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Leaking chemical storage tanks and waste disposal operations contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. These contaminants are harmful to the environment. Why women were told 'Don't get pregnant at George Air Force Base' Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. SHATTERED LIVES -- A special report.; Caring Parents, No Answers, In During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. Wurtsmith Air Force Base - storymaps.arcgis.com The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. I was stationed there 1988-1992. 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. From: Members of the ground crew move a maintenance cart into position next to a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft parked on the flight line. The last was delivered in December 1930. 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. 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. Contaminated water still plagues lakeside community in Michigan As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. I served at Wursmith AFB from 1982 to 1989, living in base housing the entire time and drinking the water. Some areas of the site are still under investigation. 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. The 4026th was a SAC Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing that had been organized on 1 August 1958. I remember getting a letter of counseling when I wanted to object as a warning what could happen. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan Redevelopment Profile Lt. Ennis Whitehead was part of a unit at Selfridge Army Air Field. Beginning in July 1944, the P-47 Thunderbolt was used extensively to train Free French Air Force pilots at Oscoda Army Air Field (AAF). For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. 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 base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. 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. Theyve seen lots of things underwater, but the story of the P-39 fighter lost just off the Port Huron beachfront touched them. We didnt know really what we had.. 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. This happened a couple weeks before the IOC which is in the wing,ahistorical records on microfilm. Philippines -- Clark Air Base Maps, Charts, and Blueprints Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. Airplane nosed over when landing gear tire casing failed, locking the right wheel. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. As a young airman, assumed we were returning the stuff to supply to send to the next base. Ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan 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. Military challenging states on $2 billion chemical liability - Unwell Water The B-52 is being serviced under the Strategic Air Command Recovery Oriented Aircraft Maintenance (ROAM) system. My symptoms looking back were insidious with weakness and muscle fasciculations. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . Here is a list of military bases that are known to have had their drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: Alameda Naval base, California. .. did this bill die in the committee s? 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 . Home - Wurtsmith Air Museum 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 . On June 30, , 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. [1], The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. 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. the first KC-135 in operation Southern Watch. Wurtsmith Air Force Base - Oscoda [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue the, tradition from their World War II counterparts. Peters: Air Force Must Immediately Prior | Senator Gary Peters Im slowly working my way up from 1924 to the present. It was a feeble effort, for the plane seemed to lift for only a few feet and then it crashed, nose first, into the water. 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 . This judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. 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. [1] This meant that there was always at least threeB-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. The 5,221-acre site is bounded by Van Etten Lake to the north and east . Wurtsmith Air Force Base | Detailed Pedia The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigans lower peninsula. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. The married officers lived in a standalone house with their family. Environmental groups issue report, 'setting the record straight' about They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. Pieces include the engine, the tail, part of the door and the 37-millimeter cannon that fired through the propeller hub. 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. 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 single enlisted airmen who lived on base were housed in barracks. Michigan Radio. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. A brief history of Wurtsmith Air Force Base - WAFB However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. To all who are interested in the Camp Skeel/Oscoda AAF/Wurtsmith AFB History. 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. . 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. 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 . In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. [1] This tight knit community was not confined to just the Air Force Base, but extended into the community as well. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. The M&FRC is located at 1550 Wurtsmith St . [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. 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. She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. U.S. PORT HURON, Mich. David and Drew Losinski are struck by the coincidence. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. [1]These KC-135s were necessary because the B-52 could not take off with both afull load of ordnance and a full tank of gas. The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. [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]. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. out of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 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. Wurtsmith Air Museum (Oscoda) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go [1], The northern tier Strategic Air Command Ready Alert Strike Force bases were considered less than desirable duty stations for one main reason. [1]After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. Lora Cole, 1/8/20 I am the daughter to a vet that was in this I was a baby at the time. There are a lot of stories to tell. Oscoda, Michigan and Tales of Wurtsmith Air Force Base - Postcard History 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 . 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. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. 'We've been betrayed:' Veterans blame Air Force base water for - mlive All Rights Reserved. With this long list of negative effects it is clearly a big health issue for local residents. They resumed the investigation last spring. [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. Assessment of ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base 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. Now I see this years later. Wurtsmith airforce base bomb bunkers - YouTube The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. 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. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. Survived stage 3 oral cancer and per medical review, origin unknown since I have never smoked. ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. 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. 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. It remained named Camp Skeel until 1942 when it was renamed Oscoda Army Air Field (WAFB.net). The landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. China Lake Naval base, California. U.S. Veteran Compensation Programs 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 . still rejects and "nexus" to the toxic chemicals on the base. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. distance from the bunker. Is this a common thing at other Air Force bases? : r/AirForce As long as these assignments were under 180 days they were considered Temporary Duty Assignments. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does not monitor, pre-screen or moderate posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. 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). [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]. Senator Gary Peters (MI), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, today called on the Air Force to expedite PFAS cleanup efforts at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda.In a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Energy John . View All Homes - Homes for Rent There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. Photos of P-47s flown by French Pilots at Oscoda. Wurtsmith Air Force Base - Alchetron, the free social encyclopedia USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. 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. I served at Wurtsmith from 1974-1977 my whole family has suffered from various ongoing ailments. According to Robert Delaney, a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality specialist, If you pull the water out of the ground in that training area, it still foams, theres so much in there. Since this entire problem stems from the fact that the foam used to extinguish fires on the base is what carried the toxic chemical, that goes to show just how invasive and problematic this contamination can be. These chemicals have been shown to cause problems with thyroid, liver, kidney, reproduction, and other health problems. Bert E. Skeel in 1924. Just run the water until it clears up. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons firstpermanent duty station in the United States Air Force.[1]. The P-6 was generally similar to the P-1 in construction and appearance. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . I have always scheduled an apt with my dr to talk about the possibility of how this may have affected me.