Until then, his fellow Presbyterian Village residents in Evanston mainly referred to him as the father of Ann Compton, then the longtime White House correspondent for ABC News Radio. Robert Dempsey, now commander of the Illinois Wing, met him then and was surprised to learn of his service as a World War II member.Ĭompton was thrilled to rejoin CAP and receive an honorary promotion to colonel, Dempsey recalled.

He also served in CAP during the 1960s, commanding an Illinois Wing squadron in Evanston while his sons belonged to the organization.Ĭompton reconnected with CAP following a chance meeting in 2010, when the Illinois Wing’s Palwaukee Composite Squadron held an awards ceremony at the retirement village where he lived and invited veterans to attend. When CAP’s volunteer service during World War II was recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal in December 2014, he was one of the numerous wartime members presented with a replica of the medal. 1 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, until the base closed at the end of August 1943.

He would have turned 104 on June 19.Ĭompton flew as an observer at Coastal Patrol Base No. Charles Compton, the World War II subchaser who flew missions out of CAP’s first coastal patrol base, died June 16 in Evanston, Illinois.

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