wurtsmith air force base housing

The history of Oscoda Military Aviation is the same as the History of the Air Force. 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 site uses Akismet to reduce spam. [1] This meant that there was always at least three, B-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. In 1960 it became part of the Strategic Air Command . 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. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. Lt. Ennis Whitehead was part of a unit at Selfridge Army Air Field. "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. 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. [ 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 . 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). ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. 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. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. 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. If there's a main break, sections of the base will . These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. I recall we lost a tanker on touch and goes which had to be extinguished with a massive amount of this chemical. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. 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. While the vast majority of personnel on Wurtsmith Air, Force Base were not part of a flight crew rotating through ready alert, their, respective jobs all served to ensure those planes could take off at a moments, notice. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. We offer visitors three hangars full of military (all branches) and aviation history, static aircraft displays, artifacts, equipment and lots of WAFB memorabilia. People who are exposed every day for an extended period of time are the ones who start to see real problems, some of which I mentioned above. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. He was stationed at the base. [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. Physical Location:4071 East Van Ettan StreetOscoda, Michigan 48750, Mailing Address:PO Box 664Oscoda, Michigan 48750, Tele: (989) 739-7555(Not answered Nov-Apr)Email:email@wurtsmithairmuseum.net, AN ARTIFACT FROM WURTSMITHS COLD WAR PAST HAS RETURNED HOME, There was one final project I wanted to accomplish before departing my assignment as Flight Commander of Aircrew Flight Equipment and SERE at the. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. Lester Graham. 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. 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). DISCLAIMER: Information displayed on U.S. Aircraft was at Camp Skeel, Oscoda Michigan for Aerial Gunnery training. That plane actually crashed April 11, 1944, which was 70 years to the date that the picture was taken, Drew Losinski said. In addition, the rear fuselage was deepened in order that it could faire cleanly into the bottom of the radiator. Had some issue at Loring Maine where I was stationed from 86-88 and nothing.VA is cricket s on this Richard Stanfill, 12/5/21I was stationed there from 1982 to October of 1985 and lost my left kidney to 3rd stage clear cell carcinoma I never smoked or did drugs. The P-6 was generally similar to the P-1 in construction and appearance. Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. Theyve seen lots of things underwater, but the story of the P-39 fighter lost just off the Port Huron beachfront touched them. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. 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. In addition across the base boundary dirt road was the EOD range where every friday morning we burned and destroyed old munitions and other stuff they needed disposed of. He flew from Dayton, Ohio to Washington, D.C. at a speed of approximately 266 mph, at an altitude of 25,000 ft. 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. Drew said, Dad, thats an airplane., You could see the wings. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. They were stationed at the air base from 1986 to 1993. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Base, signifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. [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. ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. 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. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. As seenin the picture of the runways, there is a Christmas tree coming off of thebeginning of the runway with a building next to it. WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. The Losinskis havent abandoned their quest to bring this long-forgotten chapter in the history of World War II to light. The single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. A Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker plane, serial 60-0317, was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident at Oscoda-Wurtsmith AFB, MI (OSC), United States of America. U.S. This is desirable from a strategic standpoint, but for the airmen that served on the bases themselves this meant that they were removed from the vast majority of society. [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. WAFB began operations in 1923, under the name of Camp Skeel, and was officially named the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in 1953. Bert E. Skeel was a WWI pilot who died in an air race in Ohio. 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 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. 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. (Superstorm) Sandy came along (in October) and moved things around, David Losinski said. I will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. empty, 3310 lb gross. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. These mission were into Iraq. She has all kinds of problems, my ex died of cancer and I have all kinds of problems. [1], The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52G, During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flown. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. 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 . The site of Wurtsmith Air Force Base is located 2 miles Northwest of Oscoda, Michigan, about 150 miles North of Detroit. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. 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. 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 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. Dallas Naval base, Texas. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. There is no amount of PFOA that is officially recognized as harmful. However, many studies have shown otherwise. 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. 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. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. 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. Weights were 2450 lb. The base was first named after Capt. I served at Wursmith AFB from 1982 to 1989, living in base housing the entire time and drinking the water. In 1953 it was renamed Wurtsmith Air Force Base after Michigan native, Major General Paul Wurtsmith. Welcome to The WAFB Historical Site dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Wurtsmith Air Force Base and the units assigned there. Even after the base closed in 1993, the base maintained a fire staff for many years. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. VA counselor "don't waste your time". 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. [3] Search Superfund Site Information. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 28 Dec. 2016, cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0503675. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. On May 9, 1961, the base took delivery of its first new Boeing B-52 H Stratofortress, The State of Michigan. 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. 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. Because of this KC-135 squadrons would routinely fly 175 day assignments and return to their home base. My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. While the vast majority of personnel on Wurtsmith AirForce Base were not part of a flight crew rotating through ready alert, theirrespective jobs all served to ensure those planes could take off at a momentsnotice. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. Cindi developed hypertension and Lawrence diagnosed with lung disease. Investigation determined a defective tire caused the accident. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. There is a lot of open runways still today that can be rented out for a multitude of events. 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. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. The base is located in Oscoda, Iosco County, Michigan. After all of that great history, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base is still standing as a place that is visited by a plethora of people. Airplane nosed over when landing gear tire casing failed, locking the right wheel. still rejects and "nexus" to the toxic chemicals on the base. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. The good speed of the P-6E was counterbalanced by some unsatisfacory handling characteristics which made it sluggish in response to controls. U.S. WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. 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. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. Lt. Ennis also thought it would be a great place for young Army Air corps to test aircraft (WAFB.net). During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. The study doesn't estimate past concentrations or exposure dosage and was released with . It is perhaps the best-known of all the between wars Army pursuits. 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. I was stationed there 1988-1992. History. Airport History. The state says, We dont have jurisdiction over that; its the Air Force, Losinski said. 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 . Engine not damaged. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. But these days, the county is becoming a haven for retired people such as the Kuhlmans . 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. Maximum speed was 178 mph at sea level, 171 mph at 10,000 feet. 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. The tire bead failed, allowing the casing to slip over the rim on one side and bind on edge of the wheel fairing on takeoff. He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. 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. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. From: Members of the ground crew move a maintenance cart into position next to a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft parked on the flight line. The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. A total 9589 Airacobras were built before production finally ended on July 25, 1944. The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. [1], These KC-135s were necessary because the B-52 could not take off with both a, full load of ordnance and a full tank of gas.[1]. 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. 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. My ex wife has thyroid disease and auto immune disease. Heart condition, prostate cancer, diabetic, sometimes confused in making decisions. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? Off Base Housing. There were four planes, and I was watching them from our front window, as I usually do when theyre engaged in gunnery practice. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. Stationed there for 84-88 and am suffering with a motor neuron disease process. We knew we had some kind of plane.. [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. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. [1] Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. At least thirty French piloted P-47 aircraft accidents were reported at Oscoda AAF during the time period 1944-1945 and resulted in at least four pilots killed. My symptoms looking back were insidious with weakness and muscle fasciculations. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. My daughter was born at the base hospital. U.S. A new report compiled by a local group, Need Our Water (NOW) and the National Wildlife Federation . 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. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. What us the compensation for this? "It was a city within a city. This is a short video about the small museum located at the decommissioned Wurtsmith AFB in Oscoda Mi.http://www.rv-project.com She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs. The average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. USVCP Staff Writers . [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. 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. Some areas of the site are still under investigation. 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. 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. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at WurtsmithAir Force Base. Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . [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. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. 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. No injuries to the pilot. Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged.

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