Traci Kroushour, an Oscoda resident until the age of 12, had her uterus removed at the age of 28 and can never have children. 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. It had everything in it. We have a lot of sick civilians and = veterans from contaminated drinking water. 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. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this location, or how the historical space is impacting the land and local citizens today. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. They are surely exposed to this chemical nearly every day, whether it be playing outside on the playground or from being exposed to the chemicals via drinking the water. We make no endorsements or recommendations of any VSO, attorney, law firm, claims specialists or organization working with veterans on their service-connected claim(s). During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. 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. U.S. 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. [1] As soon as the wheels touched down the clock would be reset and they could be sent out on another assignment. A series of stringers were added to the fuselage sides to round out the cross section. 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. 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. There are a lot of stories to tell. Today the Wurtsmith district is integral to the community's economic potential. [3], [1] Dave Norton, Former United States Air Force Captain, interviewed on 23 OCT 2017, [2] Ap. 2 talking about this. However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. The former base includes 4,626 acres (1,872ha) located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the The chemicals, notably benzene and trichloroethylene (TCE), were documented at extremely high levels in Wurstmith AFB water many times when the former Strategic Air Command (SAC) base was active and home to B-52 Bomber Wings. 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. Lora Cole, 1/8/20 I am the daughter to a vet that was in this I was a baby at the time. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. 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. Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water, Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing. But these days, the county is becoming a haven for retired people such as the Kuhlmans . My first assignment as a Nuclear Weapons specialist was at wurtsmith where we deployed the AGM 69A SRAM missile system. My mom was recently diagnosed a month ago with colon cancer and skin cancer and still being treated by a dr, my broth had sever ulcers his entire early childhood. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. [4] Its mission was to, maintain half of the fleet on a 15 minute alert, meaning the plane could be in, the air in 15 minutes, to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet preemptive missile, strike. The average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. 1942 -- Camp Skeel is renamed Oscoda Army Air Field and becomes a P-47 fighter base. No injuries to the pilot. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. I will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. There were four planes, and I was watching them from our front window, as I usually do when theyre engaged in gunnery practice. Only after, the plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not.[1]. U.S. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. In a nutshell, this is what were trying to do get permission to relocate the parts so they would resemble a plane, David Losinski said. He was stationed at the base. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue the, tradition from their World War II counterparts. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. David Losinski said he and his son were assisting the state Department of Environmental Quality with a barge that sank in Lake Huron in July 2012. PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. Wurtsmith Air Force Base. A Brief History of Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html. Any one else from 84-89 have issues? In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. empty, 3310 lb gross. P-6E, serial number 32-156, 17th Pursuit Squadron from Selfridge Field Michigan. [1] Mr. Norton, arrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air Force, Base in the fall of 1985. 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 . 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 Air Force's decline to commit to Michigan's standards is among a litany of frustrations Oscoda residents say they have . Some areas of the site are still under investigation. I like combining historical photographs with the stories behind them. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. This man later took the proposal to build a gunnery range to the people of Oscoda. The Lackland Air Force Base Education Center is located at 1550 Wurtsmith Street, Suite 5. . Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. [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 ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. 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. 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. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. Weve done quite a bit of documenting and measuring, David Losinski said. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . The P-6 could climb to 10,000 feet in 6.6 min. 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. 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. [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]. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. I served at Wursmith AFB from 1982 to 1989, living in base housing the entire time and drinking the water. Military History of the Upper Great Lakes, Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had many, different missions. 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. If a banker had not taken Lt. Whitehead on a fishing trip there would not have been an Air Force Base in Oscoda Michigan. 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. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does not monitor, pre-screen or moderate posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. 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. It remained named Camp Skeel until 1942 when it was renamed Oscoda Army Air Field (WAFB.net). Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base that was closed by the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC 2) and is a proposed EPA Superfund site. March 7, 1942: The first class of Tuskegee Airmen graduate from U.S. Army Air Force Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. 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. Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. This resulted in KC-135 squadrons spending a greater amount of time on temporary duty assignments than other squadrons from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Even after the base closed in 1993, the base maintained a fire staff for many years. Bert E. Skeel in 1924. The base is located in Oscoda, Iosco County, Michigan. . This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. Veteran Compensation Programs. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of theStrategic Air Commands bomber fleet. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. Our biodegradation . ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. From: Members of the ground crew move a maintenance cart into position next to a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft parked on the flight line. TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. Military bases are known for significant staffing turnover. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. I lived in base housing, I want to say 8607H Ohio from 82-84. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. It was formed on 1 August 1961 to merge the 3908th Strategic Standardization Group for SAC aircrew evaluation with the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group that had originated from the 263rd Army Air Force Base Unit which transferred from 15th AF to directly under Strategic Air Command c. The result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. 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. They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity. Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had manydifferent missions. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Basesignifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. Why are you focusing only on chlordane and other organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination at the Family Housing? [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. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. 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. Im using a combination of several source materials to tell the history of the area. One of these places included directly underneath the Oscoda high school. 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. 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. The Arrow Street purge system, installed in 1982 to remove contaminants from the Building 43 plume, has lowered concentrations o [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. [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. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. Because of the economic impact of Wurtsmith Air Force Base the community was generally supportive of the airmen, and the base itself. 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. Then everything happened so fast it seems unbelievable. I still stay in touch with Gary but do not know if he has an e-mail account. The presumptive disabilities from contaminated water at Wurtsmith AFB would lead to automatic compensation to potentially thousands of veterans. [1] On the first Wednesday the, fresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. I have always scheduled an apt with my dr to talk about the possibility of how this may have affected me. Many of drums ruptured. This, flight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undisclosed. Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. 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. Neither Michigan nor any U.S. officials have conducted a comprehensive study on the contaminants and pollutants under the base. 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. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . Anyone know the status on this? The story stated Moody and three other pilots were taking gunnery practice about three miles north of Port Huron. Lt. Ennis Whitehead was part of a unit at Selfridge Army Air Field. Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. [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. My symptoms looking back were insidious with weakness and muscle fasciculations. Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . The gunnery range was tasked with training pilots fromSelfridge air base in the challenging maneuvers required to land a DeHavillandbiplane on the frozen lake Van Etten for the young Army Air Corps. 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. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. 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. 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 . He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is said to have originally started with a fishing trip between two men. The state says, We dont have jurisdiction over that; its the Air Force, Losinski said. 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. The married officers lived in a standalone house with their family. There are many historical planes you can visit as well as other interesting pieces of history that the public may view. 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). 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. It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. In addition, the rear fuselage was deepened in order that it could faire cleanly into the bottom of the radiator. Heart condition, prostate cancer, diabetic, sometimes confused in making decisions. This judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. The Losinskis found an account of the crash in the Times Herald. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. 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. [4] In the later, years of World War II Wurtsmith Air Force Base was used as a fighter-interceptor training base and housed the 332d fighter group, which was part of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. 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. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. The Air Force says, Any aircraft before 1961, weve abandoned it.. We didnt know really what we had.. While many of the airmen preferred to live on base it was possible for them to buy or rent a house or apartment off post. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing was, Dave Norton resigned his commotion as a United States Air Force, , 1993 exactly 9 years after receiving his commission, Lt. form the United States Air Force Academy. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich., served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. 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. My daughter was born at the base hospital. 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. 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. It is perhaps the best-known of all the between wars Army pursuits. Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920's to June 3rd 1993. . The ROAM system ensures that aircraft are serviced . All Rights Reserved. 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. [1] Mr. Nortonarrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air ForceBase in the fall of 1985. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. 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. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. Drew said, Dad, thats an airplane., You could see the wings. In addition, it would facilitate the installation of nose cannon since the armament could be mounted near the centerline, minimizing the effects of recoil forces. [ 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 . The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. 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). My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52G, During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flown. 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. They also were known as the Red Tails because they painted the tails of their aircraft red. The majority of married enlisted and officers preferred to live on base because of the free daycare for children. 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. A total of 15,683 Thunderbolts were produced by wars end, more than any other U.S. fighter. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/06/wurtsmith_veterans_health.html, http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/11/13/deq-we-dont-yet-know-full-extent-wurtsmith-air-base-contamination/93242484/, https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/08/18/21105/military-bases-contamination-will-affect-water-generations, http://www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html, Military History of the Upper Great Lakes. Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. Comprehensive Base Plan, Department of the Air Force, Directorate of Engineering and Services DCS/PRE - Washington DC 1 April 1970 (revised 12 July 1978) . State officials' concerns about pollution in the area date back to 2012, when the health department issued a "do not eat" advisory for all fish caught near Wurtsmith Air Force Base.