WAFB began operations in 1923, under the name of Camp Skeel, and was officially named the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in 1953. Two years after release I started to experience very visible loss of musculature and strength. 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. I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice. In 2016, residents near Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan discovered that the water they drank, bathed in, swam in, and fished in was contaminated with jet fuel, cancer-causing chlorinated . The B-52 is being serviced under the Strategic Air Command Recovery Oriented Aircraft Maintenance (ROAM) system. [1] Mr. Norton also landedthe first KC-135 in operation Southern Watch. Off Base Housing. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. 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. 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. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. [4] Enchanted Forest Web Page Design Service. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. (Superstorm) Sandy came along (in October) and moved things around, David Losinski said. U.S. Air Force should abide by state of Michigan's PFAS Standards, state must hold Air Force accountable. 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. 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. Airplane nosed over when landing gear tire casing failed, locking the right wheel. 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 . Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. Veteran Compensation Programs (USVCP) (www.veteranprograms.com), and any of their associated websites is for general informational. Home Buyers Guide; Find a Real Estate Agent; Price: $299,000. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue the, tradition from their World War II counterparts. Our biodegradation . 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. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. 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. The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. The 5,221-acre site is bounded by Van Etten Lake to the north and east . [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. From: Members of the ground crew move a maintenance cart into position next to a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft parked on the flight line. Posts and surveys made on this website are opinions or suggestions of users of this website and are not representations, opinions or suggestions of U.S. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. All four of the the guys that were in that flight were from Tuskegee, Losinksi said. [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. They are surely exposed to this chemical nearly every day, whether it be playing outside on the playground or from being exposed to the chemicals via drinking the water. Wurtsmith AirForce Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. The 700 hp Conqueror engine was exceptionally powerful for its day, but it had many minor and some major faults which needed to be corrected. These mission were into Iraq. Today the Wurtsmith district is integral to the community's economic potential. 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 . [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 have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. 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. I do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategic, wing as it was disbanded. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. 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. 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 . [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. One of these places included directly underneath the Oscoda high school. Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. 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 study doesn't estimate past concentrations or exposure dosage and was released with . The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. As long as these assignments were under 180 days they were considered Temporary Duty Assignments. 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. Like the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth and Newington, the former Michigan base is now a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? Most individuals are not educated on what the base did before and after World War II, what is currently happening at this location, or how the historical space is impacting the land and local citizens today. Beginning in July 1944, the P-47 Thunderbolt was used extensively to train Free French Air Force pilots at Oscoda Army Air Field (AAF). 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. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. The Bell P-39 Airacobra was not the best fighter aircraft of WWII, but it was the only fighter available in quantity during the first six months of the war. WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. 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. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. Lee N. 2023 Aspyre Media Group, LLC. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. What they had was a one-seat warplane piloted by 2nd Lt. Frank H. Moody, of Los Angeles. Within a few days, a mere 28 Airmen established housing for over 400 personnel, replete with . 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 result was an airplane which had a much deeper and broader fuselage than did the P-1. I lived in base housing, I want to say 8607H Ohio from 82-84. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. China Lake Naval base, California. This article is from 2018.. The Wurtsmith Air Force Base, created in 1923, played a large role in WWII. In this June 6, 2018 photo, PFAS foam washes up on the shoreline of Van Etten Lake in Oscoda Township, Mich., near Wurtsmith Air Force Base. During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. A map of the base locations listed above can be viewed below. [ 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 . It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. [1], As new technologies and mission goals evolved with time the need for the Strategic Air Commands need for the northern tier became obsolete. Leaking chemical storage tanks and waste disposal operations contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. [5] Assuming the equipment, personnel and aircraft of the 4026th Strategicwing as it was disbanded. 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 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. Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water, Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing. Because of the economic impact of Wurtsmith Air Force Base the community was generally supportive of the airmen, and the base itself. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. [1] Mr. Norton also landed. These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. This is a short video about the small museum located at the decommissioned Wurtsmith AFB in Oscoda Mi.http://www.rv-project.com 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. There is a lot of open runways still today that can be rented out for a multitude of events. 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. They want the site to remain a memorial divers can visit. These bases were, responsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. The single officers who lived on base lived in a dorm type building. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons firstpermanent duty station in the United States Air Force.[1]. She gave Kelly the rundown of the base. As soon as an assignment went over 180 days it was considered a permanent change in duty station. [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].