1938 – March 15, Tornadoes, MS, AL (1), AR, IL (10), 2 counties MO (11), TN          —     22

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 11-9-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–22  Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991, 1993, p. 874.

            —  1  Alabama

            –10  Illinois

            –11  Missouri

–22  Associated Press. “Tornado Death Toll Reaches 22.” Joplin Globe, 3-17-1938, p. 6.

Alabama         (  1)

–1  14:35  Baptist Hill community, Marengo County. Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes, p. 874.

–2  Demopolis, Marengo County.[1] [2]

Illinois             (10)

–10  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 469.

            –9  Belleville vicinity. AP. “Tornadoes Kill 11 Persons.” Carbondale Free Press, IL. 3-16-1938, p. 1.

                        –1  George Hassall.    AP. “Belleville Hit by Tornado…” The Daily Illini, IL. 3-16-1938, p.1.

–1  Charles Johnson, 18-mos. AP. “Belleville Hit by Tornado…” Daily Illini. 3-16-1938, p1

–1  Sharon Lee Johnson, 15 months.[3]  (These two listings could refer to one person.)

–1  Mrs. Leda Koch, 43.[4]      

–1  Oscar Krug, 71.[5]

–1  Mrs. Robert Malacarne, 31.[6]

–1  Frank Matysik.     AP. “Belleville Hit by Tornado…” The Daily Illini, IL. 3-16-1938, p.1.

–1  Joseph Roesch, Sr., 54.[7]

–1  Mrs. Jane Smith, 76.[8]      

            –1  Glenview, 7 miles north of Belleville. Henry Weaver, 60,[9] or 67.[10]

            –1  Glenview. Mrs. Lucy Weaver, 59, died March 17 in a hospital from her injuries.[11]

Missouri         (11)

–11  Grazulis.  Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 874.

—  1  14:15  Butler/Wayne/Bollinger/Cape Girardeau/Perry counties; Hahn. (p. 874)

–10  15:20  Greene County, AR & Dunklin/Pemiscot counties, MO. Grazulis, p. 242 and 874.[12]

—  1  Bakerville community. Grady Sanderson, 23-year-old farmer.[13] 

—  1  Caruth. Sikeston Standard, MO. “Savage Winds Take Toll of Life…” 3-18-1938, p. 1.

—  8  Kennett region. AP. “Tornado Death Toll Reaches 22.” Joplin Globe, 3-17-1938, p. 6.

—  3  Kennett area, 4M southeast, Dunklin Co. Lee Walker, 71, wife, 71, son Bert, 25.[14]

—  1  Lutesville area. Woman named Breese when her farm home collapsed.[15]

—  2  Wardell (Pemiscot County). Mrs. Henry Johnson and her 9-year-old son.[16] 

—  1  Wardell. Article notes three deaths, but we note two identified deaths above.[17]

Narrative Information

March 15, AP: “Poplar Bluff, Mo., March 15. – (AP) – A roaring tornado spread death and destruction in southeastern and eastern Missouri late today. Six persons were known dead, all in Dunklin county. Scores were injured. Hundreds of homes were reported wrecked in Dunklin county alone, splintered to bits by the whirling funnel that leaped across the Arkansas line….The twister cut a 20-mile straight path a quarter of a mile wide, sweeping everything before it. Motorists abandoned their automobiles on the highway to take refuge in culverts as did farmers and their families living near enough….

“In Jefferson cunty, not far from St. Louis, a twister destroyed several farm buildings and narrowly missed three rural schools. Rain and hail followed the wind. Communication lines were disrupted throughout the storm area. The storm which hit near Kennett apparently was the worst. One school was destroyed, a church was demolished and dead livestock littered the fields….” (Associated Press. “Tornado Kills Six in Missouri, Injures Scores.” Joplin Globe, MO. 3-16-1938, p. 1.)

March 16, AP: “(By Associated Press). Belleville, Ill., March 16 – Mrs. Leda Koch, crushed in the destruction of a tavern, died today in a hospital, the ninth victim of a tornado which struck Belleville and several nearby communities last night. Twenty-seven persons were under hospital treatment for injuries suffered when the black funnel swept through the city’s west end residential section and roared out into the countryside to northeast. The approach of the tornado was unheralded except by heavy black clouds and rain. Witnesses said the whirling funnel descended on the city with the noise of ‘a hundred freight trains.’

“A company of 100 National Guards was ordered to Belleville to protect property. Soldiers from the army’s Scott Field were on duty temporarily….Sixty dwellings, a canning plant, a grade school, two filing stations and a tavern were destroyed or badly damaged.

“Whipping up from the southwest, the tornado dealt disaster in nearly a dozen surrounding communities. A township grade school was among the 60 local buildings demolished or damaged, but the twister, striking at 4:57 p.m. found the school deserted….One tavern completely disappeared and another moved across the street. The storm-hit zone was thrown into darkness. Gas fumes filled the district, outpouring from broken mains. Hundreds of trees were laid across housetops and tossed into the streets. A near cloudburst preceded the tornado.” (Associated Press. “Tornadoes Kill 11 Persons.” Carbondale Free Press, IL. 3-16-1938, p. 1.)

March 16, AP: “(By Associated Press). Little Rock, Ark., March 16 – Tornadoes roared through the lower Mississippi valley Tuesday leaving a trail of death. At least eight persons were killed, scores were injured and untold property damage was caused in Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.

“Storm warnings were hoisted along the gulf coast after the swirling funnel swept inland. It gained force in its sweep across the south for its major strike at Belleville, Ill., where eight lives were lost. Mississippi first felt the storm. Many dwellings were wrecked, but no one was seriously hurt.

“Ripping into Alabama, the twister smashed scores of homes in widely scattered areas, killing two Negroes and leaving an estimated 500 homeless at Demopolis.

“In Tennessee the tornado struck the Dyersburg vicinity demolishing one home and damaging several others. Only one injury was reported.

“More than 30 persons were hurt by the storm in three northeast Arkansas points. Blytheville bore the brunt of loss with 20 injured and a quarter million dollar property loss.” (Associated Press. “Tornadoes Kill 11 Persons.” Carbondale Free Press, IL. 3-16-1938, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2. Accessed 11-9-2024: https://newspaperarchive.com/dixon-evening-telegraph-mar-18-1938-p-2/

Associated Press. “Belleville Hit by Tornado; 8 killed.” The Daily Illini, Urbana-Champaign, IL. 3-16-1938, p. 1. Accessed 11-9-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/chicago-daily-illini-mar-16-1938-p-1/

Associated Press. “Tornado Death Toll Reaches 22.” Joplin Globe, 3-17-1938, p. 6. Accessed 11-9-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-globe-mar-17-1938-p-6/

Associated Press. “Tornado Kills Six in Missouri, Injures Scores.” Joplin Globe, MO. 3-16-1938, p. 1. Accessed 11-9-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-globe-mar-16-1938-p-1/

Associated Press. “Tornadoes Kill 11 Persons.” Carbondale Free Press, IL. 3-16-1938, p. 1. Accessed 11-9-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/carbondale-free-press-mar-16-1938-p-1/

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

Sikeston Standard, MO. “Savage Winds Take Toll of Life But Pass Up Sikeston.” 3-18-1938, p. 1. Accessed 11-9-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sikeston-standard-mar-18-1938-p-1/

United Press. “Another Death.” The Anniston Star, AL. 3-17-1938, p. 1. Accessed 11-9-2024 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/anniston-star-mar-17-1938-p-1/

[1] Associated Press. “Tornadoes Kill 11 Persons.” Carbondale Free Press, IL. 3-16-1938, p. 1

[2] We located a newspaper article which noted one death in Demopolis and another in a nearby community, but the article was about flooding, while mentioning a tornado, without indicating whether the deaths were attributable to flooding or a tornado.

[3] Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2.

[4] Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2.

[5] Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2.

[6] Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2.

[7] Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2.

[8] Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2.

[9] Associated Press. “Belleville Hit by Tornado…” The Daily Illini, IL. 3-16-1938, p.1.

[10] Associated Press. “Begin Work of Rehabilitation At Belleville.” Dixon Evening Telegraph, IL. 3-18-1938, p. 2.

[11] United Press. “Another Death.” The Anniston Star, AL. 3-17-1938, p. 1.

[12] Though the tornado started in Arkansas, Grazulis does not begin to note deaths until it passed into Missouri.

[13] Associated Press. “Tornado Kills Six in Missouri, Injures Scores.” Joplin Globe, MO. 3-16-1938, p. 1.

[14] Associated Press. “Tornado Kills Six in Missouri, Injures Scores.” Joplin Globe, MO. 3-16-1938, p. 1.

[15] Sikeston Standard, MO. “Savage Winds Take Toll of Life But Pass Up Sikeston.” 3-18-1938, p. 1.

[16] Associated Press. “Tornado Kills Six in Missouri, Injures Scores.” Joplin Globe, MO. 3-16-1938, p. 1.

[17] Sikeston Standard, MO. “Savage Winds Take Toll of Life But Pass Up Sikeston.” 3-18-1938, p. 1.