An old Air Force base in California that was responsible for possibly exposing hundreds of thousands of people to toxic chemicals has remained abandoned for 32 years. Newly surfaced footage reveals that the once bustling complex, which includes housing, medical and recreational facilities, is now a desolate wasteland covered in debris, graffiti and broken glass. The base, called George Air Force Base, was established during World War II but decommissioned by the government in 1992 after the Environmental Protection Agency found that contaminants had been released into the soil and were leaching into the groundwater, potentially impacting both human health and the environment.
Many of those who lived or worked on this expansive 5,347-acre base claim to have suffered from various illnesses as a result of their exposure to these toxic chemicals, including cancers and heart disease, miscarriages and infertility. Former airman Frank Vera, for instance, stated in an interview that he was diagnosed with radiation exposure and experienced seizures, emphysema, chronic pain syndrome and other medical issues as a result of his time at the base.
The George Air Force Base is located approximately 50 miles north of San Bernadino and was designated a Superfund site in 1990, which led to its closure two years later due to water and soil contaminated with various hazardous and radioactive chemicals such as jet fuel and trichloroethylene. Vera, who manages a Facebook group and website aimed at bringing attention to the former base, has received messages from over 1,500 people who believe their health was put at risk while on the base, including around 300 women who reported miscarriages. At least 51 plaintiffs have tried to sue the federal government for this exposure, but a judge dismissed these suits due to “sovereign immunity” that prevents the government from being sued.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently working on cleaning up the contamination at George Air Force Base and plans to continue their efforts until at least 2077.
