[5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. On May 9, 1961, the base took delivery of its first new Boeing B-52 H Stratofortress, The State of Michigan. The EPA Superfund Contaminants of Concern Update of June 3, 2016 lists all the same contaminants listed in 38-3307(7)(i) as it relates to USMC Camp Lejeune water contaminants. Wurtsmith Air Museum (Oscoda) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go [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]. . The last was delivered in December 1930. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Basesignifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. Contaminated water still plagues lakeside community in Michigan A series of stringers were added to the fuselage sides to round out the cross section. Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. 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. Press | No Defense 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 . In March of 1943, the Third Air Force reactivated the field for training of black aviators. Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. 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. Some areas of the site are still under investigation. 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. [3] Search Superfund Site Information. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 28 Dec. 2016, cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0503675. 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. 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. Timothy Marcum, 1/15/2071-73 camp lejeune nc bad water va in redding pretends they know nothing about having problems. It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. Congress set a May 2022 deadline for the DOD to report on the cleanup status of these bases, the Filthy 50, with extremely high levels of PFAS contamination. 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. 1946. There are a lot of stories to tell. 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). The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. The average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. Spouse Connections Five & Thrive targets spouses' top five challenges These bases wereresponsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. USVCP Staff Writers . This, flight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undisclosed. 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. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. Six Are Killed in Crash Of an Air Force Tanker. The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Oct. 1988, www.nytimes.com/1988/10/12/us/six-are-killed-in-crash-of-an-air-force-tanker.html. Here is a list of military bases that are known to have had their drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: Alameda Naval base, California. The story stated Moody and three other pilots were taking gunnery practice about three miles north of Port Huron. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. 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. 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. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. That plane actually crashed April 11, 1944, which was 70 years to the date that the picture was taken, Drew Losinski said. The P-6 could climb to 10,000 feet in 6.6 min. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Base, signifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. 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. Wurtsmith Air Force Base. A Brief History of Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html. 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 . 1942 -- Camp Skeel is renamed Oscoda Army Air Field and becomes a P-47 fighter base. 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. 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. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. [1] The base is located in Oscoda, Iosco County, Michigan. 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 . There are many different ways that PFOA and PFOS can affect the human body. 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. It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. There is a lot of open runways still today that can be rented out for a multitude of events. still rejects and "nexus" to the toxic chemicals on the base. What they had was a one-seat warplane piloted by 2nd Lt. Frank H. Moody, of Los Angeles. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. (Superstorm) Sandy came along (in October) and moved things around, David Losinski said. CSIRO PUBLISHING | Environmental Chemistry TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661. Their water table has been contaminated with high levels of PFOA because of the leakage of chemicals from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Just run the water until it clears up. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. From humble beginnings in the 1920's as a aircraft gunnery range, to its status as a vital member of our strategic defense, Wurtsmith Air Force Base has distinguished itself as an important part of our country's military history. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. He said the wreckage from the plane is scattered across the lake bottom. My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. They also were known as the Red Tails because they painted the tails of their aircraft red. Lackland AFB, TX | Educational Services http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. 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 Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. 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. 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. Weights were 2450 lb. The single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. Like the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth and Newington, the former Michigan base is now a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site. 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. 'We've been betrayed:' Veterans blame Air Force base water for - mlive 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. The plane was equipped with the cannon and four .50-caliber machine guns two mounted on the wings, two more just behind the propeller and timed to fire through the spinning blades. However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. Wurtsmith AFB and its Contamination - Military History of the Upper The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. Ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan This is a short video about the small museum located at the decommissioned Wurtsmith AFB in Oscoda Mi.http://www.rv-project.com I saw a big splash, and then the plane went out of sight.. Wurtsmith Air Force Base | Detailed Pedia During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. A single-seat low-wing fighter developed for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) by Republic Aviation, it was the largest single-engined piston fighter ever produced. History. On June 30, , 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. wurtsmith air force base - PICRYL As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. I like combining historical photographs with the stories behind them. Pieces include the engine, the tail, part of the door and the 37-millimeter cannon that fired through the propeller hub. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. Wurtsmith AFB has a better paper trail showing irrefutable evidence of contamination of the base drinking water with Trichloroethelene (TCE) first discovered in 1977 as a result of a complaint from a base housing resident. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. [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. I served at Wurtsmith from 1974-1977 my whole family has suffered from various ongoing ailments. This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. Mr. Norton would occasionally return to fresh fish left by his neighbor on his porch. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. 1944 -- Maj. Gen. Paul B. Wurtsmith, born in Detroit in 1906, led U. S. Army Air Corps training flights to Camp Skeel near Oscoda prior to World War II. [1] As soon as the wheels touched down the clock would be reset and they could be sent out on another assignment. The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. Lora Cole, 1/8/20 I am the daughter to a vet that was in this I was a baby at the time. 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. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. 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. Mapping PFAS Chemical Contamination at 206 U.S. Military Sites There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. The Losinskis havent abandoned their quest to bring this long-forgotten chapter in the history of World War II to light. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. It still haunts me today that we had to do that and were told to just follow orders. While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a wholelot to do. [1], The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to . Peters: Air Force Must Immediately Prior | Senator Gary Peters to the proper paperwork being completed to allow the missions to continue. 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. It was built out of a portion of the decommissioned Wurtsmith Air Force Base which housed nuclear armed B-52 Stratofortress bombers during the Cold War as well as air refueling squadrons. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. 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. 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. Now I see this years later. [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 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. 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 June 30th, 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. CLU-IN | TechDirect and Newsletters > Technology News and Trends The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base - Spectrum News This includes extra parts, munitions, fuel, and flight crews. Comprehensive Base Plan, Department of the Air Force, Directorate of Engineering and Services DCS/PRE - Washington DC 1 April 1970 (revised 12 July 1978) . [1], The northern tier Strategic Air Command Ready Alert Strike Force bases were considered less than desirable duty stations for one main reason. Click on a marker for base information. The main mission of Oscoda Army Air Field, at the time, was to defend Sault Ste. U.S. Air Force should abide by state of Michigan's PFAS Standards, state must hold Air Force accountable. So now what? I was shocked when we drove to a wooded area not far from bomber alert pad and WSA up the road of the k9 area where a bull dozed had dug a large trench and we were ordered to dump the shit. 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. 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 Air Force Base, Michigan Redevelopment Profile Download Images of Wurtsmith air force base - Free for commercial use, no attribution required. 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. 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 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). This year, we went out diving, and we could see these points of interest from the surface, Losinski said. 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. [1] While this was a relatively boring week, it was extremely stressful, because no one knew when the alarm would sound, but more importantly no one, knew if it would be a drill or not. We knew we had some kind of plane.. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to sou The base came to be because of chance. I still stay in touch with Gary but do not know if he has an e-mail account. China Lake Naval base, California. I remember getting a letter of counseling when I wanted to object as a warning what could happen. [ 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 . This man later took the proposal to build a gunnery range to the people of Oscoda. The study doesn't estimate past concentrations or exposure dosage and was released with . She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs.
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