Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. I have had many other health issues since and have recently found all of this. Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920's to June 3rd 1993. . Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. 1946. 1942 -- Camp Skeel is renamed Oscoda Army Air Field and becomes a P-47 fighter base. The landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. I recall we lost a tanker on touch and goes which had to be extinguished with a massive amount of this chemical. [4] Its mission was tomaintain half of the fleet on a 15 minute alert, meaning the plane could be inthe air in 15 minutes, to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet preemptive missilestrike. Groundwater data collected in 1999 at Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Michigan), Tyndall Air Force Base (Florida) and Naval Air Station Fallon (Nevada), where PFC concentrations ranged from below detection limit to over 14,000 g/L, suggest that any military site where AFFFs have been used is likely to have a dissolved plume containing . Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had manydifferent missions. Any one else from 84-89 have issues? [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. The Losinskis are divers David has been diving since 1977; his son, Drew, since 2002 and both are former members of the St. Clair County Dive Team. The study doesn't estimate past concentrations or exposure dosage and was released with . A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. Cindi developed hypertension and Lawrence diagnosed with lung disease. In addition, it would facilitate the installation of nose cannon since the armament could be mounted near the centerline, minimizing the effects of recoil forces. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. Theseplanes would regularly fly missions from Wurtsmith Air Force Base during thecold war. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. Although in the past the Wurtsmith Air Force Base was extremely successful there are some prevalent issues with it today. History. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . They resumed the investigation last spring. Because Wurtsmith Air Force Base was an Air Force Base it had to have the ability to go into complete lock-down in times of emergency and still support the mission. My husband and our two children lived there from 1985-1993 I have a nerve problem my daughter has autoimmune (MS) youngest daughter has kidney problems. View All Homes - Homes for Rent City officials in Dayton, Ohio, have also found the response from the Air Force to cleanup contamination at Wright Patterson Air Force Base to be inadequate. Welcome to The WAFB Historical Site dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Wurtsmith Air Force Base and the units assigned there. There are many different ways that PFOA and PFOS can affect the human body. [3], www.nytimes.com/1988/10/12/us/six-are-killed-in-crash-of-an-air-force-tanker.html, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm, http://ss.sites.mtu.edu/mhugl/2015/10/11/wurtsmith-air-force-base/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wurtsmith_Air_Force_Base. Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. [1] As tensions increased around the world and the likelihood of an actual mission being flown while on ready alert increased, the weekbecame more stressful. There were four planes, and I was watching them from our front window, as I usually do when theyre engaged in gunnery practice. No injuries to the pilot. If your base is not on the map or list above, this does not mean you were not exposed to PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam. Before we move on to that, however, it is very much worth examining a very similar incident that occurred over Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan on 30 th October. A short time later in July 1944 it was being used to train Free French Air Force pilots, which eventually led to more and more training and more and more storage of aircraft like the B-52G (oscairport.com). More individuals impacted by these chemicals are Cindi and Lawrence Ashbeck. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. For example a KC-135 could take off from Wurtsmith Air Force Base, fly across the Pacific Ocean, land in Spain, have the flight crew be relieved by a fresh crew, fly into theater, complete the mission and return to Spain, where the original crew would be rested and ready to fly the KC-135 back to Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The Air Force knew that due to the method used to apply the pesticide, the building design flaw, that a completed exposure pathway (CEP) existed at a large percentage of its tenantable/habitual . On June 30th, 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. [1] Mr. Nortonarrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air ForceBase in the fall of 1985. Stationed there for 84-88 and am suffering with a motor neuron disease process. One of these places included directly underneath the Oscoda high school. distance from the bunker. Comprehensive Base Plan, Department of the Air Force, Directorate of Engineering and Services DCS/PRE - Washington DC 1 April 1970 (revised 12 July 1978) . Everyone from the mechanics keeping the planes flyable, to the cookspreparing food for the airmen stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, to thecommanders who ensured that everything from the flight schedules being correctto the proper paperwork being completed to allow the missions to continue. Representatives Dan Kildee (MI-05) and Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) today urged the U.S. Air Force to take more significant steps to address PFAS contamination around the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base near Oscoda. JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas - Announced in late 2021 by the spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Sharene Brown, it increases focus and attention on the top five quality of life challenges military families face. [1] Hill Housing area-- Wurtsmith Elementary School, Grissom Elementary School, Wagner Middle School, . It was built out of a portion of the decommissioned Wurtsmith Air Force Base which housed nuclear armed B-52 Stratofortress bombers during the Cold War as well as air refueling squadrons. The former base includes 4,626 acres (1,872ha) located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the As seen, in the picture of the runways, there is a Christmas tree coming off of the, beginning of the runway with a building next to it. It was the most horrible thing I have ever witnessed, she said. WAFB closed in 1993 and is gradually being turned over to the Oscoda Airport Authority for reuse as an industrial park and airfield (EPA 2012). The single enlisted airmen who lived on base were housed in barracks. The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. 70-77 lived on base housing with family, flight line assistant supervisor. The Air Force knew about the contamination and spent millions since 1977 to try to cover up the problem by adding phosphates to mask the odor of the chemical in the water. The P-47D, in general service by the spring of 1944, had a maximum speed of 440 miles (700 km) per hour and a ceiling of 40,000 feet (12,200 meters). It excelled in low-altitude ground support as a well-built and reliable aircraft capable of absorbing quite a bit of battle damage. The state says, We dont have jurisdiction over that; its the Air Force, Losinski said. There is no amount of PFOA that is officially recognized as harmful. However, many studies have shown otherwise. The base was put into a standby status to be there just in case something happened in those areas. How is it that these large and respected scientific organizations can continue to be ignored in the face of statistically overwhelming data and human impacts. The plane was equipped with the cannon and four .50-caliber machine guns two mounted on the wings, two more just behind the propeller and timed to fire through the spinning blades. My daughter was born at the base hospital. But these days, the county is becoming a haven for retired people such as the Kuhlmans . These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. The gunnery range was tasked with training pilots from, Selfridge air base in the challenging maneuvers required to land a DeHavilland, biplane on the frozen lake Van Etten for the young Army Air Corps. The water table is about 10 feet below land surface in the western part of the Base and about 25 feet below land surface in the eastern part. At the time, George was a hub of F-4 Phantom fighter jets and OV-10 Bronco reconnaissance planes. Me and Dan drive around base and check out the bunkers that held nuclear weapons during the cold war The Wurtsmith Air Museum is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to preserving the history of Wurtsmith Air Force Base and aviation in Northeastern Michigan. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. The result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. All kind of special chemicals that Boeing told the USAF we had to have. Photos of P-47s flown by French Pilots at Oscoda. Because of this KC-135 squadrons would routinely fly 175 day assignments and return to their home base. So now what? This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. This weapon system used some hazardous and a lot of special chemicals to support it. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this location, or how the historical space is impacting the land and local citizens today. U.S. If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. The brown tint is (mostly) caused by scale build up in the pipes being knocked loose. [1], Over the course of Mr. Nortons career as both a KC-135 Navigator, and a DC-10 Pilot, Mr. Norton served as a flight commander, served numerous, deployments during the Gulf War escorting fighter squadrons from the United, States into theater, supporting fighter squadrons and bomber squadrons in, theater, served multiple temporary duty assignments to England, Spain, Saudi, Arabia, Alaska, and other Air Force Bases around the globe. The history of Oscoda Military Aviation is the same as the History of the Air Force. Today, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base has a museum where you can learn about its history. Wurtsmith Air, Force Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. We didnt know really what we had.. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. March 7, 1942: The first class of Tuskegee Airmen graduate from U.S. Army Air Force Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. Six Are Killed in Crash Of an Air Force Tanker. The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Oct. 1988, www.nytimes.com/1988/10/12/us/six-are-killed-in-crash-of-an-air-force-tanker.html. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. Since 1994, the Wurtsmith Air Museum has upheld the mission of preserving the history of the history of Wurtsmith Air Force Base (an integral part of the US Air Force from 1923 until 1993) and aviation in Northeast Michigan. This bunker compound housed, the flight crews on ready alert, the three B-52 bombers ready to take off at a, moments notice, and the accompanying KC-135s ready to top off the B-52s after takeoff. The M&FRC is located at 1550 Wurtsmith St . At just after 10 pm on the 30 th October, on-duty personnel at Wurtsmith Air Force Base would report seeing a strange object hovering over the . The married enlisted airmen who lived on base lived in a condo type set up with their family. [4] In the later, years of World War II Wurtsmith Air Force Base was used as a fighter-interceptor training base and housed the 332d fighter group, which was part of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. On January 18, 1994 it was listed as a Superfund due to extensive groundwater contamination with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, including trichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane . What's next? This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. All Rights Reserved. Because the Committee on Toxicology (NRC, 1979) concluded that it could not determine a level of exposure to chlordane below which there would be no biologic effect under conditions of prolonged exposure of families in military housing. The pesticide levels and CERCLA 120(h) Deed Restrictions are public information and readily available. For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. [1] At some point over the week an alarm would sound,signaling to the flight crew that the B-52s had to be in the air. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. Student projects from Michigan Tech's SS3505 Military History of the United States, on the people, places, and objects involving our military history in the upper Great Lakes region, Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920s to June 3rd 1993. The gunnery range was tasked with training pilots fromSelfridge air base in the challenging maneuvers required to land a DeHavillandbiplane on the frozen lake Van Etten for the young Army Air Corps. We have a lot of sick civilians and = veterans from contaminated drinking water. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigans lower peninsula. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. In 1932, Capt. [4] Enchanted Forest Web Page Design Service. [ July 4, 2018 ] Grissom Air Force Base, ID Air Force [ May 28, 2018 ] March Air Force Base, CA Air Force [ February 17, 2018 ] Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Navy [ November 5, 2017 ] Fort William D. Davis , Panama Army [ August 28, 2017 ] Naval Air Station Alameda, CA Navy [ March 19, 2016 ] Wurtsmith Air Force Base, MI Air Force [ June 2 . One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. [5] While the 379thBomb Wing was stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base they were part of the ReadyAlert Nuclear Strike Force. Theyre looking for other divers who can assist with the effort. At one point, they had to use these toxic foam chemicals to put out a fire at the Oscoda High School in 1995. Deliveries of the first P-6s were late, the first example not appearing until October 1929. Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Basesignifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. My first assignment as a Nuclear Weapons specialist was at wurtsmith where we deployed the AGM 69A SRAM missile system. Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. The EPA Superfund Contaminants of Concern Update of June 3, 2016 lists all the same contaminants listed in 38-3307(7)(i) as it relates to USMC Camp Lejeune water contaminants. I worked on the flight line. Only after, the plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not.[1]. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. Since its establishment in 1923, Wurtsmith played an important role in World War II, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War, hosting the 134th Army Air Force Base Fighter Unit and 379th Bombardment Wing respectively. The military has not begun cleanups at any of the 50 Department of Defense sites Congress has identified as highly contaminated with the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS - and it could be years before cleanups are complete. I was born on base November 1978, and lived on base with my mom, brother born 1989 on base, and my dad, a civil engineer stationed on base until oct 1982. What us the compensation for this? This unfortunately happened on October 11. , 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. [1] As tensions increased around the world and the likelihood of an actual mission being flown while on ready alert increased, the week, The typical activities while not on ready alert varied greatly, from person to person. Engine not damaged. We make no endorsements or recommendations of any VSO, attorney, law firm, claims specialists or organization working with veterans on their service-connected claim(s). My ex wife has thyroid disease and auto immune disease. Beginning in July 1944, the P-47 Thunderbolt was used extensively to train Free French Air Force pilots at Oscoda Army Air Field (AAF). Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. Fast forward to 1992, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command. In 1953 it was renamed Wurtsmith Air Force Base after Michigan native, Major General Paul Wurtsmith. Because of the restriction of being close to the Christmas tree theyresorted to playing cards, working out, reading, and sleeping while they werenot conducting recurrent training to stay up to date and proficient on theirequipment. This remoteness of Wurtsmith Air Force Base, as well as common brotherhood of being in the United States Air Force resulted in a tight knit community formed by the airmen and their families. This meant that Wurtsmith Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. "It was a city within a city. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. Over the course of Mr. Nortons career as both a KC-135 Navigatorand a DC-10 Pilot, Mr. Norton served as a flight commander, served numerousdeployments during the Gulf War escorting fighter squadrons from the UnitedStates into theater, supporting fighter squadrons and bomber squadrons intheater, served multiple temporary duty assignments to England, Spain, SaudiArabia, Alaska, and other Air Force Bases around the globe. Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. Then everything happened so fast it seems unbelievable. Many of drums ruptured. [1] At some point over the week an alarm would sound, signaling to the flight crew that the B-52s had to be in the air. This man later took the proposal to build a gunnery range to the people of Oscoda. Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. I am pretty sure Diabetes and Sleep Apnea I have now and neuro dammage in both arms are related , So Presumptive Claims puzzleing I have a claim in and never heard anything I know Senator Kilddee of Michigan is trying to help veterans on this matter but congress are dragging this out. Today the Wurtsmith district is integral to the community's economic potential. . Lt. Ennis also thought it would be a great place for young Army Air corps to test aircraft (WAFB.net). Military History of the Upper Great Lakes, Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had many, different missions. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . In 2016, residents near Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan discovered that the water they drank, bathed in, swam in, and fished in was contaminated with jet fuel, cancer-causing chlorinated . It is perhaps the best-known of all the between wars Army pursuits. The Air Force . The 5,221-acre site is bounded by Van Etten Lake to the north and east . The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. Airplane nosed over when landing gear tire casing failed, locking the right wheel. The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. Learn how your comment data is processed. All the artifacts that were taken off were replaced in their original position and original situation except for the tag we cleaned up, he said. Airport History. What they had was a one-seat warplane piloted by 2nd Lt. Frank H. Moody, of Los Angeles. The P-6 was generally similar to the P-1 in construction and appearance. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. By Steve Elliott 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. The typical activities while not on ready alert varied greatlyfrom person to person. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. Lester Graham. WAFB began operations in 1923, under the name of Camp Skeel, and was officially named the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in 1953. Call 205.328.9200 Claim Application. The B-52 is being serviced under the Strategic Air Command Recovery Oriented Aircraft Maintenance (ROAM) system. The cockpit canopy offered exceptional all-round visibility for the pilot. [1] This meant that they could be flying a mission supporting a fighter squadron in Iraq, then be redirected to refuel a bomber squadron over Saudi Arabia, then fly back to Spain to land. Someone who works in a place that uses these chemicals and is exposed to them can have up to 100 parts per million, or 0.01%, in their blood. [1]These KC-135s were necessary because the B-52 could not take off with both afull load of ordnance and a full tank of gas. Im slowly working my way up from 1924 to the present. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. Download Images of Wurtsmith air force base - Free for commercial use, no attribution required. ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. [1] As soon as the wheels touched down the clock would be reset and they could be sent out on another assignment. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. Lora Cole, 1/8/20 I am the daughter to a vet that was in this I was a baby at the time. 1970 - The Air Force knew that some of the Webb Air Force Base Family Housing units, located in Big Spring Texas, were contaminated with and the occupants exposed to a large quantity of chlordane. The Bell P-39 Airacobra was not the best fighter aircraft of WWII, but it was the only fighter available in quantity during the first six months of the war. Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality released a report Thursday, Aug. 30, concluding that Wurtsmith wells were 'likely impacted' by PFAS contamination between 1978 and 1997, when municipal water from Lake Huron was brought to the base. It still haunts me today that we had to do that and were told to just follow orders. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing was, Dave Norton resigned his commotion as a United States Air Force, , 1993 exactly 9 years after receiving his commission, Lt. form the United States Air Force Academy. The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. Aircraft was at Camp Skeel, Oscoda Michigan for Aerial Gunnery training. [1] This was followed by one and a half weeks of normal day to day activitiesuntil the flight crew relieved crew on ready alert in the bunkers.[1]. One example of this is autocross racing. The Air Force says, Any aircraft before 1961, weve abandoned it.. After a devastating fire in Oscoda which cleared over 600 buildings, the remaining citizens heard about the proposal to clear an area for the base. She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs.



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