Wing History

California Wing History and Heritage Website

Please visit our California Wing History and Heritage website, click here.

Commanders of California Wing

COMMANDER’S LIST Grade*	Name	Start Date	End Date
Colonel	Bertrand Rhine	1-Dec-41	1-Jan-49
Colonel	Benjamin S. McGlashan	1-Jan-49	11-Apr-49
Colonel	Howard B. Freeman	11-Apr-49	25-May-55
Colonel	Wallace Hershel Easley	25-May-55	21-Dec-56
Colonel	Clement C. Lattimore	21-Dec-56	25-Mar-58
Colonel	Charles A. Ashlock	25-Mar-58	4-Aug-60
Colonel	Leroy F. Breithbarth, Jr.	4-Aug-60	9-Dec-60
Colonel	Herbert Barnett	9-Dec-60	8-Dec-62
Colonel	Raymond H. Gaver	8-Dec-62	14-Mar-69
Colonel	Howard L. Brookfield	14-Mar-69	13-Mar-71
Colonel	Donald D. Dixon	13-Mar-71	27-Aug-72
Colonel	Howard L. Brookfield	27-Aug-72	1-Feb-73
Colonel	Jack Ferman	1-Feb-73	1-Mar-74
Colonel	Warren J. Barry	1-Mar-74	30-Sep-78
Colonel	Edwin W. Lewis Jr.	30-Sep-78	30-Sep-82
Colonel	Donald M. Biondich	30-Sep-82	20-Sep-86
Colonel	V. Lee White	20-Sep-86	21-Apr-90
Colonel	Ernest C. Pearson	21-Apr-90	30-Aug-93
Colonel	Angelo A. Porco	30-Aug-93	5-May-96
Colonel	Bryon L. Brammer	5-May-96	16-Oct-99
Colonel	Larry F. Myrick	16-Oct-99	18-Oct-03
Colonel	Virginia M. Nelson	18-Oct-03	24-Mar-07
Colonel	Jesus Muniz	24-Mar-07	11-Sep-07
Colonel	Larry F. Myrick	11-Sep-07	7-Nov-07
Colonel	Kenneth W. Parris	7-Nov-07	27-Aug-11
Colonel	Jon Stokes	27-Aug-11	26-Sep-15
Colonel	Alan Ferguson	26-Sep-15	23-Sep-19
Colonel	Ross E. Veta	23-Sep-19	21-Oct-23
Colonel	Craig E. Newton	21-Oct-23	Incumbent

Emblem of California Wing

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) California Wing emblem. 

Symbolism Explanation: 

a. California State: The State of California is prominently displayed at the center of the emblem, signifying California Wing’s dedication to the communities we serve. 

b. Grizzly Bear: The California grizzly bear is the official state animal of California and is included in the California State flag, representing strength and independence.

c. Wings: The stylized wings represent the flying missions of California Wing. 

d. Gold Color (or): The gold color in the emblem represents the history of the State of California, especially the state’s role as the center of the 1850s Gold Rush, as well as the state’s nickname as the Golden State¹. Gold is one of the two official colors of the State of California under Section 424 of the California Government Code. The particular shade used, Air Force Yellow, has been selected to match the official CAP colors in accordance with paragraph 7.5.4 of CAPR 110-3 and the most recent version of the Civil Air Patrol Brand Guide.

e. Blue Color (azure): Blue, alongside gold, is the second official color of the State of California under Section 424 of the California Government Code and represents the sky, additionally significant given the nature of our flying missions in California Wing. The particular shade used, Symbol Blue, has been selected to match the official CAP colors in accordance with paragraph 7.5.4 of CAPR 110-3 and the most recent version of the Civil Air Patrol Brand Guide.

Possible Design:
The emblem was allegedly designed by Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles, California, in the 1950s.²

This logo has been used since the mid-1950s; no information about the original approval date or heraldry is available.

1. A letter by Maj. Roberta D. Lantz, CAP Director of Senior Programs, California Wing, March 6, 1982.
2. Caution: Many service units claim that Walt Disney Studios designed their unit emblems. It's a proud boast, but it isn't easy to back up those claims. In "Disney Dons Dogtags: The Best of Disney Military Insignia from World War II" (Walton Rawls, 1992), Disney Archivist David S. Smith figures that Disney Studios designed over 1,200 insignia. The originals were sent to the unit that requested them, and few, if any, remain in the Disney archives. In the case of the California Wing emblem, it just doesn't look like other vintage Disney emblems from that period. But maybe. Col Charles Wiest, March 20, 2020.