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Section 107, the written material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the included information for educational purposes. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. Today the Wurtsmith district is integral to the community's economic potential. This resulted in KC-135 squadrons spending a greater amount of time on temporary duty assignments than other squadrons from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. It remained named Camp Skeel until 1942 when it was renamed Oscoda Army Air Field (WAFB.net). 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. Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. 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. out of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 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. P-6E, serial number 32-156, 17th Pursuit Squadron from Selfridge Field Michigan. 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 single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. The married officers lived in a standalone house with their family. These are simply the specific . 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. 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. 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 story stated Moody and three other pilots were taking gunnery practice about three miles north of Port Huron. An unusual feature of the P-39 Airacobra was the automobile-type doors that had roll-down windows on each side of the cockpit. 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. He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. 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. I lived in base housing, I want to say 8607H Ohio from 82-84. What's next? For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. 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. Beginning in July 1944, the P-47 Thunderbolt was used extensively to train Free French Air Force pilots at Oscoda Army Air Field (AAF). These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. View All Homes - Homes for Rent We offer visitors three hangars full of military (all branches) and aviation history, static aircraft displays, artifacts, equipment and lots of WAFB memorabilia. 70-77 lived on base housing with family, flight line assistant supervisor. All Rights Reserved. empty, 3310 lb gross. It has recently been discovered that that the base has been leaking chemicals into the surrounding waterways. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. 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. [3] Search Superfund Site Information. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 28 Dec. 2016, cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0503675. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. The 1st Combat Evaluation Group (initially "1CEG", later "1CEVG") was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit. [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. 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. 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. .. did this bill die in the committee s? Hill Housing area-- Wurtsmith Elementary School, Grissom Elementary School, Wagner Middle School, . We have a lot of sick civilians and = veterans from contaminated drinking water. 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. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. . 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. Lester Graham. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to sou 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. Our biodegradation . The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. On April 1, 1960, Strategic Air Command assumed operational control of what was then Wurtsmith Air Force Base from Air Defense Command; on Jan. 9, 1961, the 379th Bombardment Wing, flying B-52H's and KC-135A's, became the host unit. Lt. Ennis Whitehead was part of a unit at Selfridge Army Air Field. Comprehensive Base Plan, Department of the Air Force, Directorate of Engineering and Services DCS/PRE - Washington DC 1 April 1970 (revised 12 July 1978) . My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. . In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. Today, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base has a museum where you can learn about its history. With this long list of negative effects it is clearly a big health issue for local residents. 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. [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]. 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. [1]After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. Mrs. Cecil V. Fowler saw the crash, according to the Times Herald article. [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 will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. It has found from testing this area that some places to have over 1000 parts-per-trillion for PFOS and PFOA. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice. The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. Ellsworth Air Force base, South Dakota. The Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12 engine behind the pilots seat drove the propeller by means of a driveshaft mounted under the pilots seat. Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. I worked on the flight line. I recall we lost a tanker on touch and goes which had to be extinguished with a massive amount of this chemical. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. [4] Over the tenure of the base it was home to an aerial gunnery range, a fighter-interceptor training base and later home to the 379th Bomb Wing as a member of the Strategic Air Command.[4]. See: Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing, CERCLA 120(h) Quitclaim Deed Restrictions for the George AFB Family Housing, Organochlorine Pesticide Contamination at George AFB Schools, Terri Crooks won her VA C&P Claim for service connected injury for her exposure to chlordane and other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), Frank Vera www.BaseFamilyHousing.Info PO Box 1313 Jamestown, CA, 95327-1313 Phone: 209-782-4541, Copyright 2020 - BaseFamilyHousing.Info. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA. 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. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. Bert E. Skeel in 1924. All four of the the guys that were in that flight were from Tuskegee, Losinksi said. The site of Wurtsmith Air Force Base is located 2 miles Northwest of Oscoda, Michigan, about 150 miles North of Detroit. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. [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 presumptive disabilities from contaminated water at Wurtsmith AFB would lead to automatic compensation to potentially thousands of veterans. August 8, 2018. [1] Mr. Norton also landedthe first KC-135 in operation Southern Watch. Wurtsmith Air, Force Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. [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. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. This happened a couple weeks before the IOC which is in the wing,ahistorical records on microfilm. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs. 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. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. 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. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is said to have originally started with a fishing trip between two men. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. However, the P-6 differed from the P-1 in having its fuselage rounded out to match the fatter engine cowling required by the Conqueror engine. This year, we went out diving, and we could see these points of interest from the surface, Losinski said. Me and Dan drive around base and check out the bunkers that held nuclear weapons during the cold war [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. A total 9589 Airacobras were built before production finally ended on July 25, 1944. 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. The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. 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. 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. [1], When the Gulf War started in 1990, the 379th Bomber Wing sent B-52s as well as their accompanying KC-135s into the Middle East. We knew we had some kind of plane.. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. 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. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. U.S. 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 judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. She has all kinds of problems, my ex died of cancer and I have all kinds of problems. Aircraft was at Camp Skeel, Oscoda Michigan for Aerial Gunnery training. He flew from Dayton, Ohio to Washington, D.C. at a speed of approximately 266 mph, at an altitude of 25,000 ft. They also were known as the Red Tails because they painted the tails of their aircraft red. Call 205.328.9200 Claim Application. The typical activities while not on ready alert varied greatlyfrom person to person. Some areas of the site are still under investigation. Now I see this years later. This article is from 2018.. 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. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking . The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. [1] On the first Wednesday the, fresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. This is an evolving issue with many moving parts. 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. 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. [1] As soon as the wheels touched down the clock would be reset and they could be sent out on another assignment. Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. 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. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. 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. 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 . [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. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. 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. Thanks for sending to you and Pat. The good speed of the P-6E was counterbalanced by some unsatisfacory handling characteristics which made it sluggish in response to controls. Dallas Naval base, Texas. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. 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 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 . 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. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does not monitor, pre-screen or moderate posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. [1] Mr. Norton, arrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air Force, Base in the fall of 1985. 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. The Airacobra reached its peak usage in the USAAF in early 1944, with over 2100 in service. 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 . Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. [1] This tight knit community was not confined to just the Air Force Base, but extended into the community as well. At Oscoda Army Air Field, from the Group Historian: Over the sandy pine shores of Lake Huron, pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group polished up their flight and gunnery tactics for threat inevitable test of their skill and courage which will eventually lead them to pursuit and battle in the skies of Europe and Asia. By the end of November 1943 all training for the 332nd had been completed at Oscoda and the Group departed for overseas. PORT HURON, Mich. David and Drew Losinski are struck by the coincidence. 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. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. 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. The armament of the P-1 was a pair of 0.30 cal machine guns mounted in the upper fuselage decking inside the V-cylinder blocks and synchronized to fire through the propeller arc. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. [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. Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. There are a lot of stories to tell. 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. [4] Enchanted Forest Web Page Design Service. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. still rejects and "nexus" to the toxic chemicals on the base. Weve done quite a bit of documenting and measuring, David Losinski said. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. [5] One crew flew 29mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bombercrew in theater. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. [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. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. 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. Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. The last was delivered in December 1930. 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. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. A new report compiled by a local group, Need Our Water (NOW) and the National Wildlife Federation . . Fast forward to 1992, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command. 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. Why are you focusing only on chlordane and other organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination at the Family Housing? High blood serum levels of PFOA are associated with infertility, decreased semen quality, and a higher risk of thyroid disease. [1] This meant that there was always at least threeB-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. 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. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. Off Base Housing. This is very dear to my heart and want to get involved however I can. Military History of the Upper Great Lakes, Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had many, different missions. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. The B-52 is being serviced under the Strategic Air Command Recovery Oriented Aircraft Maintenance (ROAM) system. 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.