But these days, the county is becoming a haven for retired people such as the Kuhlmans . [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategic, wing as it was disbanded. [5] The 379th Bomb Wing immediately continued the 4026th, During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135, Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support land, operations. The Air Force . 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. [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. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. [1]After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. Bert E. Skeel was a WWI pilot who died in an air race in Ohio. 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. Moodys body was not recovered until it washed ashore in Port Huron on June 4, 1944 two days before D-Day and the invasion of Normandy. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons firstpermanent duty station in the United States Air Force.[1]. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . [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. The museum's exhibits are extensive and incredibly high-quality -- including several aircraft that can be examined up . Survived stage 3 oral cancer and per medical review, origin unknown since I have never smoked. [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. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. Theyve seen lots of things underwater, but the story of the P-39 fighter lost just off the Port Huron beachfront touched them. 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 A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to . [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had manydifferent missions. My daughter was born at the base hospital. 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. Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this . They were stationed at the air base from 1986 to 1993. Many of drums ruptured. Aircraft was at Camp Skeel, Oscoda Michigan for Aerial Gunnery training. It excelled in low-altitude ground support as a well-built and reliable aircraft capable of absorbing quite a bit of battle damage. Drew said, Dad, thats an airplane., You could see the wings. .. did this bill die in the committee s? They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. 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. P-6E, serial number 32-156, 17th Pursuit Squadron from Selfridge Field Michigan. The Losinskis are divers David has been diving since 1977; his son, Drew, since 2002 and both are former members of the St. Clair County Dive Team. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920's to June 3rd 1993. . [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. The married enlisted airmen who lived on base lived in a condo type set up with their family. [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]. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. I recall we lost a tanker on touch and goes which had to be extinguished with a massive amount of this chemical. [1], The northern tier Strategic Air Command Ready Alert Strike Force bases were considered less than desirable duty stations for one main reason. 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. Lester Graham. [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. 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. WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. As seen, in the picture of the runways, there is a Christmas tree coming off of the, beginning of the runway with a building next to it. Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area. 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. [5] While the 379th, Bomb Wing was stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base they were part of the Ready, Alert Nuclear Strike Force. 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. The 4026th was a SAC Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing that had been organized on 1 August 1958. It was criticized for its low service ceiling, its slow rate of climb, and its generally poor high-altitude performance. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice. 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. The Airacobra reached its peak usage in the USAAF in early 1944, with over 2100 in service. This remoteness of Wurtsmith Air Force Base, as well as common brotherhood of being in the United States Air Force resulted in a tight knit community formed by the airmen and their families. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. Testing by the Air Force has found high levels of the toxic chemical PFOS in the foam near a plume coming from the former nuclear bomber base. [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. He was stationed at the base. 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. By comparing the concentrations of known fluorosurfactants with the total organofluorine, less than 10% of the fluorosurfactants were identified in half of the samples. 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. 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. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. Michigan Radio. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. The base was first named after Capt. Engine not damaged. The result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. This judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. Our biodegradation . Just run the water until it clears up. [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. These chemicals have been shown to cause problems with thyroid, liver, kidney, reproduction, and other health problems. We offer visitors three hangars full of military (all branches) and aviation history, static aircraft displays, artifacts, equipment and lots of WAFB memorabilia. It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to sou Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. 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 . 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. Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water, Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing. 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. [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. Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. 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. Wurtsmith Air, Force Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. Because of the restriction of being close to the Christmas tree theyresorted to playing cards, working out, reading, and sleeping while they werenot conducting recurrent training to stay up to date and proficient on theirequipment. 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. Their water table has been contaminated with high levels of PFOA because of the leakage of chemicals from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. 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. 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). One specific and important waterway being affected by these pollutants is the Au Sable River. A bomber squadron for example would be sent out to destroy a target and return to its home base within a week. 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. 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 . 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. In addition across the base boundary dirt road was the EOD range where every friday morning we burned and destroyed old munitions and other stuff they needed disposed of. My ex wife has thyroid disease and auto immune disease. A series of stringers were added to the fuselage sides to round out the cross section. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. 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. This article is from 2018.. Drinking water laced with high levels of poisonous chemicals may be to blame for cancer and other chronic disease among veterans and families who lived at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northern Michigan, according to a new federal health report draft. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. There are a lot of stories to tell. U.S. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. 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 FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. 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. 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. Airport History. VA counselor "don't waste your time". 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.
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