Civil Air Patrol IL Wing News Blog

Palwaukee Honors Dedicated Officer

1st Lt. Jim Griggs (left), Palwaukee's Deputy Commander, Seniors presents Major Bob Dempsey with his Benjamin O. Davis Award acknowledging his successful completion of Level Two of the Civil Air Patrol Professional Development Program.

Major Bob Williams (left), Commander of Group 22 presents Major Bob Dempsey with a Commander's Commendation in recognition of his sterling work at the Palwaukee Composite Squadron.

 

Captain David Gillingham (second from left) presents Major Dempsey with a framed commemorative display on behalf of the Palwaukee Squadron.

Major Dempsey cuts the celebratory cake after receiving his various awards at Palwaukee Composite Squadron.

All photos by 2d Lt. Marc Stanley

By 1st Lt. Jim Griggs
Deputy Commander, Palwaukee Composite Squadron

WHEELING, Ill – On 5 February 2008, Captain Robert Dempsey Jr was honored in a surprise evening of recognition at Palwaukee Composite Squadron. The evening was the culmination of months of planning and hard work by the Squadron, and took place on the ‘all-hands’ award night.

Captain Dempsey has served in CAP for 27 years, first joining as a Cadet in the former Hometown Squadron in the South suburbs. He rose through the ranks before transitioning to Senior Member, and ultimately served as Squadron Commander during his tenure there. His dedication to the Cadet Program is almost unequaled in the Wing, given that he always put the Cadets needs before his own.

That same selflessness kept him a Captain for 16 years.......until recently, as he has now had time to complete his Levels 2 and 3. The certificates for his Davis and Loening Awards were presented on this night. Palwaukee Commander, 1st Lt. Scott Murphy, promoted Dempsey to the grade of Major during the evening, praising his dedication and hard work for all these years.

Group 22 Commander, Major Robert Williams, was on hand to present Major Dempsey with a Commander’s Commendation. After reading the award citation aloud, he praised Major Dempsey for being the main force responsible for Palwaukee Squadron being awarded Illinois Wing’s Squadron of Merit in 2007. Major Williams had served previously as Palwaukee’s Commander, and has worked with Major Dempsey for years both in the squadron and at the Illinois Wing Spring Encampment.

Lt. Murphy, then presented the honoree with a challenge coin given to him by former CAP National Commander Brig. Gen. Anderson, denoting the ‘rising phoenix’ of the Cadet Program. Captain Dave Gillingham then presented Major Dempsey with a framed commemorative display on behalf of the squadron. The evening’s festivities concluded with a special cake denoting the promotion, cut by Major Dempsey, for all to enjoy.

Training Turns into an Actual Again!

Article and Photos by Lt Col. Ted E. Lohr

9 February 2008

It was a busy day for southern Illinois Wing Units. For the second time a Group 1 Emergency Services training weekend held at the Scott Composite Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, turned into the real thing.

Training was underway Saturday morning when the alert was sounded. IC Major Danny Degott deployed 15 Cadets and Officers from the Scott AFB training and two from the 286^th Composite Squadron in Alton.  AFRCC advised the SARSAT coordinants were near Vandalia and Litchfield. The teams were divided and sent both ways. One ILWG and one MOWG aircraft were launched.  The team that arrived in Litchfield was receiving a weak ELT signal, a ramp check was conducted at the local airport with no results.  During our Direction Finding Operations, 2d LT Kelly Sies - a Letter Carrier from Litchfield by day - advised that an aircraft had crash landed in a farm field north of Litchfield on Friday afternoon.  The team advised the aircrews and headed in that direction. Ground teams and air units converged on the scene at almost the same time.

Teams arrived at the scene to find a Cessna 172 RG on its top in a very wet plowed farm field.  No one was in the aircraft. Ground Team leaders set up a perimeter around the scene and called the IC for permission to enter the aircraft. The IC contacted the aircraft owner and they sent a key holder. The ELT was deactivated and the DF units doubled checked it was silenced.  All units were released and returned to Base to refit and rehab.

As if that wasn’t a full day! Shortly after units got back to base, the IC Major Danny Degott called back and advised that there was a second ELT mission with coordinant near Vandalia. The team was deployed again. They arrived at Vandalia with no signal.  They proceeded to Effingham per IC’s instructions and detected a very low ELT signal. Shortly after the signal was undetectable. They search the area until the IC advised to return to base.

Upon return to Scott AFB after 23:30, a debrief was conducted. The training continued Sunday morning. All attendees continued training to refine their skills and re-emphasize what they had already learned and put into practice the day before.  Squadrons attending the Group 1 ES Training Weekend were Scott Composite Squadron, Jefferson Composite Squadron, Metropolis Composite Squadron, and Williamson County Composite Squadron.

Group 22 Assesses Tornado Damage

By 2nd Lt. Marc Stanley, Palwaukee Composite Squadron, CAP
Digital Images By Maj. Bob Williams, Commander Group 22, CAP

POPLAR GROVE, Ill -- On January 7, 2008 a tornado touched ground near Poplar Grove, IL at approximately 3:20 PM and followed a track 50-100 yards wide and 13 miles long towards Harvard, IL. Over a period of around 20 minutes, several people were injured and significant property damage resulted in the affected area.  Members of Group 22 flew a sortie in order to assist the National Weather Service to determine the severity and extent of damage caused by this storm. Lt. Col. Lou Wipotnik piloted the aircraft and Major Bob Williams served as photographer.  Also aboard was Mr. Jim Allsop, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

For more detailed coverage of the tornado damage, please see NOAA's National Weather Service website: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/?n=20080107tor

The images below clearly illustrate the destructive energy of this EF3 class storm whose winds may have reached speeds of up to 165 mph. (click on each image for a larger version)

Group 22 Performs Disaster Assessment Flight

By 2nd Lt. Marc Stanley, Palwaukee Composite Squadron, CAP

Digital Images By Major Bob Williams, Commander Group 22, CAP

KANKAKEE, Ill -- Recent bitterly cold temperatures contributed to the formation of ice dams on the Kankakee River particularly near the Wilmington, IL I-55 bridge. This resulted in rapid flooding; houses were damaged, roads were blocked and people nearby were evacuated.

Group 22 assisted Will County by providing aerial reconnaissance of the affected areas stretching along the Kankakee River roughly from the I-55 Bridge to Kankakee, IL on January 25, 2008.  This disaster assessment flight was piloted by Lt. Col. Lou Wipotnik of Palwaukee Composite Squadron with Major Bob Williams, Commander of Group 22 serving as the observer/photographer. Also aboard was Mr. Anthony Marzano from the Will County Emergency Management Agency.

Group 22 provided approximately 200 digital images on compact disc to Will County immediately following the flight to aid in allocation of resources.

The flight path taken as well as a number of the photographs taken may be viewed below (click on each image for a larger version)

The house in the first photograph burned down because fire fighters were unable to reach it due to flooded roads.
The second photograph shows an example of a flooded road.
The third photograph shows the frozen and swollen Kankakee River; note Dresden nuclear power facility cooling pond to the right of image.