If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. 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 Airacobra reached its peak usage in the USAAF in early 1944, with over 2100 in service. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area. Powerplant: 1 Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12, 1,200 hp (895 kW), Maximum speed: 376 mph (605 km/h) (Redline dive speed was 525 mph), Range: 525 miles on internal fuel (840 km). Pieces include the engine, the tail, part of the door and the 37-millimeter cannon that fired through the propeller hub. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. They resumed the investigation last spring. PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. [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]. The base was put into a standby status to be there just in case something happened in those areas. Download Images of Wurtsmith air force base - Free for commercial use, no attribution required. The letter never said what I was objecting to, but that I was refusing to for a lawful order. I was stationed there 1978 -81 lived on base they never told us about the water being contaminated . WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. I still stay in touch with Gary but do not know if he has an e-mail account. [1], While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a whole, lot to do. Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. . I am pretty sure Diabetes and Sleep Apnea I have now and neuro dammage in both arms are related , So Presumptive Claims puzzleing I have a claim in and never heard anything I know Senator Kilddee of Michigan is trying to help veterans on this matter but congress are dragging this out. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water, Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing. 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 museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. 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 . It was renamed Camp Skeel in 1924, for the World War I Pilot Captain Burt E. Skeel, and was used as an aerial gunnery range and for winter maneuvers 1924 through 1944 by the 1st Pursuit . This includes extra parts, munitions, fuel, and flight crews. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to sou [1]After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. distance from the bunker. There is no amount of PFOA that is officially recognized as harmful. However, many studies have shown otherwise. A map of the base locations listed above can be viewed below. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. 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. There are many historical planes you can visit as well as other interesting pieces of history that the public may view. It is primarily a large jet airplane salvage, jet engine maintenance and light general aviation . History. Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. Theyre looking for other divers who can assist with the effort. [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. Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. While the vast majority of personnel on Wurtsmith AirForce Base were not part of a flight crew rotating through ready alert, theirrespective jobs all served to ensure those planes could take off at a momentsnotice. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. 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. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. 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. [1] This was followed by one and a half weeks of normal day to day activities, until the flight crew relieved crew on ready alert in the bunkers. The main mission of Oscoda Army Air Field, at the time, was to defend Sault Ste. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. I saw a big splash, and then the plane went out of sight.. 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. 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. Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. The married officers lived in a standalone house with their family. U.S. On May 9, 1961, the base took delivery of its first new Boeing B-52 H Stratofortress, The State of Michigan. Why are you focusing only on chlordane and other organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination at the Family Housing? I lived in base housing, I want to say 8607H Ohio from 82-84. Marie and the straights of Mackinac. [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 pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. Thanks for sending to you and Pat. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. They want the site to remain a memorial divers can visit. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. August 8, 2018. [1] While this was a relatively boring week, it was extremely stressfulbecause no one knew when the alarm would sound, but more importantly no oneknew if it would be a drill or not. During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. [5] The 379th Bomb Wing immediately continued the 4026thStrategic Wing operations and training. This happened a couple weeks before the IOC which is in the wing,ahistorical records on microfilm. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. 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. Tests in Michigan near the former Wurtsmith Air Force base have found PFOS in groundwater at levels as high as 42,000 ppt. Environmental context Total organofluorine and known fluorosurfactants were quantified in 11 aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) used to extinguish fires in Ontario, Canada, and one commercial AFFF product. The last was delivered in December 1930. Lora Cole, 1/8/20 I am the daughter to a vet that was in this I was a baby at the time. All four of the the guys that were in that flight were from Tuskegee, Losinksi said. [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. Comprehensive Base Plan, Department of the Air Force, Directorate of Engineering and Services DCS/PRE - Washington DC 1 April 1970 (revised 12 July 1978) . 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. 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. 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. 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. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. 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. In this June 6, 2018 photo, PFAS foam washes up on the shoreline of Van Etten Lake in Oscoda Township, Mich., near Wurtsmith Air Force Base. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. PORT HURON, Mich. David and Drew Losinski are struck by the coincidence. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. The landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. There are many people who were exposed to the Wurtsmith water that are now coming out and blaming the chemical filled drinking water for their health problems. These organizations primarily fall into seven types of activities: aviation, manufacturing, technology, medical, housing, education, community services and technology. The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. [1], The northern tier Strategic Air Command Ready Alert Strike Force bases were considered less than desirable duty stations for one main reason. 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. Within a few days, a mere 28 Airmen established housing for over 400 personnel, replete with . [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons first, permanent duty station in the United States Air Force. 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. [ July 4, 2018 ] Grissom Air Force Base, ID Air Force [ May 28, 2018 ] March Air Force Base, CA Air Force [ February 17, 2018 ] Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Navy [ November 5, 2017 ] Fort William D. Davis , Panama Army [ August 28, 2017 ] Naval Air Station Alameda, CA Navy [ March 19, 2016 ] Wurtsmith Air Force Base, MI Air Force [ June 2 . I worked on the flight line. My husband and our two children lived there from 1985-1993 I have a nerve problem my daughter has autoimmune (MS) youngest daughter has kidney problems. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. 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. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. 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. We have a lot of sick civilians and = veterans from contaminated drinking water. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. Weve done quite a bit of documenting and measuring, David Losinski said. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. 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. Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA. They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the private well located across the road from Oscoda High School tested about the 70 parts-per-trillion advisory level that was established for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS). A series of stringers were added to the fuselage sides to round out the cross section. 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. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Arrow Street purge system, installed in 1982 to remove contaminants from the Building 43 plume, has lowered concentrations o WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. A bomber squadron for example would be sent out to destroy a target and return to its home base within a week. During World War II, P-47 fighters were assigned to Oscoda. My daughter was born at the base hospital. We didnt know really what we had.. 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. Wurtsmith Today The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (AFB) properties are being reutilized by 28 businesses and agencies that collectively employ more than 1,660 workers (representing 240 percent of civilian jobs lost). 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. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. Now I see this years later. He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. On June 30, , 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. Neither Michigan nor any U.S. officials have conducted a comprehensive study on the contaminants and pollutants under the base. This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. Heart condition, prostate cancer, diabetic, sometimes confused in making decisions. Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. to the proper paperwork being completed to allow the missions to continue. Me and Dan drive around base and check out the bunkers that held nuclear weapons during the cold war They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. 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. 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. My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. 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. [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategicwing as it was disbanded. 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. Airport History. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. 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. She has all kinds of problems, my ex died of cancer and I have all kinds of problems. City Picto Map, Clark Air Base / Angeles City. One example of this is autocross racing. During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. China Lake Naval base, California. One of these places included directly underneath the Oscoda high school. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. In March of 1943, the Third Air Force reactivated the field for training of black aviators. The base became a permanent installation on January 1, 1951, when the U. S. Air Force designated it as a fighter training base for the Air Defense command. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. The single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice. 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. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. 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 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 . U.S. Air Force should abide by state of Michigan's PFAS Standards, state must hold Air Force accountable. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. Lt. Ennis Whitehead was part of a unit at Selfridge Army Air Field.