wurtsmith air force base housing

Its poor high-altitude performance was a result of a critical decision to remove the turbo-supercharger. I have had sever kidney problems since 1983 that carried on into my mid teens. USVCP Not A U.S. Government Publication. 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. [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]. 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. 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. A new report compiled by a local group, Need Our Water (NOW) and the National Wildlife Federation . All kind of special chemicals that Boeing told the USAF we had to have. These organizations primarily fall into seven types of activities: aviation, manufacturing, technology, medical, housing, education, community services and technology. 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 . Wurtsmith Air Force base (Oscoda), Michigan; PFAS Water Contamination Map . 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. This judgement flies in the face provided by the federal ATSDR and the National Institute of Health. A ground-water divide cuts diagonally across the Base from northwest to sou My family lived on this base in 1983 to 1987, are we at risk? TCE in another well on Jet Street near the present day Wurtsmith AFB museum was 1,739-ppb. Weights were 2450 lb. [1], The ready alert flight crews were rotated on a three week cycle. [THE FLINT JOURNAL VIA AP] There are many different ways that PFOA and PFOS can affect the human body. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. One example of this is autocross racing. Air Force Base was essentially a self-contained airport with all of the necessities to support a full community on Base. A series of stringers were added to the fuselage sides to round out the cross section. There are many good photos of P-39s at Selfridge Field (Posted below), but none of P-39s at Oscoda. The human-made chemicals are in your blood, your clothes, your cosmetics. The Losinskis havent abandoned their quest to bring this long-forgotten chapter in the history of World War II to light. I will try and highlight some of the most interesting aircraft and their stories!. "Keeping Wurtsmith AFB and Aviation History of NE MI Alive" Opens on Armed Forces Day in May, hosts a Welcome Home. 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. It was the most horrible thing I have ever witnessed, she said. An unusual feature of the P-39 Airacobra was the automobile-type doors that had roll-down windows on each side of the cockpit. Their children developed asthma, spinal defects and thyroid problems. During the Cold War, the base became part of Strategic Air Command. What's next? At this time Wurtsmith Air Force Base was still part of theStrategic Air Commands bomber fleet. Photos of P-47s flown by French Pilots at Oscoda. [1], While Wurtsmith Air Force Base was its own little town, it was segregated by officers and enlisted. This is heinous, and my heart goes out to so many. There are a lot of stories to tell. In their letter, the members expressed their concerns that the Air Force's proposed remediation plan . Michigan Radio. The good speed of the P-6E was counterbalanced by some unsatisfacory handling characteristics which made it sluggish in response to controls. This cycle was from Wednesday to Wednesday. The base became a permanent installation on January 1, 1951, when the U. S. Air Force designated it as a fighter training base for the Air Defense command. 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). The KC-135s would finish one mission and there would be another one waiting for them as soon as they were available. Wurtsmith Air Force base was one of fivenorthern tier bases in the Strategic Air Commands arsenal. Call 205.328.9200 Claim Application. 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. One of these men were named Lt. Ennis Whitehead. Robert Krouse, 12/31/19Stationed at Wurtsmith AFB from 1978 to 1980 and lived in barracks. 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. They also were known as the Red Tails because they painted the tails of their aircraft red. The Losinskis said they want to preserve the site for people to dive on. Most Air Corps/Force types used Oscoda at one time or another. empty, 3310 lb gross. [6] The 379th Bomb Wing wasdisbanded on June 30th 1993. 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. These are simply the specific . The ROAM system ensures that aircraft are serviced . I was stationed there 1978 -81 lived on base they never told us about the water being contaminated . Only afterthe plains were airborne would the crew be notified if it was a drill or not. My symptoms looking back were insidious with weakness and muscle fasciculations. The 379th Bomb Wing moved to Wurtsmith Air Force Base in June of19661. the first KC-135 in operation Southern Watch. 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. 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. He was stationed at the base. Im using a combination of several source materials to tell the history of the area. I didnt know anything about the Tuskegee Airmen until we got into this.. This air field was in dire need of a gunnery range because they being forced out of their gunnery range on Lake St. Clair. The 5,223-acre Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Wurtsmith AFB) is located on the northeastern part of Michigans lower peninsula. Aug 24, 2021. The 1st Combat Evaluation Group (initially "1CEG", later "1CEVG") was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit. History. 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. At Oscoda Army Air Field, from the Group Historian: Over the sandy pine shores of Lake Huron, pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group polished up their flight and gunnery tactics for threat inevitable test of their skill and courage which will eventually lead them to pursuit and battle in the skies of Europe and Asia. By the end of November 1943 all training for the 332nd had been completed at Oscoda and the Group departed for overseas. Kelly mentioned she'd been thinking about getting . Report also stated that the Oscoda Michigan gunnery field was very rough and sandy and notoriously hard on wheels, landing gears etc. [6], During the Gulf War B-52s from Wurtsmith Air Force Base were flownout of Prince Abdullah AB in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. [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. [5] One crew flew 29mission out of Jeddah, setting the record for most missions flew by a bombercrew in theater. These contaminants are harmful to the environment. If you are interested in any particular aircraft of time period please let me know. "The Department of Defense is evaluating [cleanup standards], and we take our lead from what the Department of Defense says," said Stephen TerMaath, who leads the Air Force division in charge of Wurtsmith cleanup. Just run the water until it clears up. Today the Wurtsmith district is integral to the community's economic potential. It was also possible for these missions to originate in the United States. The plane was equipped with the cannon and four .50-caliber machine guns two mounted on the wings, two more just behind the propeller and timed to fire through the spinning blades. [1] The KC-135s had many more opportunities to travel because they would fly in support of any craft capable of refueling in flight. We knew we had some kind of plane.. The airplane operated on a flight from Oscoda Wurtsmith Airport, MI to Oscoda-Wurtsmith AFB, MI (OSC). Representatives Dan Kildee (MI-05) and Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) today urged the U.S. Air Force to take more significant steps to address PFAS contamination around the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base near Oscoda. How is it that these large and respected scientific organizations can continue to be ignored in the face of statistically overwhelming data and human impacts. 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. 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. 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. 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. http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/wurtsmith_pfas_pfc_april_45_me.html. [5] The B-52s did not get to travel nearly as much as the KC-135s. She has all kinds of problems, my ex died of cancer and I have all kinds of problems. 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. 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. The "Red Tail" P-51 Mustangs flown by the Tuskeegee Airmen []. 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. All four of the the guys that were in that flight were from Tuskegee, Losinksi said. Located in Oscoda, Michigan this base is positioned no more than two miles off the shore of Lake Huron. Now that the contamination has reached the Au Sable river, it could potentially carry this contamination into Lake Huron. The Losinskis are divers David has been diving since 1977; his son, Drew, since 2002 and both are former members of the St. Clair County Dive Team. [5] The 379th flew with a Triangle K tail flash to continue thetradition from their World War II counterparts. Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport became a public airport in 1993. [4] On August 1st 1958 the 4026th Strategic Wing was formed at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. With that being said, these chemicals are going to be reaching a lot more people than just the Oscoda residents. One specific and important waterway being affected by these pollutants is the Au Sable River. Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base closed in 1993, dealing a sharp blow to the economy of rural Iosco County. During those efforts, they noted several areas they wanted to investigate, including one about four miles north of the Blue Water Bridge. Wurtsmith AirForce Base was constructed with a runway layout specifically for this. This unfortunately happened on October 11th, 1988 when KC-135 crashed with 6 crew members and 10 passengers on board. [3], [1] Dave Norton, Former United States Air Force Captain, interviewed on 23 OCT 2017, [2] Ap. 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.