Salem-News.com Aviation articles Page 30

Orange County Turns Blind Eye to Toxicity of Former Marine Base

Orange County learns few lessons in the world of business as a toxic waste site is prepared for habitation.

(SALEM, Ore.) - One of the only U.S. counties to ever declare bankruptcy, Orange County, California, has a bear of a problem on its hands. That problem is the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro; a shell of its former self that now rests within the confines of Irvine, since it was annexed.

El Toro was placed on the U.S. government's Base Realignment and Closure list and the last fighter jets lifted off the flight deck at El Toro in 1999. The initial plans for the reservation involved creating a new airport for Orange County; one that would have relieved the strain on traffic patterns at the John Wayne Airport. That plan was scrapped in favor of developing the area in to a housing community and park.

The big secret that hides behind the gates of this former military air base is that the Marines and Navy turned it into a virtual toxic waste dump. It isn't that much of a secret really, plenty of people know that trichloroethelyne or TCE, was used to clean planes here for decades and that it is a problem, but few comprehend the significance of the problem.

Remains of WWII Pilot Recovered in France

An Army Air Force Lt. in a flight of 22 U.S. fighters was attacked by 80 German aircraft.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The remains of a U.S. serviceman missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. 2nd Lieutenant Ray D. Packard, U.S. Army Air Forces, of Atwood, California. He will be buried on October 22nd in Prescott, Arizona.

Enroute to their target, the fighter group was intercepted by more than 80 German fighters near Beauvais, France. During the ensuing dogfight, 11 P-38s were shot down, including Ray Packard's which crashed 15 miles south of Beauvais near the town of Angy.

Five of the pilots escaped and evaded enemy capture and two were taken as prisoners of war. Of the four men who were missing in action, three were later recovered and identified, but Lt. Packard remained unaccounted-for.

Injured Climber on Mt. Hood Safely Evacuated

Clackamas County SAR personnel report that the injured climber was plucked-off Mount Hood safely by 1042nd‏ Helicopter Squadron.

(MOUNT HOOD, Ore.) - Search and Rescue personnel on Mount Hood are reporting the Oregon Army National Guard 1042 helicopter has flown to the Hogs Back area of Mount Hood, and lowered a medically trained member of their flight crew down with rescue personnel on the ground with the patient. This member of the flight crew assessed the situation and determined the best options available to remove the patient from the mountain.

Marine Military Police Beat at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq (VIDEO)

Marine Corps Military Police have their hands full with a never ending list of tasks necessary for war zone security.

(Al Asad, Iraq) - Marine Corps military police in Iraq have a never ending yet ever changing job description. In one day here at the Al Asad Air Base in the Anbar Province, I will see these Marine MPs search base housing units of foreign employees, inspect commercial trucks that deliver supplies here, operate a traffic check point, and even search a FedEx jet delivering supplies to Iraq.

Most of these Marine MP's are actually from aviation roles, but a shortage of Marines has them performing jobs more closely related to security.

Unusual Observations From the War in Iraq

A list of unexpected and offbeat sights and sounds from the Iraq war theater.

(BALAD, Iraq) - Most of the people I have met who are serving in Iraq at this time are professional and on task. They perform their roles without complaint and almost all work long and hard hours, regardless of what they do.

Marines Unaware of Risks

More information about the toxic waste exposure of Marines at the El Toro Air Station is emerging, but government data regarding the site remains elusive.

(SOMERDALE, N.J.) - The Marine Corps takes great pride "in taking care of its own", but the Naval services have not done a good job notifying veterans who were stationed at former MCAS Toro that they are at risk for exposure to toxic chemicals as a result of the contamination of the soil and groundwater. Very few know of their exposure.

Marines who served at Camp Lejeune, El Toro and possibly several locations, have been exposed to trichloroethylene (TCE) and Perchloroethylene (PCE), and they may suffer serious health consequences, and have no idea of what hit them. Most Marine and Navy veterans stationed at El Toro have no knowledge of the toxic chemicals found on the base, its place on the EPA Superfund, eventually closure in 1999, and sale at a public auction by the Navy in 2005 to a joint venture for $650 million.

Vietnam War Pilot Serving in Iraq Has Seen Many Changes (VIDEO)

An Oregon National Guard officer talks about his life as a Vietnam War helicopter pilot still serving in the military, currently deployed in Balad, Iraq in an air support role.

(BALAD, Iraq) - The world was different in 1969 when Barry Brown enlisted in the U.S. Army with a goal of flying helicopters. His dream was realized, and it led to Barry serving ten months as a Huey pilot in Vietnam.

Oregon Civil Air Patrol Partners with Oregon Department of Geology for First Time

Training will keep responders current in their skills and prepare new responders for the tasks ahead

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - This weekend the Oregon Civil Air Patrol (CAP) will be partnering with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral studies (DOGAMI)for the first time ever, in coordination with their annual USAF monitored state wide training exercise.

"DOGAMI is one of the lead State agencies for dealing with natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and so it is very important that we develop a good working relationship with the CAP so that we can quickly evaluate future disasters," said chief DOGAMI scientist Ian Madin.

Missing WWII Pilot Recovered in Former East Germany

The pilot crashed in an area taken over by the Russians in 1945.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The remains of a WWII U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors, the Department of Defense released today.

Oregon Air Show is a High Flying Success

More than 22,000 attended the event Friday night and the crowds increased as the weekend passed.

(HILLSBORO, Ore.) - The Oregon Air Show was held in Hillsboro this weekend under beautiful summer skies. There were amazing stunts and gleaming airplanes and as always, those who attended stayed busy keeping up on the dazzling array of aviation magic and suspense.

The cover photo in this story was shot by Q Madp of IraqWarHeroes.org. I immediately recognized the plane as "MiG Magic" and I had the pleasure of spending a day with this stunt pilot once. Former Oregonian Bill Reesman came to Yuma, Arizona in 1996 and I was able to board a Lear jet and fly wing to wing with this blood red Russian MiG-17 jet fighter for twenty minutes.