Albert Henry Near (February 19, 1897 – May 27, 1951) was the first Commander of the Kentucky Wing Civil Air Patrol, which was headquartered at Bowman Field in Louisville, Kentucky.
Near was born in Petoskey, Emmet County, Michigan. He was appointed as the Kentucky Wing Commander (KYWG CC) from December 1, 1941 and served until March 22, 1942. The Kentucky Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was originally assigned to Region 5 which included Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia The CAP National Headquarters had Kentucky designated as Wing #53 in accordance with a newly established numbering system for all CAP units. At the time of his appointment, Colonel Near was superintendent of Bowman Field and chairman of the Kentucky Aeronautics Commission, having been originally appointed by Kentucky Governor Keen Johnson in 1941. When the United States became involved with World War II, Albert Neal was a Major with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and assigned to England. He had previously served in World War I as a maintenance sergeant and eventually attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the USAAF during World War II. His other achievements included membership on President Harry Truman’s Air Coordinating Committee; first chairman of the Kentucky Aeronautical Commission; president of the American Association of Airport Executives; vice-president of the National Aeronautic Association; and director of the Louisville Airport. Near died in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sunday, May 27, 1951, after suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage that occurred on Wednesday, May 23, 1951.
References
- Aero Digest: 268. 1942.
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(help) - Link, May M. (1944). Civilian Volunteer Activities in the AAF (PDF) (Report). United States Army Air Force. p. 125. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- Neprud 1948:123
- Blee, Harry H. (1942). Operations Directive No. 1 (PDF) (Report). Civil Air Patrol. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- Ripley, Charles B. (February 1942). "Suggested Organization of Local Civil Patrol Unites". Aero Digest: 76. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- Blee, Harry H. (1942). Operations Directive No. 1 (PDF) (Report). Civil Air Patrol. pp. 1–2. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- Louisville Courier-Journal
- Blee, Harry H. (1942). Operations Directive No. 1 (PDF) (Report). Civil Air Patrol. p. 4. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- Johnson 1982:275, 277
- Johnson 1982:275
- Louisville Courier-Journal
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- People from Petoskey, Michigan
- United States Army personnel of World War I
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- 1897 births
- 1951 deaths
- United States Army soldiers
- United States Army Air Forces officers
- Kentucky National Guard personnel
- Military personnel from Michigan
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