I was stationed there 1988-1992. This is an evolving issue with many moving parts. Wurtsmith Air, Force Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at Wurtsmith, Air Force Base. .. did this bill die in the committee s? Posts and surveys made on this website are opinions or suggestions of users of this website and are not representations, opinions or suggestions of U.S. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. To all who are interested in the Camp Skeel/Oscoda AAF/Wurtsmith AFB History. Download Images of Wurtsmith air force base - Free for commercial use, no attribution required. While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a wholelot to do. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. Traci Kroushour, an Oscoda resident until the age of 12, had her uterus removed at the age of 28 and can never have children. It has found from testing this area that some places to have over 1000 parts-per-trillion for PFOS and PFOA. 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). History. The base was first named after Capt. Major Gary Geiger assigned to the 911TH Safety Office with me back in the late 60's or early 70's was a Navitgator on the B-52's assigned to Westover AFB as he used to tell me when we deployed there do not know if he did time at Wurstmith AFB. 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. My daughter was born there on base in 1987 she has gastric issues, and was born w heart issues. 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. March 7, 1942: The first class of Tuskegee Airmen graduate from U.S. Army Air Force Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. Hill Housing area-- Wurtsmith Elementary School, Grissom Elementary School, Wagner Middle School, . Now, I have been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney failure and congestive heart disease, I am currently on dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] 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. 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. The Bell P-39 Airacobra was not the best fighter aircraft of WWII, but it was the only fighter available in quantity during the first six months of the war. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. 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. 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. August 8, 2018. [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. Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. The cockpit was fairly easy to enter and exit, but the doors had a tendency to fly open in midair at high speed if improperly secured. 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. There is no amount of PFOA that is officially recognized as harmful. However, many studies have shown otherwise. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. I served at Wursmith AFB from 1982 to 1989, living in base housing the entire time and drinking the water. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. The majority of married enlisted and officers preferred to live on base because of the free daycare for children. The result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . 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. 1942 -- Camp Skeel is renamed Oscoda Army Air Field and becomes a P-47 fighter base. During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. . The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661. These organizations primarily fall into seven types of activities: aviation, manufacturing, technology, medical, housing, education, community services and technology. [1] My daughter was born at the base hospital. I have had many other health issues since and have recently found all of this. 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. [4] Enchanted Forest Web Page Design Service. A single-seat low-wing fighter developed for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) by Republic Aviation, it was the largest single-engined piston fighter ever produced. 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. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. 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. 2 talking about this. 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. Marie and the straights of Mackinac. The P-39 had a unique configuration with the engine placed behind the pilot and the drive shaft running under the cockpit to the propeller. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. 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 is one of the most famous bases located in our state. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. 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. All Rights Reserved. The EPA Superfund Contaminants of Concern Update of June 3, 2016 lists all the same contaminants listed in 38-3307(7)(i) as it relates to USMC Camp Lejeune water contaminants. [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. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. He flew from Dayton, Ohio to Washington, D.C. at a speed of approximately 266 mph, at an altitude of 25,000 ft. 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. City Picto Map, Clark Air Base / Angeles City. 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. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. 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 total of 15,683 Thunderbolts were produced by wars end, more than any other U.S. fighter. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. She has all kinds of problems, my ex died of cancer and I have all kinds of problems. [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. I remember getting a letter of counseling when I wanted to object as a warning what could happen. Therefore, regardless of the location of cancer in your body, we strongly encourage you to contact our law firm if you spent time at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, either as a veteran or as a family member of one, to recover the financial compensation you are entitled to. The P-47s radial engine proved remarkably resistant to battle damage and, with its heavy armament and well-armored cockpit, the Thunderbolt established a reputation as one of the most effective fighter-bombers of the war. One of these men were named Lt. Ennis Whitehead. 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. In March of 1943, the Third Air Force reactivated the field for training of black aviators. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. This gave the Army operations the opportunity to begin creating the base we know today. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. 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. The plane was equipped with the cannon and four .50-caliber machine guns two mounted on the wings, two more just behind the propeller and timed to fire through the spinning blades. 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. Any one else from 84-89 have issues? No injuries to the pilot. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. Comprehensive Base Plan, Department of the Air Force, Directorate of Engineering and Services DCS/PRE - Washington DC 1 April 1970 (revised 12 July 1978) . During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. If there's a main break, sections of the base will . Wurtsmith AirForce Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. The cockpit canopy offered exceptional all-round visibility for the pilot. From humble beginnings in the 1920's as a aircraft gunnery range, to its status as a vital member of our strategic defense, Wurtsmith Air Force Base has distinguished itself as an important part of our country's military history. 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. Continued study of ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, defined the movement and distribution of volatile organic compounds in the glacial sand and gravel aquifer at known sites of contamination, and has defined new plumes at two other sites. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. Drinking water laced with high levels of poisonous chemicals may be to blame for cancer and other chronic disease among veterans and families who lived at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northern Michigan, according to a new federal health report draft. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. The average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. All kind of special chemicals that Boeing told the USAF we had to have. 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 . 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. 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. These mission were into Iraq. 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. 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 . There were four planes, and I was watching them from our front window, as I usually do when theyre engaged in gunnery practice. "Keeping Wurtsmith AFB and Aviation History of NE MI Alive" Opens on Armed Forces Day in May, hosts a Welcome Home. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. . The Losinskis havent abandoned their quest to bring this long-forgotten chapter in the history of World War II to light. It was criticized for its low service ceiling, its slow rate of climb, and its generally poor high-altitude performance. Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs. The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. 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 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. 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. Welcome to The WAFB Historical Site dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Wurtsmith Air Force Base and the units assigned there. The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. Airport History. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. The Air Force . There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is said to have originally started with a fishing trip between two men. The P-6 could climb to 10,000 feet in 6.6 min. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. Theyve seen lots of things underwater, but the story of the P-39 fighter lost just off the Port Huron beachfront touched them. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. The single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. The state says, We dont have jurisdiction over that; its the Air Force, Losinski said. One of these places included directly underneath the Oscoda high school. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. DISCLAIMER: Information displayed on U.S. In their letter, the members expressed their concerns that the Air Force's proposed remediation plan . Even studies on fish have been done, where it was found that PFOA is a liver carcinogen in rainbow trout. [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. These contaminants are harmful to the environment. TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. There is a lot of open runways still today that can be rented out for a multitude of events. 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. The Airacobra reached its peak usage in the USAAF in early 1944, with over 2100 in service. 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. [1] This meant that there was always at least threeB-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. The married officers lived in a standalone house with their family. He was stationed at the base. [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. The Air Force knew that due to the method used to apply the pesticide, the building design flaw, that a completed exposure pathway (CEP) existed at a large percentage of its tenantable/habitual . My first assignment as a Nuclear Weapons specialist was at wurtsmith where we deployed the AGM 69A SRAM missile system. Theyre looking for other divers who can assist with the effort. 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. 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. We offer visitors three hangars full of military (all branches) and aviation history, static aircraft displays, artifacts, equipment and lots of WAFB memorabilia. 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. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. 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. 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. P-6E, serial number 32-156, 17th Pursuit Squadron from Selfridge Field Michigan. These bases wereresponsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. The brown tint is (mostly) caused by scale build up in the pipes being knocked loose. In addition, the rear fuselage was deepened in order that it could faire cleanly into the bottom of the radiator. At one point, they had to use these toxic foam chemicals to put out a fire at the Oscoda High School in 1995. purposes only, and is not legal advice. Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water, Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing. In 1953 it was renamed Wurtsmith Air Force Base after Michigan native, Major General Paul Wurtsmith. Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . 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. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. With all of this in a single family, the V.A. They were stationed at the air base from 1986 to 1993. The EPA began requiring public water systems to monitor for PFOA and PFOS in 2012, but even today there is no federal drinking water standards for PFOA or PFOS. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morning, off. Lt. Ennis Whitehead was part of a unit at Selfridge Army Air Field. We came across the gauge cluster, which had the radio call tag, David Losinski said. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. 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. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. It remained named Camp Skeel until 1942 when it was renamed Oscoda Army Air Field (WAFB.net). Weve done quite a bit of documenting and measuring, David Losinski said. 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. [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. Typically, brown-ish water occurs when there is large change in pressure/flow in a distribution system. Off Base Housing. Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. We knew we had some kind of plane.. The Arrow Street purge system, installed in 1982 to remove contaminants from the Building 43 plume, has lowered concentrations o The letter never said what I was objecting to, but that I was refusing to for a lawful order. 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. 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. 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. to the proper paperwork being completed to allow the missions to continue. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. Survived stage 3 oral cancer and per medical review, origin unknown since I have never smoked. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. They also were known as the Red Tails because they painted the tails of their aircraft red. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. [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. Wurtsmith Air Force Base. A Brief History of Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html. "It was a city within a city. 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. [1] Mr. Norton also landed. 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. [1] This would result in a large amount of paperwork and extra expenses for the Air Force. VA counselor "don't waste your time". 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. After a devastating fire in Oscoda which cleared over 600 buildings, the remaining citizens heard about the proposal to clear an area for the base. A map of the base locations listed above can be viewed below. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigans lower peninsula. Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. If you, a friend, or loved one has been injured or died as a result of the contamination at a DOD Superfund Site please follow the steps that are outlined at Get Help.