. Interesting to note that the old ribbons were still on the certificates when I got my Spaatz in 1987.

 

-Ski

[flyboy53]

The stewardess wings went to cadets who completed some sort of stewardess training. Never could find much about the program or the wings.