History
It's been said that to know where you are going, you need to know where you've been.
As the Hernando County Composite Squadron navigates the challenges of the 21st Century, we take a careful accounting of our past. Our history instructs us by providing inspiration and a guide as we serve our community and nation.
Contents
Our Aeronca L-16 Search & Rescue Plane
Organization of Brooksville Composite Squadron
Historical Overview of FL 301
The Hernando County Composite Squadron was originally formed as the Brooksville Composite Squadron when it was issued Charter #08301 by the Civil Air Patrol on February 5, 1973. Over the years, the squadron expanded, evolved and took a leadership position within the Florida Wing. This page represents a partial recording of that history.
Below you will find digitized copies of newspaper clippings, awards, mission information and other portions of the squadron's history. We are also digitizing the historical continuity books for easy viewing. These continuity books are much like a scrapbook in that they contain snapshot looks at the squadron's activities over time.
Aeronca L-16 S&R Plane
In 1974, the Civil Air Patrol assigned an Aeronca L-16 single-engine aircraft, tail # N10520, to the squadron. The plane, a Korean War-era spotter plane, had been transferred to the Civil Air Patrol by the U.S. Army in 1955. Make sure you read our full story on our Aeronca L-16 plane here.
N10520 served the squadron, Civil Air Patrol and our community for two years before being sold to a private party in 1976. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA,) our L-16 is still being flown today.
Historical Documents
Here is a collection of documents important to the history of the Hernando County Composite Squadron and the Civil Air Patrol.
Organization of Brooksville Composite Squadron
This document is a scan of the original typewritten history written in 1979 by 1st Lt Preston W. Foote III, Squadron Information Officer, and 1st Lt Carl E. Harley, Squadron Historian.
First Squadron Book
This is a digital reproduction of the first squadron book assembled by the Hernando County Composite Squadron. Note that at that time, the senior and cadet squadrons were not combined into a single composite squadron. Therefore the book is labeled as the Brooksville Senior Squadron.
1st Lt Carl E. Hartley, the Squadron Historian, assembled the first squadron book. In the below photo, he is seen presenting the completed book to 1st Lt Preston W. Foote III, the Squadron Information Officer.
Second Squadron Book
The squadron's second activities book was finished in 2001. It covered the 1990s and early part of the 21st century. One of the most significant aspects to the book is it documents the building and dedication of the FL301 Squadron Building.
Squadron Photographs
Contributing to Our Archive
Should you have any photos, documents, patches or other bits of Civil Air Patrol history that you would like to add to our historical archive, please contact us. He can digitize and return photos and other things that you wish to keep. Likewise, we accept donations of historical artifacts and paperwork into our permanent archives.
