It was criticized for its low service ceiling, its slow rate of climb, and its generally poor high-altitude performance. TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. [5] The 379th Bomb Wing immediately continued the 4026th, During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135, Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support land, operations. The married enlisted airmen who lived on base lived in a condo type set up with their family. These contaminants are harmful to the environment. There is a lot of open runways still today that can be rented out for a multitude of events. Contaminated water has been shown to be the main way that humans get exposed to this chemical, which is exactly whats going on in Oscoda. Weights were 2450 lb. [3], [1] Dave Norton, Former United States Air Force Captain, interviewed on 23 OCT 2017, [2] Ap. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Basesignifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. . [1] As soon as the wheels touched down the clock would be reset and they could be sent out on another assignment. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategic, wing as it was disbanded. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. [4] Enchanted Forest Web Page Design Service. DISCLAIMER: Information displayed on U.S. The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. still rejects and "nexus" to the toxic chemicals on the base. More individuals impacted by these chemicals are Cindi and Lawrence Ashbeck. (Superstorm) Sandy came along (in October) and moved things around, David Losinski said. The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. U.S. Air Force should abide by state of Michigan's PFAS Standards, state must hold Air Force accountable. It has found from testing this area that some places to have over 1000 parts-per-trillion for PFOS and PFOA. These chemicals have been shown to cause problems with thyroid, liver, kidney, reproduction, and other health problems. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue the, tradition from their World War II counterparts. Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. U.S. 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). 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. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. Bert E. Skeel was a WWI pilot who died in an air race in Ohio. The Air Force says, Any aircraft before 1961, weve abandoned it.. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. The intent is to create a self-help registry for those who were harmed by the extremely toxic organochlorine pesticide contamination detected at Military Family Housing. Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda Township, Mich. U.S. Department of Defense In Oscoda, authorities tracked the contamination of Van Etten Lake to Wurtsmith Air Force Base , which closed in 1993. Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. There were also problems with the complex nose-mounted reduction gear, which caused reliability problems and resulted in fairly low serviceability rates as compared with other fighters. Service ceiling 27,200 feet, and range was 260 miles. 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. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. View All Homes - Homes for Rent [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. [ 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 . Here is a list of military bases that are known to have had their drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: Alameda Naval base, California. When the Gulf War started in 1990, the 379, Bomber Wing sent B-52s as well as their accompanying KC-135s into the Middle East. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morning, off. 1942 -- Camp Skeel is renamed Oscoda Army Air Field and becomes a P-47 fighter base. More than 40 private businesses and public agencies use the former Air Force facilities and infrastructure, providing more than 1,300 jobs to the area, as well as the conversion of former base housing to 700 privately owned residential homes. My daughter was born there on base in 1987 she has gastric issues, and was born w heart issues. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base that was closed by the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC 2) and is a proposed EPA Superfund site. The views and opinions expressed in this website/articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the U.S. government, We are the men and women of the U.S. Military, Wurtsmith AFB is a Superfund Site. 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. Like the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth and Newington, the former Michigan base is now a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. https://www.oscairport.com/index.php/available-properties/, https://www.oscairport.com/index.php/development-site/, https://www.afhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/APH-Winter2016.pdf, http://www.armytimes.com/story/news/2014/07/30/divers-find-wreckage-of-world-war-ii-era-plane/13354373/, https://wurtsmithairmuseum.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Air-Refueling-Squadron-_-Real-People-_-George-Schlatter720p.mp4. The story stated Moody and three other pilots were taking gunnery practice about three miles north of Port Huron. This would cause some big problems for the fish and other life that lives beneath the surface. Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. [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. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. [1] This tight knit community was not confined to just the Air Force Base, but extended into the community as well. Because of the economic impact of Wurtsmith Air Force Base the community was generally supportive of the airmen, and the base itself. Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920's to June 3rd 1993. . Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich., served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. 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 . Aircraft was at Camp Skeel, Oscoda Michigan for Aerial Gunnery training. My first assignment as a Nuclear Weapons specialist was at wurtsmith where we deployed the AGM 69A SRAM missile system. She gave Kelly the rundown of the base. In 1955 Wurtsmith Air Force Base became an official permanent post in the United States Air Force, which meant that many new services were implemented on base. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. The history of Oscoda Military Aviation is the same as the History of the Air Force. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. Residents of the Oscoda area raised $600 to clear 40 acres of land next to the lake as a spot for a training camp and target range. However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. 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. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. OSCODA, Mich. - Oscoda residents and PFAS activists today held a press conference on the shores of Van Etten Lake to set the record straight on the Air Force's contamination of their community from the former Wurtsmith Air . The result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. They took a photo on April 11, from the surface of Lake Huron, of the wing of a Wold War II-era fighter plane that crashed during a training exercise, killing its pilot. From humble beginnings in the 1920's as a aircraft gunnery range, to its status as a vital member of our strategic defense, Wurtsmith Air Force Base has distinguished itself as an important part of our country's military history. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. In 1955 Wurtsmith Air Force Base became an official permanent post in the United States Air Force, which meant that many new services were implemented on base. Lora Cole, 1/8/20 I am the daughter to a vet that was in this I was a baby at the time. It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. The Wurtsmith base closed in 1991, sending the Harrises to Plattsburgh, N.Y., where friends and neighbors remembered the boys as Scouts and Little Leaguers, and their parents as being involved in . The Losinskis found an account of the crash in the Times Herald. In this June 6, 2018 photo, PFAS foam washes up on the shoreline of Van Etten Lake in Oscoda Township, Mich., near Wurtsmith Air Force Base. It was a feeble effort, for the plane seemed to lift for only a few feet and then it crashed, nose first, into the water. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. In 1960 it became part of the Strategic Air Command . [1], While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a whole, lot to do. It is perhaps the best-known of all the between wars Army pursuits. [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. Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. Wurtsmith Today The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (AFB) properties are being reutilized by 28 businesses and agencies that collectively employ more than 1,660 workers (representing 240 percent of civilian jobs lost). 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. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. Posts and surveys made on this website are opinions or suggestions of users of this website and are not representations, opinions or suggestions of U.S. Click on a marker for base information. These organizations primarily fall into seven types of activities: aviation, manufacturing, technology, medical, housing, education, community services and technology. 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. He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. Environmental groups are calling on the Air Force and the State of Michigan to get serious about cleaning up PFAS around the site of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The base was first named after Capt. The cockpit was fairly easy to enter and exit, but the doors had a tendency to fly open in midair at high speed if improperly secured. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. Because of this KC-135 squadrons would routinely fly 175 day assignments and return to their home base. At the time, it was considered a vital Air Defense Command base and was equipped and manned with interceptor aircraft capable of flying over the North Pole into the Soviet Union. Lester Graham. [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] The 1st Combat Evaluation Group (initially "1CEG", later "1CEVG") was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I remember getting a letter of counseling when I wanted to object as a warning what could happen. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. 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. I was shocked when we drove to a wooded area not far from bomber alert pad and WSA up the road of the k9 area where a bull dozed had dug a large trench and we were ordered to dump the shit. If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. August 8, 2018. There are many different ways that PFOA and PFOS can affect the human body. [4] Its mission was to, maintain half of the fleet on a 15 minute alert, meaning the plane could be in, the air in 15 minutes, to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet preemptive missile, strike. 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. The KC-135s would finish one mission and there would be another one waiting for them as soon as they were available. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at Wurtsmith, Air Force Base. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigans lower peninsula. During those efforts, they noted several areas they wanted to investigate, including one about four miles north of the Blue Water Bridge. On May 9, 1961, the base took delivery of its first new Boeing B-52 H Stratofortress, The State of Michigan. 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. A total 9589 Airacobras were built before production finally ended on July 25, 1944. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. The Air Force . 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. 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. At the time, George was a hub of F-4 Phantom fighter jets and OV-10 Bronco reconnaissance planes. As long as these assignments were under 180 days they were considered Temporary Duty Assignments. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. Our biodegradation . Wurtsmith Air Force Base. A Brief History of Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html. One of these men were named Lt. Ennis Whitehead. The brown tint is (mostly) caused by scale build up in the pipes being knocked loose. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. 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 P-6 was generally similar to the P-1 in construction and appearance. Mr. Norton would occasionally return to fresh fish left by his neighbor on his porch. No injuries to the pilot. What they had was a one-seat warplane piloted by 2nd Lt. Frank H. Moody, of Los Angeles. 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. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. Environmental context Total organofluorine and known fluorosurfactants were quantified in 11 aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) used to extinguish fires in Ontario, Canada, and one commercial AFFF product. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is said to have originally started with a fishing trip between two men. Stationed there for 84-88 and am suffering with a motor neuron disease process. Learn how your comment data is processed. The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. [3] Search Superfund Site Information. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 28 Dec. 2016, cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0503675. [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 landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. I was stationed there 1978 -81 lived on base they never told us about the water being contaminated . [1] Mr. Norton also landedthe first KC-135 in operation Southern Watch. 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. Anyone know the status on this? Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Mr. Norton experienced this first hand while being station at Wurtsmith Air Force Base when he had his Squadron Commander help him hang drywall in his house. So now what? The base was put into a standby status to be there just in case something happened in those areas. It was the most horrible thing I have ever witnessed, she said. It was eerie, David Losinski said. Michigan Radio. The presumptive disabilities from contaminated water at Wurtsmith AFB would lead to automatic compensation to potentially thousands of veterans. One example of this is autocross racing. "Keeping Wurtsmith AFB and Aviation History of NE MI Alive" Opens on Armed Forces Day in May, hosts a Welcome Home. The typical activities while not on ready alert varied greatlyfrom person to person. If a banker had not taken Lt. Whitehead on a fishing trip there would not have been an Air Force Base in Oscoda Michigan. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. He was stationed at the base. In July 2018 the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), set the table for Congress to consider legislation that would force the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to extend health benefits to base veterans without making them prove their illnesses are linked to chemical exposure. At one point, they had to use these toxic foam chemicals to put out a fire at the Oscoda High School in 1995. The 4026th was a SAC Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing that had been organized on 1 August 1958. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does not monitor, pre-screen or moderate posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. Neither Michigan nor any U.S. officials have conducted a comprehensive study on the contaminants and pollutants under the base. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. David Losinski said he and his son were assisting the state Department of Environmental Quality with a barge that sank in Lake Huron in July 2012. 1944 -- Maj. Gen. Paul B. Wurtsmith, born in Detroit in 1906, led U. S. Army Air Corps training flights to Camp Skeel near Oscoda prior to World War II. 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. In March of 1943, the Third Air Force reactivated the field for training of black aviators. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. Only after, the plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not.[1]. The sources Im using include The Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFRA); Photo collections from Wurtsmith Museum; Photo collections from Selfridge Museum, Selfridge AFB Historical files; and Aircraft Accident Reports. There are many historical planes you can visit as well as other interesting pieces of history that the public may view. . Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. During World War II, P-47 fighters were assigned to Oscoda. The 5,221-acre site is bounded by Van Etten Lake to the north and east . [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at WurtsmithAir Force Base. Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. These are simply the specific . Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. "It was a city within a city. Dallas Naval base, Texas. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. The 379th was reassigned to Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan without personnel or equipment in January 1961, assuming the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the discontinued 4026th Strategic Wing. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. Just run the water until it clears up. The P-39 had a unique configuration with the engine placed behind the pilot and the drive shaft running under the cockpit to the propeller. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/06/wurtsmith_veterans_health.html, http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/11/13/deq-we-dont-yet-know-full-extent-wurtsmith-air-base-contamination/93242484/, https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/08/18/21105/military-bases-contamination-will-affect-water-generations, http://www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html, Military History of the Upper Great Lakes. Located in Iosco County, Michigan, Wurtsmith Air Force Base operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. The Tuskegee Airmen were African-American members of the 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Force who fought in Europe during World War II.