During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. With all of this in a single family, the V.A. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. 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. 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. The main mission of Oscoda Army Air Field, at the time, was to defend Sault Ste. 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. Double Jeopardy - Exposed at Kadena and Wurtsmith - Civilian Exposure Deliveries of the first P-6s were late, the first example not appearing until October 1929. Everyone from the mechanics keeping the planes flyable, to the cookspreparing food for the airmen stationed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, to thecommanders who ensured that everything from the flight schedules being correctto the proper paperwork being completed to allow the missions to continue. As long as these assignments were under 180 days they were considered Temporary Duty Assignments. Wurtsmith Air Force Base - Oscoda The military has not begun cleanups at any of the 50 Department of Defense sites Congress has identified as highly contaminated with the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS - and it could be years before cleanups are complete. The popular legend, supported by interviews and other historical documents, is that Wurtsmith was established as the direct result of a fishing trip by Lt.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 . It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. 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. 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. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. He said the wreckage from the plane is scattered across the lake bottom. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctors office, a fully equipped gym, and a store where basic necessities were available, military police, office space, and everything necessary to ensure the planes are fully functioning and ready to fly missions. "Keeping Wurtsmith AFB and Aviation History of NE MI Alive" Opens on Armed Forces Day in May, hosts a Welcome Home. The Strategic Air Command activated a wing there on August 1, 1958. 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. These organizations primarily fall into seven types of activities: aviation, manufacturing, technology, medical, housing, education, community services and technology. If your base is not on the map or list above, this does not mean you were not exposed to PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam. Stay tuned for further developments. 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. Why are you focusing only on chlordane and other organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination at the Family Housing? The good speed of the P-6E was counterbalanced by some unsatisfacory handling characteristics which made it sluggish in response to controls. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to . Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. Only after, the plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not.[1]. 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. Some areas of the site are still under investigation. The Losinskis found an account of the crash in the Times Herald. The single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. [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. One example of this is autocross racing. 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. 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. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. 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. Theyre looking for other divers who can assist with the effort. 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. 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 is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. What us the compensation for this? 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. 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. They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. The landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. City officials in Dayton, Ohio, have also found the response from the Air Force to cleanup contamination at Wright Patterson Air Force Base to be inadequate. The M&FRC is located at 1550 Wurtsmith St . In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. 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. Former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Mich. It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. On April 1, 1960, Strategic Air Command assumed operational control of what was then Wurtsmith Air Force Base from Air Defense Command; on Jan. 9, 1961, the 379th Bombardment Wing, flying B-52H's and KC-135A's, became the host unit. The average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. A short time later in July 1944 it was being used to train Free French Air Force pilots, which eventually led to more and more training and more and more storage of aircraft like the B-52G (oscairport.com). Wurtsmith earned recognition during the war as the leader of the group of pilots using P-40 and P-38 fighter . These are simply the specific . 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. If a banker had not taken Lt. Whitehead on a fishing trip there would not have been an Air Force Base in Oscoda Michigan. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. [1] Mr. Norton also landed. [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. 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 aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. 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 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. [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. By Steve Elliott 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. /. Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan Redevelopment Profile She also has many other irregular health problems including bone death, fibromyalgia, irregular heartbeat, gastrointestinal problems, and underdeveloped reproductive organs. [1] On May 9th 1961 the first B-52 landed in Wurtsmith Air Force Basesignifying the re-designation to a Strategic Air Command Base. 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. U.S. Marie and the straights of Mackinac. 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). There are a lot of stories to tell. 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 . Here is a list of military bases that are known to have had their drinking water contaminated with PFAS chemicals: Alameda Naval base, California. Any one else from 84-89 have issues? We didnt know really what we had.. WAFB began operations in 1923, under the name of Camp Skeel, and was officially named the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in 1953. Our biodegradation . I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. What they had was a one-seat warplane piloted by 2nd Lt. Frank H. Moody, of Los Angeles. In addition, the rear fuselage was deepened in order that it could faire cleanly into the bottom of the radiator. Located in Iosco County, Michigan, Wurtsmith Air Force Base operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. 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. 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 . Today, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base has a museum where you can learn about its history. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan.It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. CSIRO PUBLISHING | Environmental Chemistry Investigation determined a defective tire caused the accident. 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. 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. Me and Dan drive around base and check out the bunkers that held nuclear weapons during the cold war Dover Air Force base, Delaware. What are PFAS, how toxic are they and how do you become exposed? Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. The majority of married enlisted and officers preferred to live on base because of the free daycare for children. For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. We came across the gauge cluster, which had the radio call tag, David Losinski said. The B-52 is being serviced under the Strategic Air Command Recovery Oriented Aircraft Maintenance (ROAM) system. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. 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. The base was first named after Capt. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. 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. While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a wholelot to do. The letter never said what I was objecting to, but that I was refusing to for a lawful order. Over the course of Mr. Nortons career as both a KC-135 Navigatorand a DC-10 Pilot, Mr. Norton served as a flight commander, served numerousdeployments during the Gulf War escorting fighter squadrons from the UnitedStates into theater, supporting fighter squadrons and bomber squadrons intheater, served multiple temporary duty assignments to England, Spain, SaudiArabia, Alaska, and other Air Force Bases around the globe. 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. DOD Base Family Housing - Organochlorine Pesticide Contamination Mr. Norton remarked that they were flying the wings off of the planes. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons firstpermanent duty station in the United States Air Force.[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. The Loring Air Force Base UFO Encounter - UFO Insight The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. Wurtsmith Air Museum (Oscoda) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go After a trip to the Boneyard in September 2019, hundreds of current and vintage photos are being sorted, scanned and uploaded. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. This is an evolving issue with many moving parts. These mission were into Iraq. 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. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does not monitor, pre-screen or moderate posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. In a nutshell, this is what were trying to do get permission to relocate the parts so they would resemble a plane, David Losinski said. Why women were told 'Don't get pregnant at George Air Force Base' The ROAM system ensures that aircraft are serviced . 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). The Au Sable River is an attraction for families all around Michigan. Wurtsmith Air Force Base has been an integral part of the United States Air Force from the 1920's to June 3rd 1993. . China Lake Naval base, California. Service ceiling 27,200 feet, and range was 260 miles. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. It is primarily a large jet airplane salvage, jet engine maintenance and light general aviation . As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. .. did this bill die in the committee s? I served at Wurtsmith from 1974-1977 my whole family has suffered from various ongoing ailments. Environmental groups issue report, 'setting the record straight' about 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 KC-135s would finish one mission and there would be another one waiting for them as soon as they were available. This weapon system used some hazardous and a lot of special chemicals to support it. Former military base a magnet for retirees - middletownpress.com It excelled in low-altitude ground support as a well-built and reliable aircraft capable of absorbing quite a bit of battle damage. CLU-IN | TechDirect and Newsletters > Technology News and Trends Fast forward to 1992, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command. [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] 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. It has recently been discovered that that the base has been leaking chemicals into the surrounding waterways. 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. [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], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. This judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. 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. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. 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. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. These contaminants are harmful to the environment. 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). 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. In 1942, three 5000x150 concrete runways were built. Wurtsmith Air Force Base | Military Wiki | Fandom 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. Had some issue at Loring Maine where I was stationed from 86-88 and nothing.VA is cricket s on this Richard Stanfill, 12/5/21I was stationed there from 1982 to October of 1985 and lost my left kidney to 3rd stage clear cell carcinoma I never smoked or did drugs. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? Investigating PFAS in Michigan | ATSDR I still stay in touch with Gary but do not know if he has an e-mail account. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. VA counselor "don't waste your time". Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity.
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