A total 9589 Airacobras were built before production finally ended on July 25, 1944. Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. [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. The married enlisted airmen who lived on base lived in a condo type set up with their family. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, MI - DOD Base Family Housing If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. The Arrow Street purge system, installed in 1982 to remove contaminants from the Building 43 plume, has lowered concentrations o He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. Their water table has been contaminated with high levels of PFOA because of the leakage of chemicals from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. 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. [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. 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. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. 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. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. Wurtsmith Air Force Base | Detailed Pedia For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . A total of 15,683 Thunderbolts were produced by wars end, more than any other U.S. fighter. [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] Wurtsmith AirForce Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. There are a lot of stories to tell. During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. [1] Mr. Norton, arrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air Force, Base in the fall of 1985. This is an evolving issue with many moving parts. The study doesn't estimate past concentrations or exposure dosage and was released with . Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. [ 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 . [1] Mr. Nortonarrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air ForceBase in the fall of 1985. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity. Wurtsmith Air Force Base History - Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport Authority The airplane operated on a flight from Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport, MI to Oscoda-Wurtsmith AFB, MI (OSC). A Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker plane, serial 60-0317, was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident at Oscoda-Wurtsmith AFB, MI (OSC), United States of America. 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. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. Ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan The 4026th was a SAC Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing that had been organized on 1 August 1958. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. See: Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing, CERCLA 120(h) Quitclaim Deed Restrictions for the George AFB Family Housing, Organochlorine Pesticide Contamination at George AFB Schools, Terri Crooks won her VA C&P Claim for service connected injury for her exposure to chlordane and other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), Frank Vera www.BaseFamilyHousing.Info PO Box 1313 Jamestown, CA, 95327-1313 Phone: 209-782-4541, Copyright 2020 - BaseFamilyHousing.Info. 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. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. I saw a big splash, and then the plane went out of sight.. 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. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. [1] This was further broken down by marital status. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. 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. . Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich., served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. Call 205.328.9200 Claim Application. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. He flew from Dayton, Ohio to Washington, D.C. at a speed of approximately 266 mph, at an altitude of 25,000 ft. U.S. Military Once Again Pollutes Drinking Water and Won't Clean It Up purposes only, and is not legal advice. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. Military challenging states on $2 billion chemical liability - Unwell Water 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. Weights were 2450 lb. In 1960 it became part of the Strategic Air Command . After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. [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. 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). They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. Ellsworth Air Force base, South Dakota. 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. Many of drums ruptured. The P-39 had a unique configuration with the engine placed behind the pilot and the drive shaft running under the cockpit to the propeller. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to . He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. [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. [1] This meant that there was always at least threeB-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. to the proper paperwork being completed to allow the missions to continue. 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. Traci Kroushour, an Oscoda resident until the age of 12, had her uterus removed at the age of 28 and can never have children. Representatives Dan Kildee (MI-05) and Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) today urged the U.S. Air Force to take more significant steps to address PFAS contamination around the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base near Oscoda. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Basesignifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. 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. 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. Pieces include the engine, the tail, part of the door and the 37-millimeter cannon that fired through the propeller hub. 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 P-6 could climb to 10,000 feet in 6.6 min. I was born on base November 1978, and lived on base with my mom, brother born 1989 on base, and my dad, a civil engineer stationed on base until oct 1982. The Lackland Air Force Base Education Center is located at 1550 Wurtsmith Street, Suite 5. . As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. [1], The usefulness and mission type of the KC-135 in maintaining air superiority, as well as supporting missions originating in the United States meant that they would have longer assignments, as well as much more fluid assignments than other types of squadrons. These bases wereresponsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. Dover Air Force base, Delaware. I lived in base housing, I want to say 8607H Ohio from 82-84. "It was a city within a city. She gave Kelly the rundown of the base. Visiting Wurtsmith Air Museum, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan - YouTube More individuals impacted by these chemicals are Cindi and Lawrence Ashbeck. I have always scheduled an apt with my dr to talk about the possibility of how this may have affected me. The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661. Even studies on fish have been done, where it was found that PFOA is a liver carcinogen in rainbow trout. The Air Force says, Any aircraft before 1961, weve abandoned it.. Learn how your comment data is processed. Our History - Wurtsmith Air Museum I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. .. did this bill die in the committee s? I will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. [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. Wurtsmith Air Force Base - storymaps.arcgis.com The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, a brief history and life on post 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. But these days, the county is becoming a haven for retired people such as the Kuhlmans . 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. [1] One specific and important waterway being affected by these pollutants is the Au Sable River. 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 . Double Jeopardy - Exposed at Kadena and Wurtsmith - Civilian Exposure Oscoda PFAS Activists set the record straight on PFAS from U.S. Air [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. Veteran Compensation Programs (USVCP) (www.veteranprograms.com), and any of their associated websites is for general informational. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. 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. Environmental groups issue report, 'setting the record straight' about What's next? After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morning, off. That plane actually crashed April 11, 1944, which was 70 years to the date that the picture was taken, Drew Losinski said. In March of 1943, the Third Air Force reactivated the field for training of black aviators. JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas - Announced in late 2021 by the spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Sharene Brown, it increases focus and attention on the top five quality of life challenges military families face. There is a lot of open runways still today that can be rented out for a multitude of events. Like the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth and Newington, the former Michigan base is now a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site. 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. 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. Wurtsmith Air Force Base - Alchetron, the free social encyclopedia There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. Military bases are known for significant staffing turnover. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. People who are exposed every day for an extended period of time are the ones who start to see real problems, some of which I mentioned above. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. Thanks for sending to you and Pat. A bomber squadron for example would be sent out to destroy a target and return to its home base within a week. WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. 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. Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA. TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. Veterans 'likely' drank PFAS at Wurtsmith air base 'We've been betrayed:' Veterans blame Air Force base water for - mlive In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. In 1955 Wurtsmith Air Force Base became an official permanent post in the United States Air Force, which meant that many new services were implemented on base. It had everything in it. [1] This would result in a large amount of paperwork and extra expenses for the Air Force. Marie and the straights of Mackinac. Why are you focusing only on chlordane and other organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination at the Family Housing? The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. Even after the base closed in 1993, the base maintained a fire staff for many years.