Loudreames aviation field, camp skeel, oscoda army airfield, oscoda air force base and wurtsmith air force base. Assessment of groundwater contamination at wurtsmith air. Skeel, and was used as an aerial gunnery range and for winter maneuvers 1924 through 1944 by the 1st pursuit group at selfridge army air base near detroit. The 5,223acre wurtsmith air force base wurtsmith afb is located on the northeastern part of michigans lower peninsula. Whitehead on a fishing trip there would not have been an air force base in oscoda michigan. The agencys collection, begun in washington, dc, during world war ii, moved in 1949 to maxwell air force base, the site of air university, to provide research facilities for professional military education students, the faculty, visiting scholars, and the general public. Welcome to the wafb historical site dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of wurtsmith air force base and the units assigned there.
It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. Wurtsmith air force base news newspapers books scholar jstor september 2017. Groundwater contamination at wurtsmith air force base, michigan. At the height of the cold war, the base was home to b52s and nuclear bombs.
Wurtsmith air force base is a decommissioned united. Wafb began operations in 1923, under the name of camp skeel, and was officially named the wurtsmith air force base in 1953. Feb 17, 2012 old crow express the last b52g flies out of oscodas wurtsmith air force base duration. Other relatives would visit and say, your water tastes weird, but nobody knew why. The wurtsmith air museum is seen on the grounds of the decommissioned wurtsmith air force base in oscoda on wednesday, march 23, 2016. A groundwater divide cuts diagonally across the base from northwest to. The base is located in oscoda, iosco county, michigan. Regardless of its name, the base always played an important part in the everevolving.
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. Wurtsmith air force base is a decommissioned united states air force base in iosco county. Groundwater contamination at wurtsmith air force base. 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. It is about the historical contamination and bases like wurtsmith all across the. The second period, september 1947 through 1960, saw a rapid expansion to support the rise of the united states air force as the major instrument of strategic deterrence. The 4026th was a sac major command controlled majcon wing that had been organized on 1 august 1958.
Apr 24, 2011 driving to wurtsmith air force base from down town oscoda, mi. Bettis sposc was working the main gate at wurtsmith and checked my. Nov 08, 2019 the first boeing 707, a prototype airplane designated the 36780, was restored for flight by boeing workers at davismonthan air force base after being mothballed in tucson for 18 years. In 1953 the name wurtsmith was officially recognized, the name honoring the life of a michigan native, general paul b. Bettis sposc was working the main gate at wurtsmith and checked my id. Wurtsmith air force base has been an integral part of the united states air force from the 1920s to june 3rd 1993. Marjorie gay karbginsky our son and daughter were born there too. A sand and gravel aquifer of glacial origin underlies wurtsmith air force base in northeastern lower michigan.
An air force tanker plane crashed this afternoon at wurtsmith air force base, killing 6 people and injuring 10 others. Since the early part of the 20 th century, the military base outside of the small town of oscoda michigan, had gone by many names. Deployed flight test of the iraqi air force comp air 7slx ca7 the first wings of war. History wurtsmith air force base, michigan, served primarily as a combat crew and bomber training base throughout its 70year history. The book provides a ready reference for basic information on active usaf bases. The old crow express, the final b52g to leave wurtsmith air force base in 1992. Wurtsmith air force base, michigan alumni public group. Military bases contamination will affect water for. Wurtsmith air force base is a decommissioned united states air force base in northeastern iosco county in the u. It was renamed camp skeel in 1924, for world war i pilot captain burt e.
Driving to wurtsmith air force base from down town oscoda, mi. In february 1953, the united states air force named wurtsmith air force base in oscoda township, michigan, in his. Postkarte carte postale flugzeuge militaria wurtsmith air force base b52h stratofortress and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Air force historical research center, maxwell air force base, ala. Below are weather averages from 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the nearest official weather station.
The air force historical research agency, maxwell afb, alabama, is the. Air force historical support division books from the field. The test and evaluation of lightweight fighter prototypes. The wurtsmith air museum is an allvolunteer, 501c3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to preserving the history of wurtsmith air force base and aviation in northeastern michigan. In july 1991, the brac commission recommended 1 closure of wurtsmith air force base. Wurtsmith was home for the 379th bombardment wing which controlled the 524th bombardment squadron and the 920th aerial refueling squadron. K1 air base erbil, iraq kabul international airport afghanistan kandahar airfield afghanistan key field air national guard base. Wurtsmith was killed when his north american b25 mitchell medium bomber crashed near the summit of cold mountain near asheville, north carolina, on september, 1946. The wurtsmith air force base a very important air force base in michigan during second world war. Arvo had served all of his four years in the air force outside of basic training, from 1974 to 1977, at wurtsmith air force base. From humble beginnings in the 1920s 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. Wurtsmith air force base oscoda, michigan military.
Wurtsmith air force base military history of the upper. The major command responsible for mather air force base until base closure was the air training command based at randolph afb in texas. Paul bernard wurtsmith 9 august 1906 september 1946 was a united states army air forces general during world war ii enlisting in the united states army air corps as. National defense from the early days of biplanes practicing. Wurtsmith was closed in 1993 and was proposed as a superfund site in 1994. I was actually doing research for a book about drinking water in. The aquifer overlies a thick clay layer at an average depth of 65 feet. The arrow street purge system, installed in 1982 to remove contaminants from the building 43 plume, has lowered.
No defense explores pfas pollution on the former wurtsmith air. The nearest weather station for both precipitation and temperature measurements is east ta which is approximately miles away and has an elevation of 586 feet 34 feet lower than wurtsmith air force base historical. In 2012, the michigan department of health and human services mdhhs issued a do. The 379th was reassigned to wurtsmith air force base, michigan without personnel or equipment in january 1961, assuming the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the discontinued 4026th strategic wing. In february 1953, the air force named wurtsmith air force base in oscoda, mich. Pursuant to the defense base closure and realignment act, wurtsmith afb was closed in june 1993. It serves as the home base for the 40th air division and the 379th bomb wing. He served four years in the united states air force, most of that time assigned to the 10th tactical reconnaissance wing, raf, alconbury, the united kingdom, as an intelligence officer.
The plane, a fourengine kc5 stratotanker used to refuel other aircraft in. The story of the schweinfurt raid by martin caidin, warthog. During the first period, from 1907 through august 1947, expansion of the armys air force in response to two major wars established a foundation for the current basing network. Davis, panama army august 28, 2017 naval air station alameda, ca navy march 19, 2016 wurtsmith air force base, mi air force june 2, 2015 edwards air force base, ca air force. The first boeing 707, a prototype airplane designated the 36780, was restored for flight by boeing workers at davismonthan air force base after being mothballed in tucson for 18 years. Wurtsmith air force base is an inactive installation that formerly operated as an aircraft training facility. The 5,223acre wurtsmith air force base wurtsmith afb is located on. Wurtsmith air force base is in losco couijity in northeastern lower michigan. General wurtsmith returned to selfridge field and on sept. This eis has been prepared in accordance with the national environmental policy act to analyze the potential environmental consequences of the disposal and reasonable alternatives for reuse of the base.
Oct 12, 1988 an air force tanker plane crashed this afternoon at wurtsmith air force base, killing 6 people and injuring 10 others. Wurtsmith air force base wikimili, the free encyclopedia wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Alan kamuda, detroit free press connect tweet linkedin. The wurtsmith air museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history of wurtsmith air force base and avaiation in michigan. Wurtsmith, killed when his plane, a b25, crashed into a north carolina mountain. Six are killed in crash of an air force tanker the new york. Kadena air force base project gutenberg selfpublishing. Continued study of groundwater 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. Government printing office 1961 republished 1983, office of air force history, isbn 0912799021. After the war wurtsmith served with the strategic air command. Wurtsmith air force base, a brief history and life on post. Usaf reference series, office of air force history, united states air force, washington, d.
Wurtsmith air force base oscoda, michigan military base. Wurtsmith is a strategic air command base located three miles northwest of oscoda, michigan. 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. Wurtsmith air force base historical topo map in iosco. Oct 11, 2015 the wurtsmith air force base a very important air force base in michigan during second world war. Wurtsmith air force base project gutenberg selfpublishing.
Six are killed in crash of an air force tanker the new. Now, little is left but empty airfields and crumbling buildings. Wafb closed in 1993 and is gradually being turned over to the oscoda airport authority for reuse as an industrial park and airfield epa 2012. Air force former wurtsmith afb community meeting david strainge paul rekowski. Renamed oscoda army air field and containing 3 hardsurface concrete runways, during world war ii this base was an airfield for training black aviators and free french air force pilots. The air force historical research agency is the repository for air force historical documents. Since its establishment in 1923, wurtsmith played an important role in world war ii, vietnam and the persian gulf war, hosting the 4th army air force base fighter unit and 379th bombardment wing respectively. Keeping wurtsmith afb and aviation history of ne mi alive opens on. The host wing at mather afb was the 323rd flying training wing, which trained air force, navy and marine corps personnel for the u.
I n t e g r i t y s e r v i c e e x c e l l e n c e. King salman air base saudi arabia kleine brogel air base belgium kunsan ab republic of korea. We dont yet know full extent of wurtsmith air base. The 4026th was a sac major command controlled majcon wing that. Wurtsmith air force base, mi dod base family housing. Wurtsmith got its start in 1923 as loudreames aviation field, a softsurface landing site for army air corps aircraft from selfridge field. Keeping wurtsmith afb and aviation history of ne mi alive opens on armed forces day in may, hosts a welcome home. Air force combat wings lineage and honors histories 19471977. A brief history of air mobility commands air mobility rodeo, 19892011. The base was signed over to sac in april, 1960 and the 40th air division, which was reactivated in july 1959 and assigned to the strategic air commands eighth air force, was headquartered there.
Sep 28, 2017 at the wurtsmith air force base in northern michigan, the water contamination has persisted for nearly half a century. A new documentary will look at the air forces involvement in pfas pollution. The museum offers visitors three hangars full of military all branches and aviation history, static aircraft displays, artifacts, equipment and lots of wafb. Active air force bases within the united states of america on 17 september 1982. More than 50 years after its founding, the united states air force is celebrated in a stunning, lavishly illustrated volume published in conjunction with the air force historical foundation. Today, the wurtsmith air museum works to preserve the history of the men and women that. March 19, 2016 wurtsmith air force base, mi air force june 2, 2015 edwards air force base, ca air force may 14, 2015 kansas army ammunition plant ksaap army may 1, 2015 hickam air force base, hi air force april 30, 2015 mountain home air force base, id air force april 25, 2015 treasure island naval station, ca navy. Wurtsmith air force base is a decommissioned united states air force base in iosco county, michigan.
Wurtsmith air force base military history of the upper great lakes. At the wurtsmith air force base in northern michigan, the water contamination has persisted for nearly half a century. Aug 18, 2016 wafb began operations in 1923, under the name of camp skeel, and was officially named the wurtsmith air force base in 1953. 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 sable state forest. Mdhhs former wurtsmith air force base, iosco county.