I served at Wursmith AFB from 1982 to 1989, living in base housing the entire time and drinking the water. During those efforts, they noted several areas they wanted to investigate, including one about four miles north of the Blue Water Bridge. The landing gear was changed from rubber-block shock absorbers inside the fuselage to oleo-and-spring units mounted in the outer forward strut. [1], When the Gulf War started in 1990, the 379th Bomber Wing sent B-52s as well as their accompanying KC-135s into the Middle East. [1] While this was a relatively boring week, it was extremely stressful, because no one knew when the alarm would sound, but more importantly no one, knew if it would be a drill or not. This could be from hydrant flushing or a water main break. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. Military History of the Upper Great Lakes, Over the 50 years of operation Wurtsmith Air Force Base had many, different missions. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/06/wurtsmith_veterans_health.html, http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/11/13/deq-we-dont-yet-know-full-extent-wurtsmith-air-base-contamination/93242484/, https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/08/18/21105/military-bases-contamination-will-affect-water-generations, http://www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/Wurtsmith_AFB/wurtsmith_afb.html, Military History of the Upper Great Lakes. High blood serum levels of PFOA are associated with infertility, decreased semen quality, and a higher risk of thyroid disease. With all of this in a single family, the V.A. 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 . City Picto Map, Clark Air Base / Angeles City. 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. If there's a main break, sections of the base will . The documentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sara Ganim focuses on PFAS contamination at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. After all of that great history, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base is still standing as a place that is visited by a plethora of people. They have been detected in air, water, soils, sediments, and in rain at levels that would be considered unsafe in drinking . 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. There is a lot of open runways still today that can be rented out for a multitude of events. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. 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. 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. Aug 24, 2021. 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. It was criticized for its low service ceiling, its slow rate of climb, and its generally poor high-altitude performance. 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. [2] The flight crashed at 2:20PM while returning from K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula. [5] One crew flew 29mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bombercrew in theater. [1] [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. Dover Air Force base, Delaware. 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 protected], 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. 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. Im using a combination of several source materials to tell the history of the area. The average person has around 3 or 4 parts per billion of these chemicals present in their blood. The Air Force's decline to commit to Michigan's standards is among a litany of frustrations Oscoda residents say they have . 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. 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. 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. [2] Another unfortunate occurrence that Happened more than it should have were Court-Martials. [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. That plane actually crashed April 11, 1944, which was 70 years to the date that the picture was taken, Drew Losinski said. [5] However, the B-52H aircraft maintained nuclear alert at Wurtsmith, Air Force Base. 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. We offer visitors three hangars full of military (all branches) and aviation history, static aircraft displays, artifacts, equipment and lots of WAFB memorabilia. Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. Heart condition, prostate cancer, diabetic, sometimes confused in making decisions. Airplane nosed over when landing gear tire casing failed, locking the right wheel. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. However, the drawdown was fairly rapid after that and they were quickly replaced by P-38s, P-47s and P-51s. My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? A bomber squadron for example would be sent out to destroy a target and return to its home base within a week. PORT HURON, Mich. David and Drew Losinski are struck by the coincidence. He flew from Dayton, Ohio to Washington, D.C. at a speed of approximately 266 mph, at an altitude of 25,000 ft. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. 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. The pilot apparently noticed it and tried to lift his ship. Typical occurrences on Wurtsmith Air Force Base included planes flying in and out on missions. I saw a big splash, and then the plane went out of sight.. This is desirable from a strategic standpoint, but for the airmen that served on the bases themselves this meant that they were removed from the vast majority of society. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As previously stated, there is a museum open to the public which has artifacts and information on the bases history. 70-77 lived on base housing with family, flight line assistant supervisor. 1970 - The Air Force knew that some of the Webb Air Force Base Family Housing units, located in Big Spring Texas, were contaminated with and the occupants exposed to a large quantity of chlordane. [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. No injuries to the pilot. 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. Today, the Wurtsmith Air Force Base has a museum where you can learn about its history. 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. 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. The former base includes 4,626 acres (1,872 ha) located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Au . By Steve Elliott 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Leaking chemical storage tanks and waste disposal operations contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. 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. [1] Mr. Norton, arrived fresh from navigation school as a 2nd Lieutenant at Wurtsmith Air Force, Base in the fall of 1985. Veteran Compensation Programs. He brought this idea to the attention of his squadron commander Major Carl Spaatz. Smoke started coming from the tail of the second plane, and I could see it was in trouble. I have also read about the PFAS via fire retardant foam. This building was like the barracks, but each officer had his own room. 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. I kept up with all this for a while then gave up. [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. In 1979, the state of Michigan sued the Air Force for the contamination. Like the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth and Newington, the former Michigan base is now a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site. [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.