Civilian Efforts
 

	The Civil Air Patrol (CAP was organized to employ civilian fliers to help in the battle against German U-boats.  Florida CAP flew more than 24 million miles over Atlantic and Gulf waters looking for the enemy.  In the end, they reported the presence of 173 U-boats, dropped munitions on them 82 times and sank two.  They also flew sentry along the Mexican border, watched for spies and saboteurs, spotted forest fires, located lost planes and pilots and delivered medicines and supplies to disaster areas.
As World War II escalated, ship construction became a vital industry for Florida with Jacksonville, Panama City, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami well situated for shipbuilding.  The Tampa Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (TASCO) employed 16,000 workers by mid-war.	Miller Collection (00.0596)
Stokes (99.0155)	The Aircraft Warning Service was established to look for the approach of hostile aircraft.  Observation sites were set up along the coast and their presence helped put an end to false reports of enemy planes.  Men, women, young, elderly, and blind citizens participated in the effort.