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by Roger N. Thiel (Author)
THE UNTOLD FACTS OF ARMED U.S. CIVILIANS AND THEIR SUCCESSFUL LIGHT PLANE RETALIATION TO THE INVASION OF AMERICA'S EAST COAST
Author Biography
ROGER THIEL: Hailed as the "keeper of the flame" of CAP Coastal Patrol history for decades, and often called its most knowledgeable authority, Roger N. Thiel joined the CAP in the 1960s as a cadet and learned to fly in the "last taildragger class" of aviation cadets using older style aircraft. In 1977, as an antique aircraft enthusiast, he took renewed interest in CAP's origins of using civilian lightplanes against invading German submarines during World War Two. Upon learning that some former pilots of the CAP Coastal Patrol held annual reunions, he traveled to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware in 1979 to meet veterans of CAP CP Base Two. This began a decades long dedication to this little-known part of American history. Thiel has met and interviewed dozens of CAP anti-sub veterans from most of the original 21 Bases. He has given historical presentments on this subject over 200 times. He conducted forums on CAP anti-sub at EAA Airventure at Oshkosh for 30 years, 1984-2013. He was the featured historian for the 2001 History Channel segment on CAP anti-sub. Thiel owns a 1938 Ryan SCW which served on CAP anti-sub duty. His other works about CAP anti-sub include an adventure story, "Enemy On Our Shores," to be published in 2016, a completed feature filmscript and a full-length novel in progress. He is a 50-year member of Civil Air Patrol. Other interests include announcing airshows and other events, and community theatre and opera. With this book, Mr. Thiel is pleased to introduce the term, "airborne minute men," as an alternative to CAP's well-known term, "flying minute men." For more information about Mr. Thiel's research and aviation activities, see www.RogerThiel.com.
