History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. In fact the only time B-52s would travel was for training missions, or actually delivering ordinance to its target. August 8, 2018. Smoke started coming from the tail of the second plane, and I could see it was in trouble. Because of the economic impact of Wurtsmith Air Force Base the community was generally supportive of the airmen, and the base itself. 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. Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. 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. 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. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. David Losinski said he and his son were assisting the state Department of Environmental Quality with a barge that sank in Lake Huron in July 2012. Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. Wurtsmith AirForce Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. to share information regarding health issues, and probable chemical exposure via base water sources. History. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan; PFAS Water Contamination Map . 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. We came across the gauge cluster, which had the radio call tag, David Losinski said. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. [5] One crew flew 29, mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bomber, crew in theater. The last was delivered in December 1930. Ruben C. Moffat flew a P-6 converted with a supercharged Conqueror engine on a record-breaking flight. 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. This bunker compound housedthe flight crews on ready alert, the three B-52 bombers ready to take off at amoments notice, and the accompanying KC-135s ready to top off the B-52s after takeoff. [3], [1] Dave Norton, Former United States Air Force Captain, interviewed on 23 OCT 2017, [2] Ap. [1] 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. It has found from testing this area that some places to have over 1000 parts-per-trillion for PFOS and PFOA. Anyone know the status on this? Any one else from 84-89 have issues? 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. These mission were into Iraq. The Air Force's decline to commit to Michigan's standards is among a litany of frustrations Oscoda residents say they have . This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. 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. At this time, the camp was renamed and the airfield was under III Fighter Command jurisdiction. These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons first, permanent duty station in the United States Air Force. Aircraft upper wing, left lower wing, rudder and propeller damaged. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. There are many historical planes you can visit as well as other interesting pieces of history that the public may view. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. My first daughter was born there at their hospital.my ex husband now, is very sick. He was stationed at the base. More than 40 private businesses and public agencies use the former Air Force facilities and infrastructure, providing more than 1,300 jobs to the area, as well as the conversion of former base housing to 700 privately owned residential homes. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of five, northern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. The P-47 Thunderbolt fighter and fighter-bomber was used by the Allied air forces during World War II. 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. At the start of 1985, Wurtsmith maintained an $80 million annual payroll with 3,600 military and civilian personnel. This is an evolving issue with many moving parts. 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. These bases wereresponsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. An unusual feature of the P-39 Airacobra was the automobile-type doors that had roll-down windows on each side of the cockpit. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Now, I have been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney failure and congestive heart disease, I am currently on dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant. 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. [5], Dave Norton resigned his commotion as a United States Air ForceCaptain on May 30th, 1993 exactly 9 years after receiving his commissionas a 2nd Lt. form the United States Air Force Academy. 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. What they had was a one-seat warplane piloted by 2nd Lt. Frank H. Moody, of Los Angeles. 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. He flew from Dayton, Ohio to Washington, D.C. at a speed of approximately 266 mph, at an altitude of 25,000 ft. 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 . While the vast majority of personnel on Wurtsmith AirForce Base were not part of a flight crew rotating through ready alert, theirrespective jobs all served to ensure those planes could take off at a momentsnotice. 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 . Contaminated water has been shown to be the main way that humans get exposed to this chemical, which is exactly whats going on in Oscoda. The 4026th was a SAC Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing that had been organized on 1 August 1958. [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. 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. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. This bunker compound housed, the flight crews on ready alert, the three B-52 bombers ready to take off at a, moments notice, and the accompanying KC-135s ready to top off the B-52s after takeoff. The Losinskis found an account of the crash in the Times Herald. In 1977 the 379th Bomb Wing upgraded the B-52H fleet to B-52Gaircraft. Pieces include the engine, the tail, part of the door and the 37-millimeter cannon that fired through the propeller hub. Wurtsmith AFB Water Health Issues via water, Organochlorine Pesticides Levels at George AFB Family Housing. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies Wurtsmith Air Force Base in northeastern lower Michigan. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. 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. While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a wholelot to do. My first assignment as a Nuclear Weapons specialist was at wurtsmith where we deployed the AGM 69A SRAM missile system. Off Base Housing. PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. [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]. This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. Today the Wurtsmith district is integral to the community's economic potential. Neither Michigan nor any U.S. officials have conducted a comprehensive study on the contaminants and pollutants under the base. 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. The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661. [1]After one week in the bunker on ready alert the flight crew would be relieved. I have always scheduled an apt with my dr to talk about the possibility of how this may have affected me. The airplane operated on a flight from Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport, MI to Oscoda-Wurtsmith AFB, MI (OSC). 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 . I was stationed there 1988-1992. I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice. 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. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. All the artifacts that were taken off were replaced in their original position and original situation except for the tag we cleaned up, he said. March 7, 1942: The first class of Tuskegee Airmen graduate from U.S. Army Air Force Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. 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 do hope there is information on Wurtsmith AFB soon. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons firstpermanent duty station in the United States Air Force.[1]. Deliveries of the first P-6s were late, the first example not appearing until October 1929. The tire bead failed, allowing the casing to slip over the rim on one side and bind on edge of the wheel fairing on takeoff. This, flight crew would spend one week in the bunker and be confined to an undisclosed. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. [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. One of these places included directly underneath the Oscoda high school. We thought that was kind of unbelievable.. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. 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. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morning, off. [4] Enchanted Forest Web Page Design Service. Then everything happened so fast it seems unbelievable. Located in Oscoda, Michigan this base is positioned no more than two miles off the shore of Lake Huron. 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 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. My daughter was born there on base in 1987 she has gastric issues, and was born w heart issues. This gave the Army operations the opportunity to begin creating the base we know today. empty, 3310 lb gross. In July 2018 the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), set the table for Congress to consider legislation that would force the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to extend health benefits to base veterans without making them prove their illnesses are linked to chemical exposure. To all who are interested in the Camp Skeel/Oscoda AAF/Wurtsmith AFB History. There are many people who were exposed to the Wurtsmith water that are now coming out and blaming the chemical filled drinking water for their health problems. This unfortunately happened on October 11. , 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. All Rights Reserved. After being relieved, the flight crew had until the following Monday morningoff. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. 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. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. Their water table has been contaminated with high levels of PFOA because of the leakage of chemicals from Wurtsmith Air Force Base. 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. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. 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. One specific and important waterway being affected by these pollutants is the Au Sable River. There are many different ways that PFOA and PFOS can affect the human body. A total of 15,683 Thunderbolts were produced by wars end, more than any other U.S. fighter. Theyre looking for other divers who can assist with the effort. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. I will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. With this long list of negative effects it is clearly a big health issue for local residents. They raised $600 to clear the land, which at the time was plenty for this job. 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. Dover Air Force base, Delaware. [1] This would result in a large amount of paperwork and extra expenses for the Air Force. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. These are simply the specific . TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. Click on a marker for base information. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. 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. A total 9589 Airacobras were built before production finally ended on July 25, 1944. I saw a big splash, and then the plane went out of sight.. 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. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigans lower peninsula. P-6E, serial number 32-156, 17th Pursuit Squadron from Selfridge Field Michigan. The former Wurtsmith Air Force Base (WAFB), located in Oscoda, Iosco County, MI operated from 1924 to 1993. Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. Learn how your comment data is processed. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. He said the wreckage from the plane is scattered across the lake bottom. 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). 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. 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 We didnt know really what we had.. [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. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity. [1] As tensions increased around the world and the likelihood of an actual mission being flown while on ready alert increased, the week, The typical activities while not on ready alert varied greatly, from person to person. 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. Lt. Ennis also thought it would be a great place for young Army Air corps to test aircraft (WAFB.net). 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. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. I have had many other health issues since and have recently found all of this. [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. Fast forward to 1992, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. Just run the water until it clears up. The Realignment of Griffiss Air Force Base. [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. 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. Although in the past the Wurtsmith Air Force Base was extremely successful there are some prevalent issues with it today. Ellsworth Air Force base, South Dakota. The good speed of the P-6E was counterbalanced by some unsatisfacory handling characteristics which made it sluggish in response to controls. During the Gulf War these planes were run practically 24/7, landing only to swap flight crews to meet the flight crew rest requirements. City Picto Map, Clark Air Base / Angeles City. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. The Wurtsmith base closed in 1991, sending the Harrises to Plattsburgh, N.Y., where friends and neighbors remembered the boys as Scouts and Little Leaguers, and their parents as being involved in . But these days, the county is becoming a haven for retired people such as the Kuhlmans . However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. PORT HURON, Mich. David and Drew Losinski are struck by the coincidence. Wurtsmith Air, Force Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. 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 . 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. The brown tint is (mostly) caused by scale build up in the pipes being knocked loose. [5] In recent years groundwater contamination has be linked to jet fuel, cleaning agents, and fire suppression agents used at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. 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. Because of this KC-135 squadrons would routinely fly 175 day assignments and return to their home base. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. 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. My husband and our two children lived there from 1985-1993 I have a nerve problem my daughter has autoimmune (MS) youngest daughter has kidney problems. [1] This meant that there was always at least threeB-52s armed with nuclear bombs, ready to take off at a moments notice.