Gone West: A Final Salute
We pay tribute to some of our most revered members who have gone west. Read about their extraordinary lives and service.
Col. John Henry Felix
The Hawaii Wing lost a valued leader when Col. John Henry Felix, who served three terms as wing commander in as many decades, flew west May 5. He was 94.
Felix first held command of the wing from June 1967-November 1968. He returned to the top leadership position in January 1980, serving until December 1982. His third term as commander covered April 2015-February 2016 — nearly a half-century after he initially held the post.
His legacy as a leader left an impact on numerous aspects of the Hawaii Wing, perhaps most concretely in the form of the wing’s headquarters at 419 Lele St. in Honolulu, completed some four and a half decades ago. He oversaw the development of the property, playing an instrumental role in securing the land, obtaining funding, and enlisting an architect.
His command style combined discipline, strategic planning, and an unwavering belief in volunteerism. He earned two Distinguished Service Medals in recognition of his extraordinary contributions.
Felix served in the U.S. Army infantry during the Korean War, later earning his commission in the U.S. Air Force. He held a doctorate in public policy and administration, and over the decades he headed the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, chaired the Hawaii Medical Assurance Association and the Board of Regents of the University of Oxford’s Harris Manchester College in England, and provided leadership as a member of the Board of Governors of the American National Red Cross, Boy Scouts Aloha Council, March of Dimes, Consular Corps of Hawaii, Hawaii Public Radio, Young Presidents’ Organization, Junior Achievement, Academy of the Pacific, and more. He authored six books and numerous articles on governance and volunteer development.
He was also chief of staff for the new state of Hawaii’s first elected governor, William F. Quinn.
Felix’s contributions to the Hawaii Wing also included service as squadron commander for the Maryknoll Cadet Squadron in Honolulu. In a statement to KGMB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Honolulu, one of his successors as squadron commander, Capt. Denton Alvarado, recalled having had “the profound honor of growing up with John Henry Felix, from my days as a cadet during the reinstatement of the Maryknoll Cadet Squadron to my role as an adult leader and eventual commander of that very squadron.
“John Henry epitomized servant leadership and was a true gentleman,” Alvarado said. “His ever-present smile and unwavering passion for serving the community, especially our veterans, were truly inspiring."
Lt. Col. Arthur Woodgate, Southwest Region
Lt. Col. Arthur Woodgate, who served in Public Affairs and Information Technology roles at the squadron, group, wing, and region levels, flew west Oct. 5 at his home in Wimberley, Texas. He was 90 years old.
A skilled writer, editor, and linguist, he spoke several languages and appreciated the nuance of a well-turned phrase. He was the editor of three technical magazines in Houston before joining the U.S. Army as a military intelligence specialist, earning the Army Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Joint Service Commendation Medal, a Department of Defense award. He also earned the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, and retired as a chief warrant officer two, a commissioned rank.
He earned his private pilot certificate at 26 and had a lifelong interest in aviation, its impact on our society, and its worldwide importance. He also had an interest in computing and founded two software firms.
Woodgate joined Civil Air Patrol in June 2004, serving as public affairs officer and a flight leader of the Tex Hill Composite Squadron in San Marcos, Texas. Subsequently, he served as Group III PAO and information technology officer. During his tenure at Group III, Woodgate broke new ground in the CAP public affairs world by creating a website that served both as an external communications tool and an internal reference and support tool. In 2010, he received a Maj. Howell Balsem Exceptional Achievement Award for the Texas Wing website he developed. Woodgate served as the Southwest Region director of public affairs from November 2009 until January 2023.
“I had the pleasure of working with Lt. Col. Arthur Woodgate when I was the Texas Wing commander, as well as when I was Southwest Region commander,” said Col. Joe Smith. “My favorite memories of Arthur were when he was working with cadets on improving their writing for articles for wing newsletters or The Fly-By. He would literally light up with excitement when they absorbed new ways of expressing themselves through the written word.”
The Fly-By, a quarterly newsletter for Southwest Region, was his pride and joy. It premiered in October 2008, with five pages of region news. Over the years, the size of the issues grew and, starting in 2015, included Woodgate’s “On Language” column, which premiered with his thoughts on whether the evolution of the English language was “leaving in the dust two to three millennia of accumulated language wisdom.” He was working on the Quarter 3 2025 issue of The Fly-By when he died.
Woodgate completed Level V of CAP’s professional development program and held a master rating in public affairs as well as technician ratings in aerospace education, organizational excellence, and cadet programs. His achievements were recognized with four Meritorious Service awards and two commander’s commendations.
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Lt. Col. Norman Greenberg
Lt. Col. Norman Greenberg, who filled numerous leadership roles in the New York Wing at the squadron, group, and wing levels during his 54 years in Civil Air Patrol, flew west May 3. He was 94.
Greenberg’s leadership positions ranged from Long Island Group commander in the early 2000s to New York Wing director of emergency services from 2015-2016, and wing assistant director of finance from 2010-2013 and again from 2016 until his passing.
In the field, Greenberg served as a CAP command pilot with more than 3,100 flight hours and as a mission pilot, incident commander, flight release officer, air operations and branch director, ground branch director, flight line supervisor, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems technician, communications unit leader, and mission safety officer. He was also a finance and administrative section chief, logistics section chief, public information officer, and liaison officer.
“To say that Norm Greenberg was a vital and integrated part of (the New York Wing) for many years is a serious understatement,” Col. William Martin, wing commander, wrote in his email announcing Greenberg’s passing. “He put his knowledge, skills, and experience to work supporting what we do in many ways, from 1971 until his passing. He will be greatly missed.”
Lt. Col. Darren Cioffi, the New York Wing’s small Unmanned Aircraft Systems director, said in an online memorial comment that he “had the privilege of knowing Norm for over 20 years and spent a great deal of time with him during CAP activities and events. He was a straight-shooter — honest, sincere, and always striving to help those around him grow.”