Civil Air Patol Cadets C/TSgt Spencer Hall (third from left), C/2nd Lt William Dorman (fourth from left), and C/SAmn Luis Gonzalez (far right) from the Jamestown area joined cadets all over NY Wing to visit the USAF Museum in Ohio. Submitted photo

Members from Civil Air Patrol’s New York Wing spent Veteran’s day weekend visiting the National Museum of the US Air Force near Dayton, Ohio.

Eighty Cadets and Twenty Officers from across New York State traveled to Ohio on Veteran’s day for the visit.

They visited the museum on Saturday and Sunday. Once at the museum, Cadets were split up into teams and given scavenger hunts (provided on the museum’s web site) to complete throughout the weekend. The winning team was presented with a challenge coin by NY Wing Commander, Colonel John Jones.

Colonel Jones said, “NY Wing’s trip to the USAF Museum provided roughly 80 of our Cadets with an opportunity to not only see an impressive collection of aircraft, but to learn about the history of our total force partners. It was also an excellent opportunity for team building exercises and comradery. My thanks to everyone who made this happen.”

One of the first displays in the museum’s World War II section was a familiar site for Cadets that meet at the Greater Binghamton Airport, a Link trainer.

“Cadets were able to see how our area was connected to the war effort,” said Lt Col Franklin Birt. “Our area made such a significant contribution to flight training during World War II. The Link simulator was used as a key pilot training aid by almost every combatant nation.”

Cadets then progressed through the museum’s four large hangars and witnessed the progression of aircraft through the present day and into the future. Several displays featuring Civil Air Patrol’s contribution throughout the years were also highlighted.