MAY-JUN

2010
ALABAMA - FLORIDA - GEORGIA - MISSISSIPPI - TENNESSEE - PUERTO RICO WWW.SERCAP.US

The Commander’s Lead

It has been a fairly active spring season for disaster relief mission activity. There have been several severe
weather outbreaks including tornadoes that resulted in fatalities. Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee have all
seen this type of response. We have seen significant flooding the Tennessee Wing area. Nashville experienced
what has been referred to as a ―once in a thousand year‖ flood. Damage in the Nashville area has been placed
at $1.5 billion. Some of our members have experienced significant flooding damage to their homes. We saw a
levee failure at the Navy Mid South facility in Millington, TN (Memphis area). We had an excellent example of
mutual support between our wings on this one. AFRCC tasked Tennessee to perform an aerial assessment to
determine the number of people trapped on their roofs with their homes surrounded by water. The only air-
craft Tennessee had in the area was not damaged. However, the crews were isolated from access to the aircraft due to high water on
access roads. Col Melton handed this request off the Col Carroll and Mississippi Wing was able to meet AFRCC‘s requirements.

It appears that the activity is just ready to pick up for CAP on Deep Water Horizon, the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This effort
could last for several weeks. It is likely to involve primarily aerial photo reconnaissance.

The early predictions are for an active hurricane season which could affect all of our wings except Tennessee. It is predicted to possibly
be as active as 2005 when we saw hurricanes crossing Florida more than once.

We are becoming very much in demand for our aerial photo capability. We need to make sure all of our equipment is in top shape and
ready to launch at a moment‘s notice. Our continued ability to launch quickly and provide professional quality photos will serve us well in
terms of getting us more business. In addition to keeping our equipment in good condition, we need to make sure our personnel are in
top shape and ready to go on short notice also. We are seeing our inventory of critical operational skills increase over time. That trend
needs to continue as we plan our training missions to add the critical resources and maintain the proficiency of our existing resources.

Do not hesitate to let your Region Staff know if we can assist you in ensuring your readiness to respond when we are called on.
Col. James Rushing
Southeast Region Commander

2010 Southeast Region Staff College

Have you registered for the 2010 SER Staff College yet? This one-week in-residence experience is open to Senior
members who have completed Level III Professional Development and who hold command or staff positions. You
will need to complete a CAPF-17 and get it approved by your unit commander. The college will be held in Knoxville,
TN at McGhee Tyson, ANGB July 4-9 2010. You‘re encouraged to register early so that you don‘t miss this great
opportunity. Additional information is available on the Southeast Region web site at http://sercap.us/rsc.aspx.
The director will be Lt Col Wes Hannah reachable via email at WHannah@sercap.us.
 Southeast Region ReCAP MAY-JUN 2010 Page 2

Tex Meachem—Former CAP Member Honored

Pompano Beach – At a time more than 66 years ago, Tex Meachem thought her love of flying was just a great
way to take her and her girlfriends from Gainesville, FL to Daytona Beach for weekends in the sun. That love of
flying would ultimately lead her to join the distinguished WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) in 1942 and
eventually to sharing the Congressional Gold Medal. Mrs. Meachem served her country as one of approximately
1,100 lady pilots who flew military aircraft during WWII.
Mrs. Meachem, 92 and a nine-year resident of John Knox Village in Pompano Beach, was at the Capitol Building
in Washington, DC on March 10th. She, along with approximately 175 of the estimated 300 surviving members of
the WASP, and representatives of the deceased lady pilots, were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold
Medal for their service. Mrs. Meachem and each WASP received a Bronze replica of the Gold Medal. The Gold
Medal itself will be showcased in the Smithsonian.
The ceremony was also attended by Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Sen-
ate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Republican Leader John Boehner, Senate Republican Leader Mitch
McConnell, and other Members of Congress.
The WASP were pioneers as the first female pilots employed to fly military aircrafts under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces dur-
ing World War II. Flying all types of aircraft—fighter planes, bombers, transport, and training aircraft — these women pilots helped defend America‘s
freedom. Their service eventually became the catalyst for revolutionary reform in the integration of women pilots into the Armed Services.
Tex Meachem reminisced about those early days of flying, and how she joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots.
―I had learned to fly when working in Gainesville, Florida,‖ Mrs. Meachem said. ―I was secretary to the Dean of the Business Administration College,
at the University of Florida.‖
―There were four of us girls living together and we enjoyed going to Daytona Beach for the weekend,‖ she said. ―We worked until noon on Satur-
days and then would take a bus to Daytona. But the ride took two and a half hours‖
―One day my roommate said, ‗Tex, I found they have not closed the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) to women. We can get our pilot‘s license
for free. And I also found a flying club where for just $25 per year we‘d get half price rentals on the planes.‘ Our whole idea was to fly to Daytona – that
was THE beach -- to have fun rather than take the bus.‖
―We signed up. Got our pilot‘s license. And we‘d fly over to Daytona Beach with all the roommates. By splitting the costs it was only 35 cents a piece
more than the bus. And we got to Daytona in only 30 minutes.‖
While Tex and her friends enjoyed their weekends in Daytona Beach, the war was very much on everyone‘s mind. Tex‘s love of flying brought a new
opportunity.
―A friend called me and said there was a Civil Air Patrol unit in Sarasota that needed a bookkeeper,‖ she said. ―At that time the Civil Air Patrol was
busy looking for enemy submarines off the coast. I went down and told them I would be glad to keep the books only if I could fly. And they said yes.‖
―Then after six months in Sarasota, I heard about the WASP, and signed up. I graduated in the 7th class in 1943. We were known as 43 W 7.‖
―I received my orders to report to Hondo, Texas,‖ she said. Interestingly enough, this was the first time Tex or anyone from her family had been to
Texas. ―Yes my name really is Tex,‖ she said. ―It is on my birth certificate. I was born in Tallahassee, Florida and my family had been in the Gainesville
(Florida) area for generations. My grandmother‘s name was Texanna. But until my orders to report to Texas, I had never been to that state.‖
―In Hondo, I flew training missions for navigation students. The plane was a small gutted airliner with three navigation stations built inside for the
trainees. We would fly around until the instructor told us to come back in.‖
It was the WASP mission during WWII to handle the domestic flying chores, while the male pilots trained and prepared for deployment to the battles
in Europe and the Pacific. Since war planes were built to fit the taller heights of the male pilots, the ladies were assigned specific tasks. The tallest
ladies flew the bombers. Tex, who just made the minimum height requirement at 5‘ 4‖, flew mostly trainers, light bombers, and DC-3s.
 Southeast Region ReCAP MAY-JUN 2010 Page 3

Tex Meachem—Former CAP Member Honored (cont)

―I was transferred to Ferry Command,‖ she said. ―Ferry Command‘s mission was to pick up planes and move them. We would get the war planes from
the factory and fly them to bases. Move planes between bases. Fly planes for salvage and rebuilding. Ferry chaplains and other personnel between bases.
Some even towed targets that were shot at by live ammunition. The WASP duty was to take care of the flights within the United States, while the men flew
in battle.‖
The duty of war was serious business. However, Tex recalled some lighter moments with a smile and a chuckle.
―At one point I was assigned with another gal to pick up two cubs (light utility aircraft used for training and reconnaissance) in Warrenton, South
Carolina,‖ she said. ―They were to be flown to Rome, New York, where they would be salvaged for parts. The military hoped to take 1500 damaged or unre-
liable cubs and rebuild them into 500 serviceable planes.‖
―We had our orders to fly two specific numbered planes. The C.O. (Commissioned Officer) in Warrenton looked at our orders and roared with laughter.
He said, ‗look out the window.‘ There must have been 30 acres of cubs with grass and weeds growing over and among them. He said that with so many
planes to check out, the war will be over before we would find those two specific planes. So he went out and found two planes that would fly and he
changed the orders.‖
―We took off and headed from Warrenton to Rome. But every time we landed something fell off! A couple of times, we landed at military bases where
there were only bombers, so the mechanics used bailing wire to tie whatever was falling off back on.‖
―The window on the right side of my plane kept falling off, so at one stop they just put it in the back. Well when we got back up in the air I stupidly put
the map on my lap …but the map flew out the window.‖
―So without a map we flew around until we found railroad tracks and started following them. But every railroad station had the town name painted out
during the war. It was getting dark, we had no lights, and the gas gauge was getting low. We found a flat potato field and landed there. We were heading
for a base in Virginia, and we landed in a farmer‘s field in Powellsville, North Carolina.‖
―After a few more diversions, we continued our flight to New York. Just as I touched down on the airfield in Rome, the engine cut out. I was totally out
of gas. But mission accomplished.‖
―I swear that you could have followed our path back to Warrenton, South Carolina by following the trail of parts that fell off our planes.‖
The duties of the WASP ended on December 10, 1944. Tex Meachem and more than one thousand lady pilots went off on their own separate ways. Their
mission was vital to the war effort. Tex said that between 1942 and 1944, the WASP flew 60,000,000 miles. When they were dismissed, the ladies were told
they could get into the Air Force as 2nd lieutenants but would not be allowed to fly.
After the war Tex Meachem settled into a more typical American lifestyle. She married, had three daughters and lived in Syracuse, New York as a
housewife and mom for more than thirty years.
Tex is now back to her Florida roots, living at John Knox Village, a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Pompano Beach. She is still recognized
for her fun-loving attitude and natural leadership at John Knox, serving as the Queen Bee of their Red Hat Society.
But something is markedly different now. Tex Meachem is a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal for her service as one of the Women Airforce
Service Pilots. Tex said that the honor was really overwhelming finally after all these years.
―I spent three days in Washington with my family enjoying the sights and sounds.
They really did a beautiful job on the entire ceremony and presentation, but then again they had more than 66 years to plan for it.‖
―I still have some wishes in my flying career,‖ Tex said. ―I would have liked to have had my own private plane and been able to use it and fly wherever
I wanted to go.‖
Then Tex thought a minute and added, ―And one more thing, if I were capable, I would love to get back into an AT-6 and fly again.‖
Used by permission
Marty Lee
Word of Mouth Advertising, Inc for John Knox Village, Inc.
561-622-5041
 Southeast Region ReCAP MAY-JUN 2010 Page 4

Small Man — Grand Life

I met Meinhardt Raabe, the actor who played the Munchkin coroner in "The Wizard of Oz," two weeks before
his 94th birthday last August. It was a three-hour ride from Tampa to his nursing home near Jacksonville, and
I wasn't sure what to expect when I got there.
Raabe (pronounced RAH'-bee), who died Friday morning of an apparent heart attack, met me in the dining
room of the Penney Farms Retirement Community nursing unit where he lived. He was eager to chat in what
might have been his last interview. He recounted his life's story with the precision only someone with an MBA
could - and he had one.
In school, bigger guys poked fun at him. He confided it made him feel horrible, but there was nothing he could
do about it at the time.
He was spokesman for the old Philip Morris tobacco company, appearing in many of their commercials. He
handled public relations for Oscar Mayer, serving as navigator in their original Wienermobile and acting as
Little Oscar, World's Smallest Chef, the company spokesman. He was a teacher's aide for 30 years.
But Raabe was most famous for his role in "The Wizard of Oz," released in 1939. "Out of the six who auditioned, I was the only one the direc-
tor could understand for that position, because I was speaking phonetically," Raabe told me.
And in one of those odd twists of fate, although he was hired because of his clear voice, most of the Munchkin parts, Raabe's 15-second song
included, were later dubbed over by another singer.
But I was there to write a story about Raabe's contribution to the Allied victory in World War II for the Civil Air Patrol's (CAP) national maga-
zine. So we talked about flying.
I soloed in a Cessna once. Raabe was an instructor and pilot for CAP, a volunteer organization that, among other duties, helps conduct
search and rescue operations. It was created only a week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Raabe sometimes took off and landed on grass fields. Sometimes his planes had skis instead of wheels.
On the ground he taught navigation and meteorology. In the air, he flew single-engine two-seaters on patrol over the eastern peninsula of
Eastern Michigan.
"My logbook went astray, so I have no way of estimating," Raabe said, when asked to estimate how much flying he did for CAP. But he recalled
that he flew just about every weekend he was available and over the course of five years said he flew everything that was made at that time.
And that's what made him a hero to me. Sure, he was too short to get into the Air Force, but when he was asked to sum up his life's accom-
plishments, he didn't brag about the star for the Wizard of Oz Munchkins on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"The commander of a Naval Air Station north of Chicago invited the people in CAP to come out," he said. The admiral returned his salute when
they met. "That was a big thrill for me!"
Raabe was wearing the uniform of a Boy Scout at the time - the only uniform he could find that would fit him. Small in stature, yes, but large
in accomplishments.
"I was under a constant challenge to keep going," he told me.
Written by
Steven Soloman
SER

Mark Your Calendar — 2010 National Staff College

The date has been set so mark your calendar! The 2010 National Staff College will be held October 16th
through the 23rd at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. This is the premier Senior level training for members wanting to
improve their leadership skills. Instructors are drawn from USAF officers and senior NCOs as well as major
corporate executives. Watch for announcements and additional information at
HTTP://WWW.GOCIVILAIRPATROL.COM.
 Southeast Region ReCAP MAY-JUN 2010 Page 5

Health Officer Update—Adult Immunizations You Should Have

Meningococcal Disease Coughing, kissing and sharing things, such as cigarettes and drinking glasses, spread this disease. Bacteria that
infect the bloodstream, brain and spinal cord cause it.
Shingles: Zoster This is the same virus that causes chicken pox. It is not spread through coughing or sneezing but could be spread
to a susceptible person through direct contact with the rash.
Measles This viral infection spreads through coughing, sneezing and talking.
Mumps Another viral disease spread by coughing, sneezing and talking.
Rubella: (German Measles) A viral rash spread by coughing and sneezing. This can cause miscarriages and birth defects.
Hepatitis A A virus that damages the liver. Eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water spreads it.

Hepatitis B Another disease of the liver that can lead to cancer or death. It is spread by direct contact with infected blood or

Pneumococcal Disease This disease can affect the lungs (pneumonia), blood (bacteremia), or brain (meningitis).
It is spread person to person through coughing and sneezing.
Influenza: Flu A serious respiratory illness that is spread by coughing and sneezing or contaminated hands touching nose and

Tetanus This is a bacterial disease that can be fatal. It lives in the soil and the intestines of many animals; enters the body
through cuts and puncture wounds. It is not spread from person to person.
Varicella: (Chicken Pox) This is highly contagious and is spread by coughing, sneezing or contact with chickenpox sores.

Human Papilloma virus (HPV) This is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. Many people who become infected with
HPV will not have any symptoms and the virus could disappear on its own. However if the virus remains it may lead

Whooping cough A highly contagious, bacterial disease that is spread by coughing and sneezing.
Diphtheria Another contagious disease caused by bacteria that attack the tonsils, throat, voice box and nose. It is spread by

If you want more information about immunizations go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines

Or for travelers go to www.astmh.org.
Be aware, take care,
LtCol Patricia Faunt, CAP
SER Nurse Officer

Upcoming Events
Date Event Location
6-11 June 2010 IG College Albuquerque, NM
24-28 June 2010 National Cadet Competition McMinville, OR
4—9 July 2010 SE Region Staff College McGhee Tyson ANGB
5—9 August 2010 Multi-Region New Madrid Exercise GLR/NCR/SER/SWR
1 – 4 September 2010 Summer Board & Annual Conference San Diego
16-23 October 2010 National Staff College Maxwell AFB, AL