| SAC Bases: Wurtsmith
Air Force Base |
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Oscoda Air Field near Oscoda, Michigan was established in the early 1920s
as an aerial gunnery range, providing opportunities to acquaint flyers from
Selfridge Air Force Base with the maneuvers required to take off and land their
DeHaviland biplanes on the ice of Van Ettan Lake. In 1953 the name Wurtsmith was
officially recognized, the name honoring the life of a Michigan native, General
Paul B. Wurtsmith, killed when his plane, a B-25, crashed into a North Carolina
mountain.
1955 marked the year that the base became a permanent Air Force
installation and many new services were implemented. Delivery of the B-52H to
operational units began on May 9, 1961 when the 379th Bombardment Wing at
Wurtsmith AFB in Michigan received its first aircraft. Delivery of the B-52
operational bomber named "State of Michigan" marked the redesignation to the
base from and fighter-interceptor training base to the Strategic Air Command and
its long range B-52's, which played an important part in "Desert Storm", in the
Persian Gulf.
In November 1989, the Air Force announced the selection of seven bases to
house Peacekeeper Rail Garrison. The Main Operating Base would be F.E. Warren
AFB, Wyoming, and the other six bases were Barksdale AFB, Louisiana; Little Rock
AFB, Arkansas; Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota; Dyess AFB, Texas; Wurtsmith AFB,
Michigan; and Fairchild AFB, Washington. December 1992 was the date established
for delivery of the first asset. The program was terminated in 1991.
Wurtsmith AFB, MI, was slated for closure under BRAC 91, having determined
that the country did not need the number of bases which they were supporting due
to new weapons development and long-range satellite surveillance, with a closure
date of 30 June 1993. Wurtsmith AFB was deemed one of the unnecessary military
bases around the United States and was closed. The Wurtsmith Base Conversion
Authority (WBCA) was initially the Redevelopment Authority. The WBCA terminated
September 30, 1994, and the Township of Oscoda became the the Redevelopment
Authority effective October 1, 1994).
The National Environmental Technology Test Sites (NETTS) Program,
sponsored by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) , is an environmental technology testing and evaluation program that
provides locations, facilities, and support for applied research demonstration,
and evaluation of innovative cleanup and characterization technologies that are
candidates for Installation Restoration efforts at DoD facilities. The National
Center for Integrated Bioremediation Research and Development at Wurtsmith AFB,
controlled field test-bed facility for investigations to support the design and
engineering of integrated bioremediation systems. This project focuses on in
situ bioremediation of surface soils, and other organic substances. |
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