[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. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. With this long list of negative effects it is clearly a big health issue for local residents. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. Weve done quite a bit of documenting and measuring, David Losinski said. Veteran Compensation Programs (USVCP) (www.veteranprograms.com), and any of their associated websites is for general informational. Because of this KC-135 squadrons would routinely fly 175 day assignments and return to their home base. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at Wurtsmith, Air Force Base. 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. [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. At one point, they had to use these toxic foam chemicals to put out a fire at the Oscoda High School in 1995. 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. [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. One specific and important waterway being affected by these pollutants is the Au Sable River. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. One example of this is autocross racing. [3], www.nytimes.com/1988/10/12/us/six-are-killed-in-crash-of-an-air-force-tanker.html, www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm, http://ss.sites.mtu.edu/mhugl/2015/10/11/wurtsmith-air-force-base/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wurtsmith_Air_Force_Base. 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. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. 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. [4] In the lateryears 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. View All Homes - Homes for Rent The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. 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. The story stated Moody and three other pilots were taking gunnery practice about three miles north of Port Huron. [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. 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. 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. Here is a list of military bases that are known to have had their drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: Alameda Naval base, California. Veteran Compensation Programs. 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. This article is from 2018.. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. The presumptive disabilities from contaminated water at Wurtsmith AFB would lead to automatic compensation to potentially thousands of veterans. 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. At least thirty French piloted P-47 aircraft accidents were reported at Oscoda AAF during the time period 1944-1945 and resulted in at least four pilots killed. 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. 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. It was criticized for its low service ceiling, its slow rate of climb, and its generally poor high-altitude performance. [1] Mr. Norton also landedthe first KC-135 in operation Southern Watch. This would cause some big problems for the fish and other life that lives beneath the surface. Theyve seen lots of things underwater, but the story of the P-39 fighter lost just off the Port Huron beachfront touched them. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. [ 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 . Heart condition, prostate cancer, diabetic, sometimes confused in making decisions. 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. Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. Me and Dan drive around base and check out the bunkers that held nuclear weapons during the cold war On June 30th, 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. 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. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategic, wing as it was disbanded. Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. Military History of the Upper Great Lakes, Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had many, different missions. Thisflight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undiscloseddistance from the bunker. Off Base 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. 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. The Losinskis found an account of the crash in the Times Herald. In 1932, Capt. These are simply the specific . [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]. 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. It remained named Camp Skeel until 1942 when it was renamed Oscoda Army Air Field (WAFB.net). 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. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? [5] The 379th Bomb Wing immediately continued the 4026thStrategic Wing operations and training. [1], While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a whole, lot to do. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. The site of Wurtsmith Air Force Base is located 2 miles Northwest of Oscoda, Michigan, about 150 miles North of Detroit. This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. However, the P-6 differed from the P-1 in having its fuselage rounded out to match the fatter engine cowling required by the Conqueror engine. 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 "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. 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 single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. Within a few days, a mere 28 Airmen established housing for over 400 personnel, replete with . 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. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. P-6E, serial number 32-156, 17th Pursuit Squadron from Selfridge Field Michigan. Im slowly working my way up from 1924 to the present. She has all kinds of problems, my ex died of cancer and I have all kinds of problems. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. History. . Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. 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. I am pretty sure Diabetes and Sleep Apnea I have now and neuro dammage in both arms are related , So Presumptive Claims puzzleing I have a claim in and never heard anything I know Senator Kilddee of Michigan is trying to help veterans on this matter but congress are dragging this out. empty, 3310 lb gross. One of these men were named Lt. Ennis Whitehead. 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. My first assignment as a Nuclear Weapons specialist was at wurtsmith where we deployed the AGM 69A SRAM missile system. 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. . So now what? Located in Iosco County, Michigan, Wurtsmith Air Force Base operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. 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. Today, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base has a museum where you can learn about its history. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. Military bases are known for significant staffing turnover. There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. 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. Ellsworth Air Force base, South Dakota. [4] Over the tenure of the base it was home to an aerial gunnery range, a fighter-interceptor training base and later home to the 379th Bomb Wing as a member of the Strategic Air Command.[4]. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a wholelot to do. It still haunts me today that we had to do that and were told to just follow orders. My wife has breast cancer, and Hashimoto's Disease (auto immune), I had a double mastectomy to remove growths, hormone issues, kidney scaring liver lesions, lumps in both lungs, sleep APNEA, sudden onset Headaches, unexplained stress attacks, to name a few. That plane actually crashed April 11, 1944, which was 70 years to the date that the picture was taken, Drew Losinski said. ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. Photos of P-47s flown by French Pilots at Oscoda. 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. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. [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. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. Dover Air Force base, Delaware. This year, we went out diving, and we could see these points of interest from the surface, Losinski said. WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) and U.S. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . There are a lot of stories to tell. out of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. U.S. Air Force should abide by state of Michigan's PFAS Standards, state must hold Air Force accountable. High blood serum levels of PFOA are associated with infertility, decreased semen quality, and a higher risk of thyroid disease. Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. Anyone know the status on this? [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. These Air Force bases were remote. Environmental context Total organofluorine and known fluorosurfactants were quantified in 11 aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) used to extinguish fires in Ontario, Canada, and one commercial AFFF product. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. The landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. 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. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. 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. Why are you focusing only on chlordane and other organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination at the Family Housing? My daughter was born there on base in 1987 she has gastric issues, and was born w heart issues. 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. These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity. My daughter was born at the base hospital. Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA. Stationed there for 84-88 and am suffering with a motor neuron disease process. 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 1st Combat Evaluation Group (initially "1CEG", later "1CEVG") was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit. My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. I recall we lost a tanker on touch and goes which had to be extinguished with a massive amount of this chemical. 2 talking about this. Traci Kroushour, an Oscoda resident until the age of 12, had her uterus removed at the age of 28 and can never have children. Even after the base closed in 1993, the base maintained a fire staff for many years. [1] On the first Wednesday the, fresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking . 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). 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 . Their water table has been contaminated with high levels of PFOA because of the leakage of chemicals from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. 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. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is said to have originally started with a fishing trip between two men. Dallas Naval base, Texas. The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. Mr. Norton would occasionally return to fresh fish left by his neighbor on his porch. By Steve Elliott 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. 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. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of theStrategic Air Commands bomber fleet. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. Drew said, Dad, thats an airplane., You could see the wings. 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. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. The average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. Lora Cole, 1/8/20 I am the daughter to a vet that was in this I was a baby at the time. The brown tint is (mostly) caused by scale build up in the pipes being knocked loose. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. All Rights Reserved. Service ceiling 27,200 feet, and range was 260 miles. My ex wife has thyroid disease and auto immune disease. They resumed the investigation last spring. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . A bomber squadron for example would be sent out to destroy a target and return to its home base within a week. [1], Over the course of Mr. Nortons career as both a KC-135 Navigator, and a DC-10 Pilot, Mr. Norton served as a flight commander, served numerous, deployments during the Gulf War escorting fighter squadrons from the United, States into theater, supporting fighter squadrons and bomber squadrons in, theater, served multiple temporary duty assignments to England, Spain, Saudi, Arabia, Alaska, and other Air Force Bases around the globe. I like combining historical photographs with the stories behind them. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. There were four planes, and I was watching them from our front window, as I usually do when theyre engaged in gunnery practice. PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. 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. [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. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. We came across the gauge cluster, which had the radio call tag, David Losinski said. 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). This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. [1], The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. Beginning in July 1944, the P-47 Thunderbolt was used extensively to train Free French Air Force pilots at Oscoda Army Air Field (AAF). The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. 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. [1] Michigan Radio. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . 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. The Lackland Air Force Base Education Center is located at 1550 Wurtsmith Street, Suite 5. . Cindi developed hypertension and Lawrence diagnosed with lung disease. This is an evolving issue with many moving parts. Like the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth and Newington, the former Michigan base is now a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site. Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. 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. 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. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. The former base includes 4,626 acres (1,872 ha) located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Au . 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. On June 30, , 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. Located in Oscoda, Michigan this base is positioned no more than two miles off the shore of Lake Huron. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. 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 . After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. It had everything in it. These mission were into Iraq.