wurtsmith air force base housing
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. She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs. I worked on the flight line. [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. During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. 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. Some areas of the site are still under investigation. Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan; PFAS Water Contamination Map . 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. In addition, the rear fuselage was deepened in order that it could faire cleanly into the bottom of the radiator. Groundwater data collected in 1999 at Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Michigan), Tyndall Air Force Base (Florida) and Naval Air Station Fallon (Nevada), where PFC concentrations ranged from below detection limit to over 14,000 g/L, suggest that any military site where AFFFs have been used is likely to have a dissolved plume containing . [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. Lt. Ennis Whitehead was part of a unit at Selfridge Army Air Field. There were also problems with the complex nose-mounted reduction gear, which caused reliability problems and resulted in fairly low serviceability rates as compared with other fighters. 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. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. 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. 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. Any one else from 84-89 have issues? Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. still rejects and "nexus" to the toxic chemicals on the base. Nothing contained herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of a competent Veteran Service Officer (VSO)in good standing and licensed to practice in your jurisdiction. 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. There were four planes, and I was watching them from our front window, as I usually do when theyre engaged in gunnery practice. 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. Because of the economic impact of Wurtsmith Air Force Base the community was generally supportive of the airmen, and the base itself. The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. It was criticized for its low service ceiling, its slow rate of climb, and its generally poor high-altitude performance. 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. Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. Today the Wurtsmith district is integral to the community's economic potential. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. 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. 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. Theyre looking for other divers who can assist with the effort. Cindi developed hypertension and Lawrence diagnosed with lung disease. 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. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. More than 40 private businesses and public agencies use the former Air Force facilities and infrastructure, providing more than 1,300 jobs to the area, as well as the conversion of former base housing to 700 privately owned residential homes. [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. 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]After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. 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. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. Survived stage 3 oral cancer and per medical review, origin unknown since I have never smoked. After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. 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. The former base includes 4,626 acres (1,872 ha) located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Au . [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategic, wing as it was disbanded. The base was put into a standby status to be there just in case something happened in those areas. Stationed there for 84-88 and am suffering with a motor neuron disease process. 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). One of these men were named Lt. Ennis Whitehead. I served at Wursmith AFB from 1982 to 1989, living in base housing the entire time and drinking the water. [5] The 379th Bomb Wing immediately continued the 4026thStrategic Wing operations and training. [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. One specific and important waterway being affected by these pollutants is the Au Sable River. 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. Me and Dan drive around base and check out the bunkers that held nuclear weapons during the cold war 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 . These, planes would regularly fly missions from Wurtsmith Air Force Base during the, The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of, 19661. They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. 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. We knew we had some kind of plane.. During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. 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. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. Anyone know the status on this? Veterans of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda from the 1970s, and their families who lived with them on the base, face increased risks of leukemia and other harmful effects from prolonged exposures to toxic volatile organic compounds that were in the now-shuttered base's water supply at the time, a federal health agency has found. 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. 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. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of theStrategic Air Commands bomber fleet. There are many historical planes you can visit as well as other interesting pieces of history that the public may view. 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. [3] Search Superfund Site Information. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 28 Dec. 2016, cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0503675. 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. Typically, brown-ish water occurs when there is large change in pressure/flow in a distribution system. Engine not damaged. 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. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. The airplane operated on a flight from Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport, MI to Oscoda-Wurtsmith AFB, MI (OSC). Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. At this time, the camp was renamed and the airfield was under III Fighter Command jurisdiction. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. 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 aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. It has been discovered that the chemicals that are impacting the health of these local citizens are chemicals that come from the foam that fire fighters used to put out fires that were on the base. It still haunts me today that we had to do that and were told to just follow orders. What us the compensation for this? WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. I lived in base housing, I want to say 8607H Ohio from 82-84. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. History. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . A total 9589 Airacobras were built before production finally ended on July 25, 1944. Weights were 2450 lb. 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. [5] One crew flew 29mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bombercrew in theater. 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. She gave Kelly the rundown of the base. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. [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. From: Members of the ground crew move a maintenance cart into position next to a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft parked on the flight line. Aug 24, 2021. Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. These Air Force bases were remote. We didnt know really what we had.. March 7, 1942: The first class of Tuskegee Airmen graduate from U.S. Army Air Force Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. I like combining historical photographs with the stories behind them. The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661. The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. Lester Graham. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. The state says, We dont have jurisdiction over that; its the Air Force, Losinski said. These organizations primarily fall into seven types of activities: aviation, manufacturing, technology, medical, housing, education, community services and technology. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. This is a short video about the small museum located at the decommissioned Wurtsmith AFB in Oscoda Mi.http://www.rv-project.com On June 30th, 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. 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. My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. out of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 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. It is perhaps the best-known of all the between wars Army pursuits. 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. Our biodegradation . One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. This article is from 2018.. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. By comparing the concentrations of known fluorosurfactants with the total organofluorine, less than 10% of the fluorosurfactants were identified in half of the samples. [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. 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. VA counselor "don't waste your time". [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]. Welcome to The WAFB Historical Site dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Wurtsmith Air Force Base and the units assigned there. 1942 -- Camp Skeel is renamed Oscoda Army Air Field and becomes a P-47 fighter base. [1], The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. 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. 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. I have always scheduled an apt with my dr to talk about the possibility of how this may have affected me. [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. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. The married officers lived in a standalone house with their family. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue the, tradition from their World War II counterparts. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. As soon as an assignment went over 180 days it was considered a permanent change in duty station. Stay tuned for further developments. Although in the past the Wurtsmith Air Force Base was extremely successful there are some prevalent issues with it today. 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. The Losinskis havent abandoned their quest to bring this long-forgotten chapter in the history of World War II to light. The 1st Combat Evaluation Group (initially "1CEG", later "1CEVG") was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The last was delivered in December 1930. "It was a city within a city. U.S. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. China Lake Naval base, California. [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. This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920's to June 3rd 1993. . [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]. 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. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. Aircraft was at Camp Skeel, Oscoda Michigan for Aerial Gunnery training. [1] As soon as the wheels touched down the clock would be reset and they could be sent out on another assignment. 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. Weve done quite a bit of documenting and measuring, David Losinski said. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. Drew said, Dad, thats an airplane., You could see the wings. This year, we went out diving, and we could see these points of interest from the surface, Losinski said. Airplane nosed over when landing gear tire casing failed, locking the right wheel. My daughter was born at the base hospital. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. Heart condition, prostate cancer, diabetic, sometimes confused in making decisions. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. [1], The northern tier Strategic Air Command Ready Alert Strike Force bases were considered less than desirable duty stations for one main reason. So now what? U.S. 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 . The base came to be because of chance. Tests in Michigan near the former Wurtsmith Air Force base have found PFOS in groundwater at levels as high as 42,000 ppt. This is very dear to my heart and want to get involved however I can. 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. Why are you focusing only on chlordane and other organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination at the Family Housing? After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. .. did this bill die in the committee s? The majority of married enlisted and officers preferred to live on base because of the free daycare for children. 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. I was stationed there from 11/84-1989. [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. 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 . 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. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morning, off. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking . The 379th was reassigned to Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan without personnel or equipment in January 1961, assuming the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the discontinued 4026th Strategic Wing. It had everything in it. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. Since its establishment in 1923, Wurtsmith played an important role in World War II, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War, hosting the 134th Army Air Force Base Fighter Unit and 379th Bombardment Wing respectively. The 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).
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