Col Louisa S. Morse, CAP Oral History Tape 2, Side A

title:

Col Louisa S. Morse, CAP Oral History Tape 2, Side A

creator:

Morse, Louisa Spruance (Spotswood)

subject:

Civil Air Patrol

description:

Interview 2 of 2, side 1 of 2. Louisa Morse (formerly Spruance) was born on December 22, 1912 in Wilmington, Delaware. After finishing school she joined the Junior League, and from there became interested in several different public service organizations. By the time of the arrack on Pearl Harbor, she was the only person in the Delaware chapter of the Red Cross First Aid Office. Since she was the only one there, she was quickly busy organizing first aid instructors. Before Pearl Harbor she had studied to be a ground instructor with the Civil Aeronautics Administration so she could teach with the Civilian Pilot Training Corps, but it was moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania during the war so she couldn’t do it. She saw the Civil Air Patrol was looking for instructors, so she volunteered with them in 1942 instead. Most of the training she provided was in navigation in meteorology, because many men arrived and knew how to fly but didn’t know anything on the written exam. She remained in the Civil Air Patrol after World War II ended, and by 1953 she was Wing Commander. Normally it would only take a 6-month tour of duty to be promoted to colonel, but because she was a woman it took her a year before the men above her would give her the rank. She was wing commander of Delaware for 23 years, and region commander for 3 and a half. During World War II, one of the primary responsibilities of the CAP was coast patrol, which continued for 18 months and was greatly responsible for stopping German submarine activity on the Atlantic coast. At the time women weren’t allowed to fly on active duty missions, but many women worked in several different ground duty roles. She was the second woman to serve as a wing commander in the CAP, and the first to serve on the CAP National Executive Committee. She also founded the CAP National Historical Committee. She was still in the Civil Air Patrol as of the interview, and her awards include five Distinguished Service Awards, an Exceptional Service Award, and a Meritorious Service Award. A transcript of this interview is available.

publisher:

Military Women's Memorial Foundation

contributor:

Grotz, Dorothy | Board, Barbara

date:

1987-11-24

type:

Audio

format:

Cassette

identifier:

600.02; 1987.600

source:

NSCD | CLIR - Recordings at Risk

language:

English

relation:

356983

coverage:

1942-interview

rights:

Unrestricted