Super Outbreak of April 3/4, 1974
The "Super Outbreak of 1974" was the second worst storm system ever recorded for the United States in the 1900's. It is still studied around the world today. It spawned 148 tornadoes that covered a total of 2,500 miles with their paths. 330 people died and over 5,000 were injured.
I'm an F4 survivor from the Super Outbreak. Hanover IN, April 3, 1974. I was not quite 4, but close, when this happened. Me, my Mother, and my step brother were the only ones home at the time. An F4 is classified on the Fujita scale, that only goes to F5, as a "Devastating Tornado with 207 to 260mph winds. Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated."
It's my first memory of anything in my life. Our house was ripped apart around us and our neighborhood looked like a war zone. Somehow we survived, my step brother received the worst injuries but they were not life threatening. Our refrigerator was sucked out of our house and put down several miles away in a field. It had just a few minor dings and scratches. It still worked and it was the fridge I grew up with.
The pics I have with this blog were NOT taken by me. My Step Grandmother died this past Summer and these photos were found at her house. We thought that none were still in existence. Since my Mother couldn't stand to look at them she sent them to me. I still have nightmares with tornadoes in them. I feel like a caged animal if I can't see outside during severe weather. I'm one of those people that you have to pull inside for their own good during a storm. When we had tornadoes during the WINTER last year it freaked me out. First, because they aren't supposed to come then! (Damn global warming!) And secondly, I was at the Census Bureau as an internet researcher at the time and they put us in a hallway for our protection every time the warnings came. There was one outer door and it had a tiny rectangle for a window. I stayed where I could see out that window as much as possible. I had a therapist tell me once that it was because I didn't get to see it coming as a child and that subconsciously I feel like I have to see outside or be out in it so I can see what's coming. During the bad wind storm we had recently I was outside taking pics on an adrenaline rush. (If I wasn't so math retarded I would have made a great storm chaser.) I was handling the aftermath, the visual triggers, pretty well for a while. Then the military started helping (as was also the case in 74) and seeing them combined with the damage triggered something in me and I didn't leave my apartment for 3 days.
If anyone else has a story to tell from their experience I would love to hear it. Pics would be cool too.
Our House
Our House
Our House
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Site dedicated to the lost and the survivors, has pics and info.
I'm an F4 survivor from the Super Outbreak. Hanover IN, April 3, 1974. I was not quite 4, but close, when this happened. Me, my Mother, and my step brother were the only ones home at the time. An F4 is classified on the Fujita scale, that only goes to F5, as a "Devastating Tornado with 207 to 260mph winds. Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated."
It's my first memory of anything in my life. Our house was ripped apart around us and our neighborhood looked like a war zone. Somehow we survived, my step brother received the worst injuries but they were not life threatening. Our refrigerator was sucked out of our house and put down several miles away in a field. It had just a few minor dings and scratches. It still worked and it was the fridge I grew up with.
The pics I have with this blog were NOT taken by me. My Step Grandmother died this past Summer and these photos were found at her house. We thought that none were still in existence. Since my Mother couldn't stand to look at them she sent them to me. I still have nightmares with tornadoes in them. I feel like a caged animal if I can't see outside during severe weather. I'm one of those people that you have to pull inside for their own good during a storm. When we had tornadoes during the WINTER last year it freaked me out. First, because they aren't supposed to come then! (Damn global warming!) And secondly, I was at the Census Bureau as an internet researcher at the time and they put us in a hallway for our protection every time the warnings came. There was one outer door and it had a tiny rectangle for a window. I stayed where I could see out that window as much as possible. I had a therapist tell me once that it was because I didn't get to see it coming as a child and that subconsciously I feel like I have to see outside or be out in it so I can see what's coming. During the bad wind storm we had recently I was outside taking pics on an adrenaline rush. (If I wasn't so math retarded I would have made a great storm chaser.) I was handling the aftermath, the visual triggers, pretty well for a while. Then the military started helping (as was also the case in 74) and seeing them combined with the damage triggered something in me and I didn't leave my apartment for 3 days.
If anyone else has a story to tell from their experience I would love to hear it. Pics would be cool too.
Our House
Our House
Our House
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Site dedicated to the lost and the survivors, has pics and info.
Comment
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Comment by Charles on January 3, 2009 at 9:13pm -
I remember riding around Louisville and Cherokee park as an ten year old in the family car and looking at all the uprooted trees and debris everywhere from that '74 tornado. I don't remember a thing about the tornado itself. Was I asleep? What???
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Comment by Tracy Parker on December 14, 2008 at 11:26pm -
Thanks Lizzie. :) I've posted on other sites about it and have ran across several others with stories from that day. It's good to connect with others that shared the events of that day or who have experienced a tornado themselves at some other time. I can describe the deafening roar of it, or how the air was unbreathable, all day long to someone but unless they've experienced it too there is no way they can really know what I mean.
Of course it went for a trailer park! Trailer park is to Tornadoes ~as~ Chocolate is to Augustus Gloop
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Comment by Lizzie Morrison on December 14, 2008 at 8:46pm -
Great blog post. I was born in April of 79 so I missed the whole 74 outbreak. My family on the other hand who at the time lived in Brandenburg, KY didn't fare so well. The town was pretty much completely flattened. My grandmother at the time had a brick house with a basement and she told me that her and my grandfather (they were split up at the time) were sitting in the driveway in his truck listening to music on the radio. When the guy at the radio station was freaking out and then the station went dead they ran inside the house. ALL of her neighbors and my aunt came running to her house. They all were hiding in the basement under the staircase when it hit. Luckily it just how should i put this..... twisted her house, it took everyone's houses on her street. There was about 20 people in that basement that were really lucky to be alive. In the aftermath some people went down and borrowed fire truck hoses and tied them around the house and put tractors on each side and twisted her house back. I know it sounds crazy but there is photographic proof of this. hah thank god.
As far as tornadoes go, I've been unlucky enough to see 3 up close and personal. I'm not sure why I feel like the damn things are taunting me all the time. I moved to Florida for 5 years and almost had a break from them until I saw another in Boca Raton about 300 feet from my friends condo i was living with, came straight out of the golf course, uprooted a huge tree, swerved a bit and went towards a trailer park. No one was hurt but it freaked me out enough. I moved back here 2 years ago and have basically been living in fear since. I want to move to Arizona, or England.. somewhere with a low percentage of natural disasters so I can live in peace.
The next time I visit my parents I'll find the pics from 74 in Brandenburg and post them online.
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