USAF- Wurtsmith

Former AFB Wurtsmith, Oscoda, Michigan; now a museum http://www.wurtsmithairmuseum.org/
A former WW2 base; reactiivated 1951 as an interceptor training base for the Air Defense Command (ADC). Wurtsmith was considered a vital ADC base with interceptors ready 24/7 to respond to unknown aircraft picked up by Ground Control Radar stations in the Great Lakes region. 1st interceptor sq assigned to Wurtsmith was 63d FIS assigned in 1951 with North American F-86A Sabre http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/F-86a_Sabre_2_(4701577494).jpg being replaced by Northrop F-89D Scorpion http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/74th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron_Northrop_F-89C-40-NO_Scorpion_51-5851.jpg in 1955. The 445th FIS arrived in 1956 with F-89D Scorpions. 445th FIS upgraded to F-89J's in 1957 and to F-101 Voodoo supersonic interceptors http://img13.deviantart.net/5f13/i/2015/116/9/7/f_101_voodoo_by_stratosstormgod-d4d7ci5.jpg in 1960. It maintained alert with F-101's until being inactivated in 1968 as part of the phaseout of the Voodoo. A new interceptor squadron, 18th FIS moved in 1957 operating F-102 Delta Dagger http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Convair_YF-102_53-1785_on_ramp_E-1563.jpg With the transfer of Wurtsmith to Strategic Air Command jurisdiction in 1960, ADC phased down its presence to a tenant organization.

SAC 4026th Strategic Wing activated at Wurtsmith 1958 as a B-52 http://www.combataircraft.com/en/Military-Aircraft/Boeing/B-52H-Stratofortress/ dispersal wing and part of SAC's plan to disperse its bombers over a larger number of bases, making it difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out everything with a surprise strike. The 920th Refueling Group's KC-135 Stratotankers http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/106th_Air_Refueling_Squadron_KC-135_Stratotanker_-3.jpg to 4026th in 1960. SAC B52 379th Bombardment Wing 1961-1988 and 524th Bombardment Sqn 1961-1992 operated B52 G and H's armed with nuclear tipped AGM-28B "Hound Dog" Air-to-Ground missiles http://photovalet.com/data/comps/MYF/MYFV13P15_07.0360.jpg Later on these were replaced by nuclear tipped short range attack missiles (SRAM) http://www.boeing.com/resources/boeingdotcom/history/images/agm-69a_sram_hero_crop_1280x436.jpg and air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/AGM-86_ALCM.JPEG
Base closed 1993; current: Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport.

Note:
former Xmastree alert facility with Molehole crew fa cility at grid 44°27'51"N 83°22'31"W
former nuc weapon strorage at grid 44°27'45"N 83°23'1"W

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