Bit more history....Armistice Day Blizzard of1940

[Sturgis270]

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/duck-hunting-stories/the-great-armistice-day-storm-of-1940

 

[Cooperhawk]

My Father went out duck hunting with our family Doctor in that blizzard, and they got trapped. Then my Mother went into labor with her first child, and my Uncle Everett had to follow a snow plow twenty miles to take her to a hospital where I was born on the thirteenth, by a different Doctor.

Dad and Doc got back a day after I was born. Mom was not hospitable.

 

[Bob Wright]

I saw a real snow plow once!

Bob Wright

 

[TRanger]

Back in 1983, there was an article called "The Day the Duck Hunters Died" in Outdoor Life about this storm. In 2000, an article using the same name but by a different author appeared in Sporting Classics on the same storm. Very interesting reading.

 

[Sturgis270]

I was always surprised how few people have heard of this event. A lot of fatalities under tragic circumstances.

 

[coach]

It sounds like the kind of weather system that took down the Ednund Fitzgerald around the same time of year.

 

[toysoldier]

I read a long article or short book about this event. A warm fall had lulled everyone into complaisance. No antifreeze (alchohol) in cars, because it would boil off. Women had gone to work in sweaters and open-toed shoes. Turkey farmers hadn't brought their flocks in from the fields.

The temperature fell so quickly, and the snow fell so fast, that some hunters found themselves trying to push their boats through a thick layer of slush. Cars were quickly immobilized. Walking 6 blocks home from work down city streets became a life-or-death ordeal.

Winds over 40 MPH caused snow to drift deeply. When it was over, a man who had abandoned his car in a road cut had to use a long steel rod to find it under a 20' drift.

Less than two years later, young men who had been struggling to survive this epic blizzard were battling fanatic Japanese soldiers and sailors in the tropical heat of the Pacific islands.

 

[737tdi]

I was always surprised how few people have heard of this event. A lot of fatalities under tragic circumstances.

I had not heard this story until now. Why would have I? There have been hundreds of tornados in TX., OK., MO., KS., etc. that have been forgotten except by those who lived through them. I guess if you live in that area it is probably common knowledge. Neat to read now though.

Semper Fi:

Karl

Remembering our Vets.

 

[RonEgg]

We had Global Warming 70 years ago. Who'd a thunk it?

 

[Colonialgirl]

Not Veterans Day, but a November at Thanksgiving in Millington, TN in I think it was 1950, My brother and I along with a neighbor girl were out in the front yard of the Chiefs housing on the Southside, barefoot and in shorts playing; By Night fall there was 3+ feet of snow on the ground !!

 

[Number9]

The only blizzard I've been it was in 1993. We had 30" here at the house...
Mount Mitchell, NC had 4 foot and Mount LeConte, TN had over 5 foot.
Our power was off for 7 days.

 

[wizofwas]

I still remember the blizzard of Thanksgiving weekend 66. Started out Sunday morning is southern Mich. Weather was nice. Cousins were deciding that they would pull their boats out of the water that day. One last day of summer fun. Did some water skiing and partying. I had to leave early to get back to school in Da UP. At least I was smart enough to put on long pants and a light jacket. We got over the Mackinaw Bridge just before it was closed down because of a bad accident and very bad weather. By this time the wind was really blowing and the snow was coming down hard. We should have gotten off of the road, but school never closes and we didn't want to miss a day. By about midnight, we got to just outside of Marquette and couldn't go any farther. To much snow and cars stuck in the road. After about a half hour a policeman came by and told us there was a bar about a mile up the road that we could walk to where at least we'd be warm and sheltered from the storm. By the time we got there, it was crowded by all of the kids trying to get back to school. Both Northern Mich. and MTU. No place to sit, no food, and no fun. But it was warm and safe from the raging storm outside. About Noon'oclock, our driver wanted to try and make a break for it, even though we weren't given the OK to do it. We finally got to Da Tech at about 1800 hours.

 

[Cooperhawk]

In the old days they didn't very often close the highways due to weather. In was probably around 1962 or 3 that a big storm hit Minnesota. My Father owned a small trucking company and we lived right beside US 169 with the truck yard adjoining. Cars started pulling into the truck yard full of families. I think it was just after Thanksgiving. Anyway they couldn't continue on and needed shelter.

My Brother and I were in the shop painting a semi tractor through all of this and we just directed them to our parents house. More and more came and soon the house was overflowing and we started sending them two blocks away to my house. When that filled up the neighbors took some in. I don't know how many in all.

My Brother and I just kept working in the shop all night. There wasn't any place to sleep anyway.

Anyway, after the storm ended and the plows came to everyone's rescue it seem that many new friendships had been formed. My parents received greeting cards for many years after that from grateful travelers.


My Brother and I just kept working in the shop all night. There wasn't any place to sleep anyway. :roll: