The story starts with the legend of Daedalus and Icarus. Legend has it that they escaped the Island of Crete by fabricating wings made of feathers, wax and string. Daedalus told his son, "Don't fly too close to the water or your wings will become water logged and don't fly too high or the heat of the sun will melt the wax and your wings will fail." Icarus, however, was so enthralled by the experience of flight that he soared too high melting the wax and he fell into the sea which now bears his name.

In October of 1933, a group of career officers in the Army Air Corps, stationed at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Alabama consolidated the ideas which had long been developing with regard to the formation of a fraternity of military pilots. On March 26, 1934 there was formally instituted the Order of Daedalians, the name taken from the legendary Greek flyer, Daedalus. This group was composed of pilots who, no later than the armistice of 1918, held ratings of pilots of heavier-than-air powered aircraft.

The Order of Daedalians was constituted as a military fraternal association, membership being fully consummated only by giving the "promise of a Daedalian." The promise of a Daedalian is:

First: To place Nation above self. This means you will forever keep uppermost in your heart those high ideals of patriotism and self sacrifice which places service to nation above personal safety or position.

Second: To be worthy of the trust and confidence of fellow Daedalians. Your conduct in your relations with other members of this order shall be irreproachable.

Cascade Flight #22 was officially founded in September of 1968 and has approximately 140 members located primarily in the western portions of Washington and Oregon.

To be a part of the organization that was at the forefront of military aviation and is celebrating its 75th anniversary as the premiere fraternal organization for military pilots, contact us at cascadeflight@comcast.net or call the adjutant at 360-754-4845 for more information.