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. This is very dear to my heart and want to get involved however I can. In addition, the rear fuselage was deepened in order that it could faire cleanly into the bottom of the radiator. The P-6 was generally similar to the P-1 in construction and appearance. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. Lt. Ennis also thought it would be a great place for young Army Air corps to test aircraft (WAFB.net). The site of Wurtsmith Air Force Base is located 2 miles Northwest of Oscoda, Michigan, about 150 miles North of Detroit. [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. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . 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. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. There is no amount of PFOA that is officially recognized as harmful. However, many studies have shown otherwise. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. The base was first named after Capt. 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. It remained named Camp Skeel until 1942 when it was renamed Oscoda Army Air Field (WAFB.net). To all who are interested in the Camp Skeel/Oscoda AAF/Wurtsmith AFB History. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity. 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. USVCP Staff Writers . [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategicwing as it was disbanded. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. These mission were into Iraq. Off Base Housing. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? They took a photo on April 11, from the surface of Lake Huron, of the wing of a Wold War II-era fighter plane that crashed during a training exercise, killing its pilot. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. [1] This would result in a large amount of paperwork and extra expenses for the Air Force. 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 At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of theStrategic Air Commands bomber fleet. Military History of the Upper Great Lakes, Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had many, different missions. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. The gunnery range was tasked with training pilots from, Selfridge air base in the challenging maneuvers required to land a DeHavilland, biplane on the frozen lake Van Etten for the young Army Air Corps. 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. She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs. During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. The presumptive disabilities from contaminated water at Wurtsmith AFB would lead to automatic compensation to potentially thousands of veterans. It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. U.S. [1] Mr. Norton, arrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air Force, Base in the fall of 1985. Now, I have been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney failure and congestive heart disease, I am currently on dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant. The state says, We dont have jurisdiction over that; its the Air Force, Losinski said. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. As seenin the picture of the runways, there is a Christmas tree coming off of thebeginning of the runway with a building next to it. 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. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. Mr. Norton would occasionally return to fresh fish left by his neighbor on his porch. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. [5] The 379th Bomb Wing immediately continued the 4026thStrategic Wing operations and training. purposes only, and is not legal advice. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. 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). In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. 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. Thanks for sending to you and Pat. 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. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. From: Members of the ground crew move a maintenance cart into position next to a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft parked on the flight line. During World War II, P-47 fighters were assigned to Oscoda. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. 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. [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] Welcome to The WAFB Historical Site dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Wurtsmith Air Force Base and the units assigned there. The Air Force knew about the contamination and spent millions since 1977 to try to cover up the problem by adding phosphates to mask the odor of the chemical in the water. NPL Status: Proposed Street Address: AFBCA/DB, OSCODA, MI 54961 Congressional District: 01 EPA ID: MI5570024278 Population (within 1 mile): 101-1,000 Contaminant Information. I still stay in touch with Gary but do not know if he has an e-mail account. They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich., served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. Leaking chemical storage tanks and waste disposal operations contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. 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. A total of 15,683 Thunderbolts were produced by wars end, more than any other U.S. fighter. [1] This meant that there was always at least three, B-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. The story stated Moody and three other pilots were taking gunnery practice about three miles north of Port Huron. [4] Its mission was tomaintain half of the fleet on a 15 minute alert, meaning the plane could be inthe air in 15 minutes, to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet preemptive missilestrike. [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. The history of Oscoda Military Aviation is the same as the History of the Air Force. Marie and the straights of Mackinac. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. 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. Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. 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 . Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. If a banker had not taken Lt. Whitehead on a fishing trip there would not have been an Air Force Base in Oscoda Michigan. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. Now I see this years later. 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. Survived stage 3 oral cancer and per medical review, origin unknown since I have never smoked. The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. 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. All Rights Reserved. [5] While the 379th, Bomb Wing was stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base they were part of the Ready, Alert Nuclear Strike Force. August 8, 2018. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. Because of this KC-135 squadrons would routinely fly 175 day assignments and return to their home base. U.S. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. Theyre looking for other divers who can assist with the effort. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. The 5,221-acre site is bounded by Van Etten Lake to the north and east . 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 . Section 107, the written material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the included information for educational purposes. . 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. The Airacobra reached its peak usage in the USAAF in early 1944, with over 2100 in service. So now what? [1] This meant that they could be flying a mission supporting a fighter squadron in Iraq, then be redirected to refuel a bomber squadron over Saudi Arabia, then fly back to Spain to land. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking . We have a lot of sick civilians and = veterans from contaminated drinking water. 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. 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. Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged. (Superstorm) Sandy came along (in October) and moved things around, David Losinski said. Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. Comprehensive Base Plan, Department of the Air Force, Directorate of Engineering and Services DCS/PRE - Washington DC 1 April 1970 (revised 12 July 1978) . Call 205.328.9200 Claim Application. 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. 2 talking about this. What's next? The cockpit canopy offered exceptional all-round visibility for the pilot. [1] Mr. Nortonarrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air ForceBase in the fall of 1985. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. [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 popular legend, supported by interviews and other historical documents, is that Wurtsmith was established as the direct result of a fishing trip by Lt. Ennis Whitehead (later Lt. Gen. Whitehead, commander of the Fifth and Far Eastern Air Forces during and after World War . The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. 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. A total 9589 Airacobras were built before production finally ended on July 25, 1944. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to sou Only after, the plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not.[1]. 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. View All Homes - Homes for Rent These contaminants are harmful to the environment. With all of this in a single family, the V.A. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. It has recently been discovered that that the base has been leaking chemicals into the surrounding waterways. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at Wurtsmith, Air Force Base. The landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. 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. 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. [5] While the 379thBomb Wing was stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base they were part of the ReadyAlert Nuclear Strike Force. 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 . The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. An unusual feature of the P-39 Airacobra was the automobile-type doors that had roll-down windows on each side of the cockpit. The Arrow Street purge system, installed in 1982 to remove contaminants from the Building 43 plume, has lowered concentrations o Before we move on to that, however, it is very much worth examining a very similar incident that occurred over Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan on 30 th October. 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. Fast forward to 1992, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command. [1], While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a whole, lot to do. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. 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. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. Veteran Compensation Programs (veteranprograms.com) assumes NO liability, and expressly disclaims any and all responsibility, for the content of all posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. A bomber squadron for example would be sent out to destroy a target and return to its home base within a week. It had everything in it. 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. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area. Since, 2010 sampling by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the U.S. Air Force has identified elevated levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination in drinking water wells and some locally caught fish and deer. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. 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. After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. Typically, brown-ish water occurs when there is large change in pressure/flow in a distribution system. While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a wholelot to do. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of the, Strategic Air Commands bomber fleet. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. One specific and important waterway being affected by these pollutants is the Au Sable River. Located in Oscoda, Michigan this base is positioned no more than two miles off the shore of Lake Huron. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. If you, a friend, or loved one has been injured or died as a result of the contamination at a DOD Superfund Site please follow the steps that are outlined at Get Help. 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. Facebook: Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water Created to serve as a reference point for former WAFB residents to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. 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. Like the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth and Newington, the former Michigan base is now a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site. 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. These are simply the specific . Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. Continued study of ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, defined the movement and distribution of volatile organic compounds in the glacial sand and gravel aquifer at known sites of contamination, and has defined new plumes at two other sites. 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. I served at Wursmith AFB from 1982 to 1989, living in base housing the entire time and drinking the water. 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 P-6 could climb to 10,000 feet in 6.6 min. The 1st Combat Evaluation Group (initially "1CEG", later "1CEVG") was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit. [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. The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. Dallas Naval base, Texas. 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 . I will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. Service ceiling 27,200 feet, and range was 260 miles. The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661.
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