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Hard crab derby parade features Wicomico color guard

Color guard stands in formation
The Wicomico Composite Squadron color guard participated in the annual Hard Crab Derby Parade in Crisfield, Md. (Photo credit: Maj. George R. Murray, Jr., CAP)

63rd annual parade brings large crowds

By Maj. George R. Murray, Jr., CAP
Public Affairs Officer, Wicomico Composite Squadron

9/16/2010–Salisbury, MD–The Wicomico Composite Squadron's color guard was invited to march in the 63rd Annual National Hard Crab Derby Parade, sponsored by the Crisfield (Md.) Area Chamber of Commerce. The squadron is part of the Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing.

Cadets Brent Horner, Nick Moore, Ryan Murray and Luke Whittington represented the Civil Air Patrol with military precision while carrying the USA and Maryland state flags. The number of persons and units in this annual event extended almost one mile and was held in the business district of Crisfield. Those attending included residents from throughout Somerset, Worcester and Wicomico counties.

Numerous positive comments and applause were heard when they passed the spectators. Accompanying the color guard and providing support were Cadet Zach Jones, Capt. Dave Argentieri, Maj. Al Bidwick, Maj. George Murray and 2nd Lt. John Windsor. Windsor coordinated the squadron's participation in the parade.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 60,000 members nationwide. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and has been credited by the AFRCC with saving more than 100 lives this fiscal year. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the more than 25,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 68 years.

There are more than 1,500 members of CAP in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 42 search and rescue missions and were credited with 31 finds. For more information about the CAP, visit www.mdcap.org.

The Wicomico Composite Squadron meets weekly on Thursday evenings at their headquarters near the Salisbury-Wicomico-Ocean City Regional Airport. The CAP is open to anyone aged 12 through adult. Prospective members are always welcome. For more information or directions, visit the squadron website at www.WicomicoCAP.org or contact Squadron Commander Capt. David Argentieri at n3yza@yahoo.com.