The Orange County Squadron's early history is not well recorded. The Squadron was chartered in the 1970s and was part of the Orange County Group. Orange County Group eventually dissolved, yielding to Catskill Mountain Group. Several awards were earned as Squadron of the Year in Catskill Mountain Group during the late 80s and 90s. Briefly during the turn of the century, we were attached to the South East Group, but we are once again one of the five active squadrons of Catskill Mountain Group. The Ltc William F. Richardell Squadron, in honor of Ltc William F. Richardell, CAP, an active participant in Orange County's Civil Air Patrol for several years, was officially renamed to the Orange County Squadron in early 2004.
Our HQ, Stewart Air National Guard Base, is home to the 105th Airlift Wing of the NYANG. They fly the C-5A Galaxy, the largest aircraft in the US military; a cargo plane with the capability to carry three Abrams tanks and 60 troops. The base is also home to a US Marine Corps Reserve Detachment, which fly KC-130 mid-air refueling aircraft. Additionally, the US Army has an active helicopter post on base which provides the United States Military Academy at West Point with UH-1 Huey and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for training and transport.
Fifteen minutes from Stewart is Orange County Airport in Montgomery, NY. At OCA, Catskill Mountain Group maintains a mission base for emergency services and the Group's training and SAR aircraft, a Cessna 172.
Cadet Commanders and their post-CAP activities:
Mike Mazanec, Emergency Medical Technician
Eileen Pimpiano, Air National Guard
Sep 99 - Sep 01 Sean Gavin, Army ROTC;
briefly co-CC Ryan Szirmay
Sep 01 - Dec 01 Casey Bertollo
Jan 02 - Jun 02 Jill Rahon, United States Military Academy
Jul 02 - Jun 03 Andrew Numa
Jun 03 - Patrick Clark
Other former cadets in the military and emergency services:
Patrick Heiny, Virginia Military Institute
Ricky Chersicla, Army ROTC
Justin Andrews, Air Force
