Salvadore Castro of Levittown was among the roughly 40 individuals who received the Congressional Gold Medal last week in Washington D.C. to commemorate the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
Credit: Office of Congressman Fitzpatrick
The Civil Air Patrol had 200,000 volunteers, but only about 40 were available to receive the medal on Wednesday, said Castro, who is now 89 year old.
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Castro joined the Civil Air Patrol in 1942. According to Castro, the patrol was created on Dec. 1, 1941, barely a week before the Pearl Harbor attack.
“I always wanted to be a pilot,” Castro mused in explaining that he joined the cadet program of the CAP in 1942.
Castro spent about a year in the cadet program before being drafted into the army, which happened in October of his senior year of high school.
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Castro was sent to Florida for basic training and was soon told that he was to be in the infantry despite his time in the CAP. Throughout the rest of his time in World War II, Castro was sent to New Guinea, in the Pacific theater. He stood three major campaigns and served actively until he was injured. Castro was discharged on Christmas Eve of 1945.
After getting discharged from the army, Castro pursued a degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel, and later a degree in electrical engineering. Castro worked until 1995 when he retired. Now, Castro is part of the honor guard at the Washington’s Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown. “We are involved in the military honors at the cemetery,” explained the Levittown resident.
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The military honors performed at the funerals include three rounds fired into the air, a bugler blowing taps, and presenting the flag to the next of kin. Castro estimates that there are about eight funerals every day and about 50 a week. When Castro goes to the funeral to perform honor guard duties, he commented that he is usually there all day.
Medals and awards are not something totally new to Castro, who has a purple heart, a bronze star, and a combat infantry badge already. “It means a lot,” Castro said. “It goes up there with the other medals I’ve received,” he explained.
Speaking of his time in the CAP, Castro said, “We did what we could during the war.”
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“I’m kind of surprised because I thought congressional medals were smaller […]. It’s like a big hockey puck,” Castro joked.
Castro explained that he has been invited to the dedication of the monument being erected in Marcus Hook in Delaware County.
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The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to the surviving members of the CAP last Wednesday.
