Congressional Gold Medal presentation to Albert L. Jones Sr. World War II veteran April 28

Del. Richard L. Anderson (Colonel, U.S. Air Force, Retired), will present the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to surviving family members of Mr. Albert L. Jones, Sr., of Manassas, who served during World War II as a wartime member of the Auxiliary of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Today, the Civil Air Patrol consists of 60,000 members and continues to serve as the Auxiliary of the modern-day United States Air Force and performs non-combat missions assigned by the Secretary of the Air Force.

        Tonight’s ceremony will take place at 7pm, April 28th, in the Manassas Regional Airport Terminal Lobby, 10550 Harry Parrish Blvd., Manassas, Va. The medal honors Mr. Jones and other Civil Air Patrol wartime veterans who served during World War II as pilots, aerial observers, and operational ground personnel, performing missions in support of the war effort. During the war, the organization located 173 German U-Boat submarines preying on U.S. shipping along the Atlantic coast of the United States and sunk two with depth charges carried aboard light single-engine aircraft.

        Anderson served as National Commander of the Air Force Auxiliary from 1993 until 1996 and today serves as chairman of the Civil Air Patrol National Advisory Council, which consists of all former National Commanders and advises Air Force and Civil Air Patrol leaders on policy matters.

        Also present will be Manassas Mayor Hal Parrish and representatives of Senator Mark Warner, Senator Tim Kaine, and Congresswoman Barbara Comstock.