PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. 1946. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. Dallas Naval base, Texas. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? The P-6 was generally similar to the P-1 in construction and appearance. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. This man later took the proposal to build a gunnery range to the people of Oscoda. This weapon system used some hazardous and a lot of special chemicals to support it. 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. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. [5] The 379th Bomb Wing immediately continued the 4026thStrategic Wing operations and training. 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. I was stationed there from 11/84-1989. [4] In the lateryears 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. /. Before we move on to that, however, it is very much worth examining a very similar incident that occurred over Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan on 30 th October. 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] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Base, signifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan; PFAS Water Contamination Map . USVCP Staff Writers . At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of theStrategic Air Commands bomber fleet. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. It was eerie, David Losinski said. This is an evolving issue with many moving parts. 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. [5] One crew flew 29mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bombercrew in theater. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. My daughter was born there on base in 1987 she has gastric issues, and was born w heart issues. 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. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. Prior to our IOC inspection for the SRAM we were ordered to clean out igloos full of barrels 5gal to 55gal drums,1,000s of gallons which had been ordered by mistake to start the system. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a wholelot to do. 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. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. As long as these assignments were under 180 days they were considered Temporary Duty Assignments. A bomber squadron for example would be sent out to destroy a target and return to its home base within a week. 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] 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. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. 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. 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. I have always scheduled an apt with my dr to talk about the possibility of how this may have affected me. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. The chemicals, notably benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE), were documented at extremely high levels in Wurstmith AFB water many times when the former Strategic Air Command (SAC) base was active and home to B-52 Bomber Wings. Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. 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 symptoms looking back were insidious with weakness and muscle fasciculations. [3], [1] Dave Norton, Former United States Air Force Captain, interviewed on 23 OCT 2017, [2] Ap. The result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. Within a few days, a mere 28 Airmen established housing for over 400 personnel, replete with . For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . 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. "It was a city within a city. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. The Air Force . 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 . All Rights Reserved. Located in Iosco County, Michigan, Wurtsmith Air Force Base operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. 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. There are many historical planes you can visit as well as other interesting pieces of history that the public may view. 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. Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920's to June 3rd 1993. . [1] Mr. Norton also landedthe first KC-135 in operation Southern Watch. As soon as an assignment went over 180 days it was considered a permanent change in duty station. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. Thanks for sending to you and Pat. [1] Mr. Norton also landed. I was stationed there 1988-1992. The B-52 is being serviced under the Strategic Air Command Recovery Oriented Aircraft Maintenance (ROAM) system. ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. [1] This meant that there was always at least threeB-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. Their water table has been contaminated with high levels of PFOA because of the leakage of chemicals from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. I like combining historical photographs with the stories behind them. 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. The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661. The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. 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. 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. 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. Bert E. Skeel in 1924. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. [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. 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. The married officers lived in a standalone house with their family. 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. 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. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. It still haunts me today that we had to do that and were told to just follow orders. They also were known as the Red Tails because they painted the tails of their aircraft red. 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. Our biodegradation . 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. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Basesignifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. U.S. Air Force should abide by state of Michigan's PFAS Standards, state must hold Air Force accountable. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. As seen, in the picture of the runways, there is a Christmas tree coming off of the, beginning of the runway with a building next to it. They were stationed at the air base from 1986 to 1993. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. Stay tuned for further developments. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich., served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. [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]. DISCLAIMER: Information displayed on U.S. In 1953 it was renamed Wurtsmith Air Force Base after Michigan native, Major General Paul Wurtsmith. [5], Dave Norton resigned his commotion as a United States Air ForceCaptain on May 30th, 1993 exactly 9 years after receiving his commissionas a 2nd Lt. form the United States Air Force Academy. [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]. Because the Committee on Toxicology (NRC, 1979) concluded that it could not determine a level of exposure to chlordane below which there would be no biologic effect under conditions of prolonged exposure of families in military housing. The pesticide levels and CERCLA 120(h) Deed Restrictions are public information and readily available. In 1960 it became part of the Strategic Air Command . A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to . [1] As tensions increased around the world and the likelihood of an actual mission being flown while on ready alert increased, the weekbecame more stressful. Maximum speed was 178 mph at sea level, 171 mph at 10,000 feet. High blood serum levels of PFOA are associated with infertility, decreased semen quality, and a higher risk of thyroid disease. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality released a report Thursday, Aug. 30, concluding that Wurtsmith wells were 'likely impacted' by PFAS contamination between 1978 and 1997, when municipal water from Lake Huron was brought to the base. A map of the base locations listed above can be viewed below. Me and Dan drive around base and check out the bunkers that held nuclear weapons during the cold war They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. Beginning in July 1944, the P-47 Thunderbolt was used extensively to train Free French Air Force pilots at Oscoda Army Air Field (AAF). [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. Since, 2010 sampling by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the U.S. Air Force has identified elevated levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination in drinking water wells and some locally caught fish and deer. 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. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. 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. Congress set a May 2022 deadline for the DOD to report on the cleanup status of these bases, the Filthy 50, with extremely high levels of PFAS contamination. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. 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. U.S. 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. To all who are interested in the Camp Skeel/Oscoda AAF/Wurtsmith AFB History. All four of the the guys that were in that flight were from Tuskegee, Losinksi said. 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. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. I was stationed there 1978 -81 lived on base they never told us about the water being contaminated . History. Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. She gave Kelly the rundown of the base. Located in Oscoda, Michigan this base is positioned no more than two miles off the shore of Lake Huron. [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. [4] Its mission was tomaintain half of the fleet on a 15 minute alert, meaning the plane could be inthe air in 15 minutes, to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet preemptive missilestrike. 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. 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). Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. [1], The northern tier Strategic Air Command Ready Alert Strike Force bases were considered less than desirable duty stations for one main reason. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. [1] Mr. Norton, arrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air Force, Base in the fall of 1985. Now I see this years later. A total of 15,683 Thunderbolts were produced by wars end, more than any other U.S. fighter. My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. Now, I have been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney failure and congestive heart disease, I am currently on dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant. The Losinskis found an account of the crash in the Times Herald. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. 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. It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. Everyone from the mechanics keeping the planes flyable, to the cooks, preparing food for the airmen stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, to the, commanders who ensured that everything from the flight schedules being correct. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. It excelled in low-altitude ground support as a well-built and reliable aircraft capable of absorbing quite a bit of battle damage. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area.

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