Having high amounts of this chemical directly underneath their high school could have serious long-term effects on the kids that attend school as well as the faculty. The Air Force . 2 talking about this. Moodys body was not recovered until it washed ashore in Port Huron on June 4, 1944 two days before D-Day and the invasion of Normandy. 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. It was criticized for its low service ceiling, its slow rate of climb, and its generally poor high-altitude performance. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice. A series of stringers were added to the fuselage sides to round out the cross section. 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. High blood serum levels of PFOA are associated with infertility, decreased semen quality, and a higher risk of thyroid disease. The typical activities while not on ready alert varied greatlyfrom person to person. [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategicwing as it was disbanded. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. Mr. Norton would occasionally return to fresh fish left by his neighbor on his porch. On National Vietnam War Veterans Day, we recognize the many men and women who served and fought during the difficult conflict, giving them the appreciation they deserve. Wurtsmith AirForce Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. On June 30th, 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. 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. 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 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. One example of this is autocross racing. U.S. Because of the restriction of being close to the Christmas tree they, resorted to playing cards, working out, reading, and sleeping while they were, not conducting recurrent training to stay up to date and proficient on their, equipment. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . Dover Air Force base, Delaware. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. Leaking chemical storage tanks and waste disposal operations contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. The base is located in Oscoda, Iosco County, Michigan. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. During those efforts, they noted several areas they wanted to investigate, including one about four miles north of the Blue Water Bridge. As previously stated, there is a museum open to the public which has artifacts and information on the bases history. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. [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. I was stationed there from 11/84-1989. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. I remember getting a letter of counseling when I wanted to object as a warning what could happen. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. . In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. This, flight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undisclosed. The result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. Because of the economic impact of Wurtsmith Air Force Base the community was generally supportive of the airmen, and the base itself. Deliveries of the first P-6s were late, the first example not appearing until October 1929. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. 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. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. Aug 24, 2021. I served at Wurtsmith from 1974-1977 my whole family has suffered from various ongoing ailments. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . Heavily armed with eight wing-mounted 0.50-inch (12.7-mm) machine guns, it could carry a bomb load of as much as 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) and could carry ten 5-inch (127-mm) rockets beneath the wings. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the private well located across the road from Oscoda High School tested about the 70 parts-per-trillion advisory level that was established for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS). The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. According to Robert Delaney, a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality specialist, If you pull the water out of the ground in that training area, it still foams, theres so much in there. Since this entire problem stems from the fact that the foam used to extinguish fires on the base is what carried the toxic chemical, that goes to show just how invasive and problematic this contamination can be. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to . U.S. For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. The P-6 was generally similar to the P-1 in construction and appearance. 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). 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. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. Wurtsmith AFB has a better paper trail showing irrefutable evidence of contamination of the base drinking water with Trichloroethelene (TCE) first discovered in 1977 as a result of a complaint from a base housing resident. The history of Oscoda Military Aviation is the same as the History of the Air Force. 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. This is very dear to my heart and want to get involved however I can. WAFB began operations in 1923, under the name of Camp Skeel, and was officially named the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in 1953. Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. In 1960 it became part of the Strategic Air Command . The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. 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 . 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). There are a lot of stories to tell. Drew said, Dad, thats an airplane., You could see the wings. NPL Status: Proposed Street Address: AFBCA/DB, OSCODA, MI 54961 Congressional District: 01 EPA ID: MI5570024278 Population (within 1 mile): 101-1,000 Contaminant Information. The good speed of the P-6E was counterbalanced by some unsatisfacory handling characteristics which made it sluggish in response to controls. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. 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. The 5,221-acre site is bounded by Van Etten Lake to the north and east . Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. The brown tint is (mostly) caused by scale build up in the pipes being knocked loose. It is primarily a large jet airplane salvage, jet engine maintenance and light general aviation . The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. To gain a measure of the extremely high levels of contaminated drinking water, according to the ATSDR, TCE levels in a well at the corner of Arrow Street and N. Skeel Avenue were as high as 5,173 parts-per-billion (ppb) during 1977, 1978, & 1979 tests, which is more than 1,000 times the EPA's current limit of 5-ppb for TCE in drinking water. 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 Air Force's decline to commit to Michigan's standards is among a litany of frustrations Oscoda residents say they have . This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. Facebook: Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water Created to serve as a reference point for former WAFB residents to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. The base came to be because of chance. My daughter was born at the base hospital. The popular legend, supported by interviews and other historical documents, is that Wurtsmith was established as the direct result of a fishing trip by Lt. Ennis Whitehead (later Lt. Gen. Whitehead, commander of the Fifth and Far Eastern Air Forces during and after World War . Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctors office, a fully equipped gym, and a store where basic necessities were available, military police, office space, and everything necessary to ensure the planes are fully functioning and ready to fly missions. To all who are interested in the Camp Skeel/Oscoda AAF/Wurtsmith AFB History. As long as these assignments were under 180 days they were considered Temporary Duty Assignments. 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 . A new report compiled by a local group, Need Our Water (NOW) and the National Wildlife Federation . The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. With this long list of negative effects it is clearly a big health issue for local residents. [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. 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. In a nutshell, this is what were trying to do get permission to relocate the parts so they would resemble a plane, David Losinski said. These mission were into Iraq. More individuals impacted by these chemicals are Cindi and Lawrence Ashbeck. 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. Heart condition, prostate cancer, diabetic, sometimes confused in making decisions. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. [1] This tight knit community was not confined to just the Air Force Base, but extended into the community as well. Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. [1] Pieces include the engine, the tail, part of the door and the 37-millimeter cannon that fired through the propeller hub. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. They are surely exposed to this chemical nearly every day, whether it be playing outside on the playground or from being exposed to the chemicals via drinking the water. 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 average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. [1], The usefulness and mission type of the KC-135 in maintaining air superiority, as well as supporting missions originating in the United States meant that they would have longer assignments, as well as much more fluid assignments than other types of squadrons. Many of drums ruptured. Wurtsmith Air Force Base. A Brief History of Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html. What us the compensation for this? 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 married enlisted airmen who lived on base lived in a condo type set up with their family. Now, I have been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney failure and congestive heart disease, I am currently on dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant. Thanks for sending to you and Pat. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. [1] While this was a relatively boring week, it was extremely stressfulbecause no one knew when the alarm would sound, but more importantly no oneknew if it would be a drill or not. 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. Military History of the Upper Great Lakes, Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had many, different missions. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigans lower peninsula. There are many people who were exposed to the Wurtsmith water that are now coming out and blaming the chemical filled drinking water for their health problems. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. 1946. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich., served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. If there's a main break, sections of the base will . Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged. Any one else from 84-89 have issues? A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. Testing by the Air Force has found high levels of the toxic chemical PFOS in the foam near a plume coming from the former nuclear bomber base. Maximum speed was 178 mph at sea level, 171 mph at 10,000 feet. The M&FRC is located at 1550 Wurtsmith St . The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. Investigation determined a defective tire caused the accident. This gave the Army operations the opportunity to begin creating the base we know today. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. If a banker had not taken Lt. Whitehead on a fishing trip there would not have been an Air Force Base in Oscoda Michigan. I still stay in touch with Gary but do not know if he has an e-mail account. The study doesn't estimate past concentrations or exposure dosage and was released with . It was formed on 1 August 1961 to merge the 3908th Strategic Standardization Group for SAC aircrew evaluation with the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group that had originated from the 263rd Army Air Force Base Unit which transferred from 15th AF to directly under Strategic Air Command c. These mission were into Iraq. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. This judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. Lt. Ennis also thought it would be a great place for young Army Air corps to test aircraft (WAFB.net). [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. According to the Air Force's account, in October 1977, a Wurtsmith base housing resident complained about a peculiar odor and taste in the drinking water. It had everything in it. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is said to have originally started with a fishing trip between two men. 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 My daughter was born there on base in 1987 she has gastric issues, and was born w heart issues. [1] As soon as the wheels touched down the clock would be reset and they could be sent out on another assignment. The 700 hp Conqueror engine was exceptionally powerful for its day, but it had many minor and some major faults which needed to be corrected. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. purposes only, and is not legal advice. 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 . At this time, the camp was renamed and the airfield was under III Fighter Command jurisdiction. He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. 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. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity. 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. The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. In 1953 it was renamed Wurtsmith Air Force Base after Michigan native, Major General Paul Wurtsmith. While many of the airmen preferred to live on base it was possible for them to buy or rent a house or apartment off post. This bunker compound housedthe flight crews on ready alert, the three B-52 bombers ready to take off at amoments notice, and the accompanying KC-135s ready to top off the B-52s after takeoff. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. 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. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. 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). [1] This was further broken down by marital status. The last was delivered in December 1930. Im using a combination of several source materials to tell the history of the area. Veterans of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda from the 1970s, and their families who lived with them on the base, face increased risks of leukemia and other harmful effects from prolonged exposures to toxic volatile organic compounds that were in the now-shuttered base's water supply at the time, a federal health agency has found. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. . Photos of P-47s flown by French Pilots at Oscoda. 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. [1] This was followed by one and a half weeks of normal day to day activities, until the flight crew relieved crew on ready alert in the bunkers. State officials' concerns about pollution in the area date back to 2012, when the health department issued a "do not eat" advisory for all fish caught near Wurtsmith Air Force Base. [1] While this was a relatively boring week, it was extremely stressful, because no one knew when the alarm would sound, but more importantly no one, knew if it would be a drill or not. 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. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. These bases wereresponsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water, Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing. Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had manydifferent missions. 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. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. "Keeping Wurtsmith AFB and Aviation History of NE MI Alive" Opens on Armed Forces Day in May, hosts a Welcome Home. 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. 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. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does NOT represent or warrant, and makes no claims, promises or guarantees about, the usefulness, completeness, adequacy or accuracy of any information, posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses contained in or linked to this website, or the competency, qualifications or identity of any person providing information or making a post, survey, topic, comment, blog or response contained in or linked to this website. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. It was eerie, David Losinski said. "The Department of Defense is evaluating [cleanup standards], and we take our lead from what the Department of Defense says," said Stephen TerMaath, who leads the Air Force division in charge of Wurtsmith cleanup. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. China Lake Naval base, California. 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. 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). USVCP Staff Writers . [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]. Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. The Losinskis havent abandoned their quest to bring this long-forgotten chapter in the history of World War II to light. 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. 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. . I saw a big splash, and then the plane went out of sight.. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. In their letter, the members expressed their concerns that the Air Force's proposed remediation plan . 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. On May 9, 1961, the base took delivery of its first new Boeing B-52 H Stratofortress, The State of Michigan.
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