1924 -- U.S. Army Air Corps lands biplanes on Iosco County's Van Ettan Lake and opens Camp Skeel

1920's

Maj. Carl A. Spaatz, in center, commanded the 1st Pursuit Group of the U. S. Army Air Corps in the 1920s. The group, based at Selfridge Army Air Field at Mount Clemens, Michigan, flew biplanes with two sets of wings. Historians credit Spaatz as the man primarily responsible for bringing aviation to Oscoda.

1920s -- Ski-equipped biplanes used Van Etten Lake as a winter training site. Residents of the Oscoda area raised $600 to clear 40 acres of land next to the lake as a spot for a training camp and target range. The camp was the forerunner to what eventually became Wurtsmith Air Force Base.

1930's

1942 -- Camp Skeel is renamed Oscoda Army Air Field and becomes a P-47 fighter base.

1945 - 1947 -- The base is closed for two years, but re-opened due to heavy use by fighters flying from Selfridge Army Air Field near Detroit.

1940's

1940s -- P-47 fighters were assigned to Oscoda during World War II. Members of the famous "Tuskegee Airmen," an all-black fighter squadron, trained at Oscoda for a number of weeks.

1944 -- Maj. Gen. Paul B. Wurtsmith, born in Detroit in 1906, led U. S. Army Air Corps training flights to Camp Skeel near Oscoda prior to World War II. Wurtsmith earned recognition during the war as the leader of the group of pilots using P-40 and P-38 fighter aircraft to defend Australian cities against enemy attacks. General Douglas MacArthur wrote that "Much of our success in the Pacific was due to his brilliant attainments and leadership." At age 36, Army officials named him a two-star major general. Ironically, Wurtsmith died in 1946 in an airplane crash on a routine flight of a B-25 bomber.

1953 -- The base is renamed Paul B. Wurtsmith Air Force Base after Michigan World War II hero Maj. Gen. Paul B. Wurtsmith.

1950's

July 1960 -- The 920th Air Refueling Squadron with their KC-135 Stratotankers arrive from Carswell AFB, Texas.

1960 -- The base becomes part of Strategic Air Command, set up to respond to nuclear attack by the Soviet Union.

Jan 1961 -- The 379th Bombardment Wing (H) takes over control of the base, personnel, & equipment from the 4026th Air Base Squadron.

9 May 1961 -- The first B-52H Stratofortress, 60-001 christened the "State of Michigan" arrives at Wurtsmith.

1965 -- KC-135 tankers from the 920th AREFS begin flying "Young Tiger" missions in support of combat operations in Southeast Asia.

1965 -- Flight crews from the 520th BMS crosstrain in B-52Ds and begin flying "Arc Light" missions in Southeast Asia.

1960

1960s -- A KC-135 refueling tanker, top, provides fuel in mid-air to a B-52 bomber. The military stationed squadrons of both planes at Wurtsmith from 1960 until the last plane left the base in 1992.

April 1974 -- The wing develops an operational AGM-69A Short Rnage Attach Missile (SRAM) capability.

2 May 1977 -- The first B-52G, 58-0197, arrived from Ellsworth AFB, SD and completes the transition from B-52H to the B-52G in July.

October 1977 -- The Accellerated Co-Pilot Enrichment Program begins following the assignment of five T37 aircraft to the base.

1977 -- The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is presented to the Supply Squadron as well as the Avionics and Munitions Maintenance Squadrons.

1977 -- Munitions, Avionics, Operational Maintenance Squadrons, along with the 920th AREFS and the 524th BMS arch chosen as the best in the 40th AD.

1977 -- The 379ths participation in the annual "GIANT VOICE" Bombing and Navigation competitions captures the Doolittle Trophy in the low-level bombing category.

1977 -- Equally impressive was the wing's showing during "GIANT SWORD 77" SAC's annual Weapons Loading and Security Police competition which resulted in a first place finish as well as being bestowed "Best in SAC".

June 1978 -- The 379th finishes first among SAC units and third overall in the Royal Air Force Bombing and Navigation Competition.

October 1978 -- The 524th takes first place in the Best B-52 portion of "GIANT SWORD 78".

December 1978 -- The 524th received the best score yet achieved during the live launch of a SRAM tests consisting of live-launch and captive-carry missions conducted on the various missile ranges; Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, or the Naval Air Warfare Center at Point Mugu California.

1978 -- The 920th AREFS flys over 800 refueling missions and a total of 54 special missions supporting seven major commands in every theater of operations.

1978 -- SAC selects the 379th Civil Engineering Squadron as the "Best in SAC" with a nomination for US Air Force honors.

1978 -- The 40th AD selects the 379th AMS and 524th BMS, for the second year running, as the divisions best squadron awards.

1970

1 January 1980 -- The 379th receives the first Gen George C. Kenny Award for the best Operational Readiness Inspection/BUY NONE performance of a SAC bombardment wing.

14 January 1980 -- The wing receives its third Air force Outstanding Unit Award.

February 1980 -- The 379th wins the 40th Air Division Commander's Trophy.

2 October 1980 -- the 379th captures first place in the William Tell Weapons Meet, winning the Lt. Gen Gerald Johnson Top Bomber Crew Award.

1980 -- Wurtsmith is chosen for nuclear-armed cruise missiles to equip B-52 bombers.

January 1981 -- The 379th is named the Best Bombardment Wing in the 8th Air Force

18 March 1982 -- The 524th receives the 1981 Gen John D. Ryan Outstanding Bombardment Squadron in SAC.

20 April 1983 -- The last modified B-52G with the OAS arrives.

17 June 1982 -- The Integrated Maintenance Facility is officially dedicated as the wing receives its first two AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs)

18 January 1983 -- Wurtsmith receives its first B-52G modified with the new Offensive Avionics System (OAS).

1 August 1983 -- The wing wins the Gen George C. Kenny Trophy

8 November 1983 -- The wing is awarded the Doughtery Trophy for best SRAM scores during the year's bombing and navigation competition.

1984 -- B-52 Bombing and Navigation Trophy

1984 -- B-52 Superior Bombing Award

1984 -- Wurtsmith is passed over as a home for B-1 bomber to replace the aging B-52s.

1984 -- The 379th receives the William J. Crumm Linebacker Memorial Trophy during the annual SAC Bombing and Navigation Competition.

1984 -- B-52 Superior SRAM Performance Award

1985 -- The Wing wins the Best B-52 Bombardment Wing Award and the 524th wins the Best B-52 Bombardment Crew Award during the 1985 "Busy Leader" competition.

May 1987 -- Gen. Curtis E. LeMay visits WAFB with SAC IG team.

26 May - 13 Jul 1987 -- The wing deploys to March AFB, California as part of a RED FLAG exercise.

20-26 Sep 1987 -- The wing deploys to Eielson AFB, Alaska as part of the RAPID SHOT exercise.

November 1987 -- The 379th wins the coveted Fairchild Trophy, recognizing the best B-52 and KC-135 unit in the SAC Bombing and Navigation competition. The wing beat out 23 other SAC wings and various Air National Guard and Reserve units to take top honors in the competition that became known as Proud Shield. The 524th ran away with four of the major trophies for excellence in high and low-level bombing; the Curtis E. LeMay Bombing Trophy, the Mathis Trophy, the John D. Ryan B-52 Trophy, and the William J. Crumm Linebacker Memorial Trophy. The 920th finished in 10th place for the best tanker unit overall.

30 Jan - 5 Feb 1988 -- The wing sent seven B-52s to Clinton-Sherman, Oklahoma as part of the MIGHTY FORCE 88-4 exercise.

1-11 April 1988 -- Moron AB, Spain. Three aircraft, crews and wing staffs were taken in support of operations. Lt Col Larry Hinton was the deployed wing commander and Lt Col James Dean was the deployed Deputy of Operation.

28 Jul - 12 Aug 1988 -- The wing deployed seven bombers to Biggs Army Airfield (AAF), El Paso, Texas as part of the GALLANT EAGLE/MIGHT WARRIOR 88-4.

15 Sep - 1 Oct. 1988 -- The wing deployed seven bombers to Moron AB, Spain at part of the BUSY BREWER exercise in support of MIGHTY WARRIOR, DISPLAY DETERMINATION, and DAMSEL FAIR operations.

11 Oct 1988 -- Tragedy stricks the 379th when a 920th KC-135 crashed while making an approach to land at Wurtsmith. All six-flight crewmembers lost their lives while the 8AF Staff Assistance Visit Team managed to escape from the back-end of the burning wreckage.

11-23 March 1989 -- Two bombers were sent to Andersen AFB, Guam as part of the RAPID WARRIOR/RAPID SHOT GOLF exercise.

16 April - 5 May 1989 -- Four bombers were sent to Moron AB, Spain from as part of BUSY WARRIOR supporting MIGHTY WARRIOR/DISPLAY DETERMINATION operations.

9-22 July 1989 -- Then seven bombers were sent to Biggs AAF, Texas as part of MIGHTY WARRIOR/GREEN FLAG exercises.

18 July 1989 -- A B-52G dropped two B-83 weapons on the hard target located on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). Unfortunately this was a mishap because the bomber was to drop three weapons on three separate bomb runs. After determining the cause, the back-up date (20 July) was used to drop the third weapon on the hard target.

July 1989 -- The wing is chosen for a BUSY LUGGAGE mission to aimed at testing of gravity nuclear weapons.

7-22 September 1989 -- The 379th went back to Moron AB with four aircraft and five aircrews to participate in MIGHTY WARRIOR/DISPLAY DETERMINATION operations.

9-17 November 1989 -- The wing deploys to Cairo West, Egypt in support of BRIGHT STAR '90.

10 November 1989 -- The 379th won the Snuffy Smith Trophy for the best B-52 Gunner scores during the annual SAC Bombing and Navigation Competition.

November 1989 -- 379th Bombardment Gunners win the Maynard H. Smith Award for best gunners at the annual SAC Bombing and Navigation Competition.

November 1989 -- Wurtsmith is picked as one of seven bases to receive part of the rail-based MX missile system.

1980

An aerial view of Wurtsmith Air Force Base shows only part of the facility in Iosco County. The Air Force stationed 19 KC-135 refueling tankers and 19 B-52 Bombers at Wurtsmith during the base's heyday in the mid-1980s.

1988 -- A KC-135 refueling tanker crashed when landing during routine training at Wurtsmith, killing six people and injuring 10 others. Investigators blamed pilot error for the Oct. 11, 1988 crash of the tanker from the 920th Air Refueling Squadron. The Air Force spends about $20 million to build every KC-135 tanker, which looks similar in appearance to a Boeing 707 commercial jet.

April 1990 -- The wing is chosen for another BUSY LUGGAGE test mission.

16 July 1990 -- A B-52G dropped one B-83 weapon from high altitude onto the dry lakebed located on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR).

October 1990 -- The wing sends staff personnel to Jeddah New, Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield in preparation for B-52 operations with Desert Storm.

October 1990 -- Congress cancels the $1.3 billion MX rail program due to the Cold War's end and mounting national budget problems.

18 January 1991 -- 0425 zulu, the 379th went to war by flying the longest employ-deploy strike mission in history, up to this time. 10 bombers participated in the mission which recovered in Jeddah New, Saudi Arabia, where they joined the 1708th Bombardment Wing (Provisional) and flew more missions.

April 12, 1991 -- Wurtsmith is among more than 30 military bases named for closure. President George Bush and Congress approve the closure several months later.

27 Sep 1991 -- marked a significant date in history! After 34 years of pulling nuclear alert, President George Bush announced the end of the "Cold War." With that decision, America's strategic bombers and Minuteman II ICBMs were pulled off alert status in the single biggest change in nearly four decades of fielding nuclear weapons.

28 September 1991 -- order went out on the taking planes off alert, turned over to maintenance, and the weapons were remove and placed in storage.

8 October 1991 -- the missile crashed on in a remote area of the Military operating area known as the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) during a Follow-on Test and Evaluation flight. The cruise missile was 1 hour and 47 minutes into the flight after being launched from a B-52G, #59-0173. An investigation was began, but the cause was undermined at that time.

October 1991 -- The 379th was chosen to participate in a GLOBAL CRUISE test mission of an AGM-86B ALCM.

July 1, 1992 -- The USAF Thunderbirds flew the final military air show at Wurtsmith AFB.

11 May 1992 -- The 379th would place second overall during the final SAC Bombing and Navigation Competition.

1 June 1992 -- All of SAC's assets would transfer over ACC.

June 1992 -- The 920th AREFS was placed on the inactive status with the departure of the last KC-135A tanker aircraft.

2 December 1992 -- The 379th Operations Group, 379th Operations Support Group, and the 524th BMS would be inactivated

15 December 1992 -- The final B-52G, #57-6492 Old Crow Express, departed for the AMARC.

April 8, 1993 -- Oscoda Plastics Inc. becomes the first private industry to lease a building at Wurtsmith

June 30, 1993 -- The Air Force formally closes its operations at the base.

1990

1991 -- Several days after a federal commission voted to close Wurtsmith Air Force Base, crews paraded in front of a B-52 bomber during a changing-of-command ceremony. The Air Force assigned more than 3,000 personnel to the 5,200 acre Wurtsmith base at the height of the base's activity in the mid-1980s. During that decade, B-52 bombers at Wurtsmith, ready to fly at a moment's notice, carried air-launched nuclear-armed cruise missiles.

1991 -- Friends and family members await the return of more than 900 Wurtsmith personnel deployed to bases in Saudi Arabia and England during the Persian Gulf War. Wurtsmith crews dropped 20 percent of all allied bombs delivered during Operation Desert Storm.

1992 -- The "Old Crow Express," the last b-52 bomber to leave Wurtsmith Air Force Base, bids good-bye on Dec. 15, 1992. The plane, piloted by 379th Bombardment Wing Commander Col. William H. Campbell, Jr., joined other B-52s at an Arizona scrap yard. Workers are cutting up the bombers under an arms-limitation agreement.

Col. William H. Campbell, Jr., the last commander of the U.S. Air Force's 379th Bombardment Wing at Wurtsmith. The 379th operated at the base from 1961 to 1992. Campbell, as the base's top officer, was in charge of both B-52 bombers and KC-135 refueling tankers housed there. He is among some of the 3,000 Air Force personnel once stationed at Wurtsmith who left the area for new assignments.