23 February, 2010 - The command of the Thames River Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, passed from Lt Col Lawrence W. Kinch to Capt Paul J. Noniewicz in a ceremony at Squadron Headquarters in Groton. In a longstanding tradition, Col Kinch passed the Squadron Guidon to Capt Noniewicz symbolizing the passing of authority and responsibility from one Officer to another.
As a teenager in the 1950s, Col Kinch served as a Civil Air Patrol Cadet, traveled to Chile on the cadet exchange program, attended the USAF Jet Orientation Program, and was one of only two Cadets to qualify as a Mission Observer. He joined the United States Air Force, trained as a Navigator and served in several variants of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. His major military assignments included Instructor Navigator and Crew Lead with the 516th Tactical Airlift Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas and Executive Officer to the Commander of the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing at Pope AFB, North Carolina. While at Pope, he also helped develop and test the Air Force’s All Weather Aerial Delivery System.
During the Vietnam War, Col Kinch flew two combat tours over North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. During his 144 combat missions, he navigated C-130A "Blind Bat" flare ship and served as Attack Director in AC-130A Specter gunship. While assigned to gunships, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for locating and attacking the home base of a North Vietnamese regiment. Aside from the Distinguished Flying Cross, he also holds the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, and a Distinguished Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Vietnam Service Medal with five Battle Stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. Col Kinch retired from the Air Force as a Master Navigator.
Col Kinch rejoined CAP in 1998 and becoming Commander of Thames River Composite Squadron in August of 2005. While Commander, he focused on developing the Air Operations Team with the goal of deploying three fully trained crews during a single emergency. Upon retirement, he worked in the field of Human Resources with the Middletown City Government and at Yardney Technical Products in Pawcatuck, RI.
Col Kinch resides in Gales Ferry with his wife Sue and his four daughters, Beth, Laura, Meredith, and Amy.
Connecticut Wing Commander, Col Cassandra Huchko, presented Col Kinch with the Commander's Commendation Award and praised his command abilities as well as the progress the Squadron made under his leadership. Catherine L. Young, Manager of the Groton-New London Airport, read a testimonial from the Connecticut Department of Transportation honoring Col Kinch for his contributions to aviation safety and aerospace education. Additionally, Lt Edward Miller, on behalf of the Squadron, presented The Colonel with a scale model of the C-130 Specter gunship. The model was painted with the identification markings of one of the ships in which Kinch served.
The incoming Commander, Capt Noniewicz hails from central Connecticut and was raised in New Britain. As a boy, he watched airplanes take off and land at an airport near his grandmother's house, developing a strong interest in aviation from that moment on. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1986 and went on to earn a Master's from Lehigh and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is employed by Computer Sciences Corporation.
Capt Noniewicz has served as the Squadron Safety Officer and Maintenance Officer and currently holds the post of Operations Officer. He is a CAP Mission, Cadet Orientation, and Instrument
Rated Pilot. A significant highlight of his CAP career was flying multiple missions immediately after the 9/11 attack in which he served on a crew carrying medical supplies from Massachusetts to New York.
Captain Noniewicz resides in Lyme with his wife Jackie and daughter Lindsey.
Stephen M. Rocketto, Maj, CAP
Public Affairs Officer, Thames River Composite Squadron
As a teenager in the 1950s, Col Kinch served as a Civil Air Patrol Cadet, traveled to Chile on the cadet exchange program, attended the USAF Jet Orientation Program, and was one of only two Cadets to qualify as a Mission Observer. He joined the United States Air Force, trained as a Navigator and served in several variants of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. His major military assignments included Instructor Navigator and Crew Lead with the 516th Tactical Airlift Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas and Executive Officer to the Commander of the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing at Pope AFB, North Carolina. While at Pope, he also helped develop and test the Air Force’s All Weather Aerial Delivery System.
During the Vietnam War, Col Kinch flew two combat tours over North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. During his 144 combat missions, he navigated C-130A "Blind Bat" flare ship and served as Attack Director in AC-130A Specter gunship. While assigned to gunships, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for locating and attacking the home base of a North Vietnamese regiment. Aside from the Distinguished Flying Cross, he also holds the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, and a Distinguished Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Vietnam Service Medal with five Battle Stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. Col Kinch retired from the Air Force as a Master Navigator.
Col Kinch rejoined CAP in 1998 and becoming Commander of Thames River Composite Squadron in August of 2005. While Commander, he focused on developing the Air Operations Team with the goal of deploying three fully trained crews during a single emergency. Upon retirement, he worked in the field of Human Resources with the Middletown City Government and at Yardney Technical Products in Pawcatuck, RI.
Col Kinch resides in Gales Ferry with his wife Sue and his four daughters, Beth, Laura, Meredith, and Amy.
Connecticut Wing Commander, Col Cassandra Huchko, presented Col Kinch with the Commander's Commendation Award and praised his command abilities as well as the progress the Squadron made under his leadership. Catherine L. Young, Manager of the Groton-New London Airport, read a testimonial from the Connecticut Department of Transportation honoring Col Kinch for his contributions to aviation safety and aerospace education. Additionally, Lt Edward Miller, on behalf of the Squadron, presented The Colonel with a scale model of the C-130 Specter gunship. The model was painted with the identification markings of one of the ships in which Kinch served.
The incoming Commander, Capt Noniewicz hails from central Connecticut and was raised in New Britain. As a boy, he watched airplanes take off and land at an airport near his grandmother's house, developing a strong interest in aviation from that moment on. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1986 and went on to earn a Master's from Lehigh and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is employed by Computer Sciences Corporation.
Capt Noniewicz has served as the Squadron Safety Officer and Maintenance Officer and currently holds the post of Operations Officer. He is a CAP Mission, Cadet Orientation, and Instrument
Rated Pilot. A significant highlight of his CAP career was flying multiple missions immediately after the 9/11 attack in which he served on a crew carrying medical supplies from Massachusetts to New York.
Captain Noniewicz resides in Lyme with his wife Jackie and daughter Lindsey.
Stephen M. Rocketto, Maj, CAP
Public Affairs Officer, Thames River Composite Squadron
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