Page Contents for Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan

Statistics & Facts

Location

History & History-related items

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Statistics & Facts

The Michigan state capital is Lansing.
The population of Wurtsmith AFB is approximately 5,080 (1990).
The approximate number of families is 1,329 (1990).
The amount of land area in Wurtsmith AFB is 18.871 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0.022 sq kilometers.
The distance from Wurtsmith AFB to Washington DC is 518 miles.
The distance to the Michigan state capital is 135 miles. (as the crow flies)
Wurtsmith AFB is positioned 44.46 degrees north of the equator and 83.38 degrees west of the prime meridian.

Location

in northeastern Michigan.
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History & History Related Items

This AFB was closed in 1993. The following is some history and other historical information that may be interesting about Wurtsmith AFB.

A Lt. Whitehead came here with two others to do some fishing, but was so impressed with the area that he proposed Congress establish an aerial gunnery range here. This was the beginning of Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Later, in 1953, the base was officially named Wurtsmith after General Paul B. Wurtsmith, a native Michigan man. He was killed when his plane crashed in North Carolina. The base became permanent in 1955. With that permanency, came many other services and groups.

It was in July 1993 that the base was officially on the closure list of unnecessary military bases. This is the DOD recommendation form for closure of the base.

Wurtsmith AFB Historical website

Here is a history page for the base.

Famous Aviator, Charles Lindbergh, came here in 1927 after completing his crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
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