Former Salem Army Airfield (McNary Field)

The Former Salem Army Airfield is an approximately 81.5 acre property at McNary Field in Salem, Oregon, today operated by the Oregon Army National Guard. The airfield was established around 1941 and 1942 as a military airfield and served during World War II as part of the U.S. Army Air Forces presence in Oregon, when it was known as Salem Army Airfield. Over the decades portions of the site were used by the Salem Airport, the U.S. Navy, the City of Salem, and a former aircraft and carnival equipment manufacturer. The Oregon Army National Guard now maintains an Army Aviation Support Facility at the field, which continues to support military and general aviation operations. The property is named in connection with an ongoing environmental cleanup investigation led by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

As at many current and former military aviation sites, attention has focused on contamination associated with historic firefighting and aircraft operations. Decades of training, equipment use, and firefighting response at the airfield have raised concerns about potential exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and the site is being evaluated to understand where these substances may be present in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment.

1. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, water, and oil. At the Former Salem Army Airfield, sampling has detected PFAS in groundwater and other environmental media, including PFOS and PFOA at concentrations above DEQ screening levels. PFAS compounds break down very slowly and have been associated in some studies with potential health effects, which is one reason the substances are a focus of the current investigation.
2. AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) is a firefighting foam historically used to suppress fuel fires at airfields and military installations. AFFF formulations contained PFAS, and its past use during fire response and training is the suspected primary source of the PFAS now being assessed at the site. Concerns about potential exposure relate mainly to PFAS that can migrate from former foam-use areas into groundwater.

The site is not listed on the National Priorities List. The Army National Guard conducted a Site Inspection in 2019 that examined soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment, and the location is being addressed under DEQ's environmental cleanup program in coordination with the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. Based on those findings, the site is expected to proceed to a Remedial Investigation, the next phase of evaluation, and the work remains ongoing rather than complete.

Veterans, Guard members, and family members who lived or worked at or near the Former Salem Army Airfield may wish to follow DEQ updates as the investigation continues. Those with questions about possible exposure are encouraged to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and their own health care providers, who can offer guidance based on individual circumstances. Staying informed about the cleanup program can help affected individuals understand new information as it becomes available.