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According to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the private well located across the road from Oscoda High School tested about the 70 parts-per-trillion advisory level that was established for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS). Drinking Water At Wurtsmith AFB Contaminted. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. ROME, N.Y. -- There was nothing small-scale about Griffiss Air Force Base in the 1990s. Wurtsmith earned recognition during the war as the leader of the group of pilots using P-40 and P-38 fighter . At the time, George was a hub of F-4 Phantom fighter jets and OV-10 Bronco reconnaissance planes. As an officer Mr. Norton had to sit in on Court-Martials. These contaminants are harmful to the environment. JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas - Announced in late 2021 by the spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Sharene Brown, it increases focus and attention on the top five quality of life challenges military families face. Published August 24, 2021 at 4:15 PM EDT. It has found from testing this area that some places to have over 1000 parts-per-trillion for PFOS and PFOA. These high levels of PFOA elevate the risks of kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and diabetes. [1], While these crews were on ready alert they did not have a whole, lot to do. 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. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. [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. I was shocked when we drove to a wooded area not far from bomber alert pad and WSA up the road of the k9 area where a bull dozed had dug a large trench and we were ordered to dump the shit. 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. There is an ongoing project to decontaminate the area. The base was put into a standby status to be there just in case something happened in those areas. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. 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. It was eerie, David Losinski said. 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 views and opinions expressed in this website/articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the U.S. government, We are the men and women of the U.S. Military, Wurtsmith AFB is a Superfund Site. [5] Wurtsmith AFB, Mich SAC 379th Bomb Wing B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Wurtsmith_AFB.htm. He was training with fellow pilots out of what was then Selfridge Field when his plane crashed. The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. Then everything happened so fast it seems unbelievable. Eielson Air Force base, Alaska. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. 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. They included chemicals like MEK, PD 680, TRI CHLOROFLOIANS, ACIDS, ALODIANS, ALL KINDS OF PAINTS, SPECIAL MISSILE SKIN REPAIR KITS. My son, was born on the base, has a malformed aorta and congenital nerve damage hearing loss. [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 tensions increased around the world and the likelihood of an actual mission being flown while on ready alert increased, the weekbecame more stressful. I was stationed there from 11/84-1989. 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. He saw the surrounding land and figured it would make a great place for a gunnery range. In a fly off against the contemporary Boeing P-12B, the P-6E was faster, but the P-12B was more maneuverable. It had a commissary, a gas station, a hospital, housing, a bowling alley," said veteran Michael Grogan. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. 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 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. Traci Kroushour, an Oscoda resident until the age of 12, had her uterus removed at the age of 28 and can never have children. All kind of special chemicals that Boeing told the USAF we had to have. This lead to Wurtsmith transferring to Air Combat Command control, and then on June 30th 1993, Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed. 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. There is no amount of PFOA that is officially recognized as harmful. However, many studies have shown otherwise. purposes only, and is not legal advice. The base is influential in Michigan, as well as the United States military history. Because Wurtsmith Air Force Base was an Air Force Base it had to have the ability to go into complete lock-down in times of emergency and still support the mission. These bases wereresponsible for a housing a Ready Alert Nuclear Strike Force. 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. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at Wurtsmith, Air Force Base. My symptoms looking back were insidious with weakness and muscle fasciculations. [1] Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . 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). Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan; PFAS Water Contamination Map . Mrs. Cecil V. Fowler saw the crash, according to the Times Herald article. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking . This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. Just run the water until it clears up. TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. The P-47s radial engine proved remarkably resistant to battle damage and, with its heavy armament and well-armored cockpit, the Thunderbolt established a reputation as one of the most effective fighter-bombers of the war. 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 5,221-acre site is bounded by Van Etten Lake to the north and east . 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. One of the unfortunate risks in flying is a crash. 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. An unusual feature of the P-39 Airacobra was the automobile-type doors that had roll-down windows on each side of the cockpit. [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. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. The P-6E was quite a good-looking airplane, and became the most famous of the Hawk line of biplane fighters. Wurtsmith Air Force Base is said to have originally started with a fishing trip between two men. He flew from Dayton, Ohio to Washington, D.C. at a speed of approximately 266 mph, at an altitude of 25,000 ft. Even after the base closed in 1993, the base maintained a fire staff for many years. No injuries to the pilot. My daughter was born there on base in 1987 she has gastric issues, and was born w heart issues. This is extremely important because harsh chemicals can negatively impact the future of children and infants as well as the elderly. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. There were frequently extremely large and loud airplanes taxiing, taking off, and landing in the base. The M&FRC is located at 1550 Wurtsmith St . This article is from 2018.. to the proper paperwork being completed to allow the missions to continue. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. The P-6 Hawk (1932-1937) Aircraft was @ Oscoda. This is a short video about the small museum located at the decommissioned Wurtsmith AFB in Oscoda Mi.http://www.rv-project.com The runways were aligned NE/SW, E/W, and NW/SE. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. 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. We knew we had some kind of plane.. What us the compensation for this? .. did this bill die in the committee s? https://www.oscairport.com/index.php/available-properties/, https://www.oscairport.com/index.php/development-site/, https://www.afhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/APH-Winter2016.pdf, http://www.armytimes.com/story/news/2014/07/30/divers-find-wreckage-of-world-war-ii-era-plane/13354373/, https://wurtsmithairmuseum.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Air-Refueling-Squadron-_-Real-People-_-George-Schlatter720p.mp4. 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. [4] Enchanted Forest Web Page Design Service. If a banker had not taken Lt. Whitehead on a fishing trip there would not have been an Air Force Base in Oscoda Michigan. Fast forward to 1992, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the US Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command. The EPA Superfund Contaminants of Concern Update of June 3, 2016 lists all the same contaminants listed in 38-3307(7)(i) as it relates to USMC Camp Lejeune water contaminants. By Steve Elliott 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. The Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12 engine behind the pilots seat drove the propeller by means of a driveshaft mounted under the pilots seat. 1946. 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. Survived stage 3 oral cancer and per medical review, origin unknown since I have never smoked. [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. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue the, tradition from their World War II counterparts. [1] This includes on base housing, a daycare center for children, a doctor's office, a . Anyone know the status on this? This weapon system used some hazardous and a lot of special chemicals to support it. During World War II, P-47 fighters were assigned to Oscoda. It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. A new report compiled by a local group, Need Our Water (NOW) and the National Wildlife Federation . Veteran Compensation Programs (veteranprograms.com) assumes NO liability, and expressly disclaims any and all responsibility, for the content of all posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. 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. With all of this in a single family, the V.A. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons first, permanent duty station in the United States Air Force. 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. This judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. Chanute Air Force base, Illinois. Lester Graham. 70-77 lived on base housing with family, flight line assistant supervisor. These Air Force bases were remote. The Lackland Air Force Base Education Center is located at 1550 Wurtsmith Street, Suite 5. . 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. One of these men were named Lt. Ennis Whitehead. ircraft operated from Oscoda Army Airfield. [1] On the first Wednesday thefresh flight crew would relive the current flight crew in the bunkers. 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. 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. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. P-6E, serial number 32-156, 17th Pursuit Squadron from Selfridge Field Michigan. [6] 379th Bomb Wing Homestead AFB B-47 Wurtsmith AFB B-52, www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0379bw.htm. [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. 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. On June 30, , 1993 the 379th Bomb Wing was disbanded and Wurtsmith Air Force Base was closed. The Air Force's decline to commit to Michigan's standards is among a litany of frustrations Oscoda residents say they have . Tests in Michigan near the former Wurtsmith Air Force base have found PFOS in groundwater at levels as high as 42,000 ppt. These planes arrived at dawn on the first day of the Gulf War. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. My daughter was born at the base hospital. I have always scheduled an apt with my dr to talk about the possibility of how this may have affected me. Deliveries of the first P-6s were late, the first example not appearing until October 1929. [1] Wurtsmith Air Force Base was 2nd Lt. Nortons firstpermanent duty station in the United States Air Force.[1]. Service ceiling 27,200 feet, and range was 260 miles. This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to sou The base is located in Oscoda, Iosco County, Michigan. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. 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. 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. Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had manydifferent missions. 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. There were 10 passengers and six crew members on board. Wurtsmith got its start in 1923 as Loud-Reames Aviation Field, a soft-surface landing site for Arm Air Corps aircraft from Selfridge Field. 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. For more information regarding services offered by the Lackland Air Force Base Education Center, call 210-671-2895 or DSN 473-2895. . [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. This is a very big issue for the people of Oscoda and the surrounding areas for obvious reasons. Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. 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). Following cleanup, operation and maintenance activities are ongoing. 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. As previously stated, there is a museum open to the public which has artifacts and information on the bases history. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at WurtsmithAir Force Base. Once we brought that up and cleaned the tag, we knew it was the 221226 serial number.. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. I will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. The good speed of the P-6E was counterbalanced by some unsatisfacory handling characteristics which made it sluggish in response to controls. Members of the Tuskegee Airmen, trained at Oscoda for several weeks and stayed on the base. The brown tint is (mostly) caused by scale build up in the pipes being knocked loose. /. 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. Aircraft rolled 630 feet before nosing over. 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. [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. Airplane nosed over when landing gear tire casing failed, locking the right wheel. 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 4026th was a SAC Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing that had been organized on 1 August 1958. This man later took the proposal to build a gunnery range to the people of Oscoda. Veteran Compensation Programs (www.veteranprograms.com) does not monitor, pre-screen or moderate posts, surveys, topics, comments, blogs or responses. The B-52 is being serviced under the Strategic Air Command Recovery Oriented Aircraft Maintenance (ROAM) system. The site of Wurtsmith Air Force Base is located 2 miles Northwest of Oscoda, Michigan, about 150 miles North of Detroit. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. 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. It is one of the most famous bases located in our state. History Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70-year history. These are simply the specific . This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. [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. March 7, 1942: The first class of Tuskegee Airmen graduate from U.S. Army Air Force Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. 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. Many tests have been done to see the extent to which the contamination is harming the citizens residing in the area. PFOA exposure is also shown to be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children between ages 12-15. The Wurtsmith Air Force Incident. PORT HURON, Mich. David and Drew Losinski are struck by the coincidence. What they had was a one-seat warplane piloted by 2nd Lt. Frank H. Moody, of Los Angeles. In their letter, the members expressed their concerns that the Air Force's proposed remediation plan . I lived in base housing, I want to say 8607H Ohio from 82-84. During the Pacific conflicts personnel and the KC-135Stratotankers were deployed to forward bases in the Pacific to support landoperations. After a devastating fire in Oscoda which cleared over 600 buildings, the remaining citizens heard about the proposal to clear an area for the base. On the other hand, the rear-mounted engine offered increased maneuverability since the weight of the plane would be near its center of gravity. . 1944 -- Maj. Gen. Paul B. Wurtsmith, born in Detroit in 1906, led U. S. Army Air Corps training flights to Camp Skeel near Oscoda prior to World War II. 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. Even studies on fish have been done, where it was found that PFOA is a liver carcinogen in rainbow trout. The base came to be because of chance. On May 9, 1961, the base took delivery of its first new Boeing B-52 H Stratofortress, The State of Michigan. Some areas of the site are still under investigation. These mission were into Iraq. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. The Losinskis havent abandoned their quest to bring this long-forgotten chapter in the history of World War II to light. 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. 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.