St. Croix Civil Air Patrol Squadron will hold a ceremony to honor fallen cadets at a St. Croix crash site at 11 am. on Saturday, Oct. 30. The ceremony would be followed by a motorcade from the memorial site to the Kingshill Cemetery and then to the Frederiksted Cemetery where flowers and wreaths will be placed on their graves.
The St. Croix Composite Squadron will hold a memorial ceremony in honor of Cadet Dorence Isidore, Cadet Natasha Ayala and Captain Normando Ortero, who died in a plane crash on Oct. 26, 1996. The two cadets and their flight instructor from Puerto Rico were conducting a routine flight orientation when their Cessna aircraft crashed near the St. Croix Motor Sports Complex off the East Airport Road. Capt. Ortero’s flowers and wreaths will be sent to Puerto Rico to be laid on his grave.
Civil Air Patrol offers opportunity for young people with an interest in aviation or the military to get experience and leadership training. Membership begins at age 12 and cadets may fly solo by the time they’re 14 or 15 years old.
The Civil Air Patrol was created on December 1, 1941. During World War II, this organization was seen as a way to use America’s civilian resources to aid the war efforts instead of grounding aircrafts. Since its charter, the Civil Air Patrol maintains its relationship with the U.S. Air Force, and continues its three congressionally-mandated missions; emergency services, aerospace education and cadet programs like the St. Croix Composite Squadron.
For more information contact Captain Akeem Inniss at 340-473-7814 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]. For information on the St. Croix Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol – Puerto Rico Wing, visit prwg.us/