1943 — July 27, Hurricane, Southeastern TX coast, USACE dredge Galveston sinks/11– 20

–20 Baylor County Banner. “The Coast Storm.” 8-5-1943, p. 7. [Only 18 are noted however.]
— 1 Galveston
— 1 Houston
— 1 Port Arthur
–11 Dredge “in the Bolivar Roads near Galveston…driven into harbor jetty by…wind.”
— 4 Seagoing tug Titan which went down in the Gulf.
–20 Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
–19 Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised). 1964, p. 324.
–19 Norcross. Hurricane Almanac. 2007, p. 53.
–19 Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 46.
–11 USA COE hopper dredge Galveston broke up on the north jetty.
— 3 Tug Titan foundered between Corpus Christi and Port Neches.
–18 Baldwin. “The Weather of 1943 in the U.S.,” Monthly Weather Review, Dec 1943, p. 198.
–15 AP. “Floods Slow Storm Area Rescue Work.” San Antonio Express, TX. 7-30-1943, p. 4.
–13 AP. “Storm Death Toll is Raised to 13 as Bodies are Found.” Valley Morning Star, 7-29-1943, p. 2.
Breakouts by locality, where noted:
— 1 Galveston. Woman “crushed by a falling radio tower.”
–11 Galveston. USACE dredge Galveston sinks. Pendergrass. In the Era of Limits. 1990, p.46.
— 4 Gulf of Mexico, off TX coast between Corpus Christi and Port Neches. Tug Titan sank.
–1 Charles P. McCaleb
–1 Quintin B. Payba
–1 John E. Paschall
–1 Roy F. Rooks. (Or Brucks)
— 1 Houston. Drowned in a ditch; McKinley Darby, five-year-old boy.
— 1 Houston. W. T. Price, 80, dies of injuries July 29.
— 1 Orange. Body of drowning victim Charles Folks, ~70, recovered from 8-foot drainage ditch.
— 1 Port Arthur. Drowning; Frank Viola, 20.

Narrative Information

Baldwin: “An outstanding storm of the year was a tropical hurricane in southeastern Texas on July 27 which killed 18 persons and destroyed property valued at $15,000,000.” (Baldwin 1943, p. 198.)

Roth: “July 27th, 1943: War censorship came into question during this hurricane. This storm was detected just off the Mississippi Delta on the 25th of July. It formed into a hurricane rapidly and moved inland in Chambers County. Its eye was 13 miles in diameter as it passed inland, yet the storm itself was not much more than 70 miles in diameter. It was considered the worst storm in the region since 1915, and at La Porte, worse than the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. The brunt of the storm passed over the Houston Metropolitan Area between noon and 4 PM (population was 600,000 at the time).

“Gusts above 100 mph occurred in the Galveston-Houston area. Two utility towers over the Houston Ship Channel were blown down (these were rated to withstand winds of 120 mph). Four cooling towers at the Humble Oil and Refining Co. (now Exxon) were demolished as they reported gusts to 132 mph. The anemometer at the Metropolitan airport had a gust to 132 mph as well. Oil derricks across Chambers and Jefferson County met their fate during the hurricane (Fincher, et al.)….

“Heavy rainfall fell across southeast Texas. La Porte received over 17 inches of rain while 19.48 inches fell at Port Arthur on the 27th and 28th…with 17.76” occurring within 24 hours, rainfall records that remain standing today. Winds gusted to 65 mph at Port Arthur. Ellington Field saw the pressure fall to 28.78”, where five planes were destroyed. A number of brick business buildings and churches collapsed on Galveston Island. Winds caused a great deal of the damage, which totaled $17 million (U.S. Army Corp of Engineers).

“Due to the northerly winds across Galveston Bay, tides were extremely low. On Galveston Island, a storm surge of six feet was measured. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineer’s hopper dredge, Galveston, broke up on the north jetty, causing 11 of the casualties. The tug Titan foundered between Corpus Christi and Port Neches; three lives were lost. Nineteen lives were taken by the storm in all. This was the first storm where aircraft reconnaissance was utilized.” (Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 46.)

Newspapers

July 27, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, TX: “Brownsville – A tropical gulf storm…is due to move inland on the Texas coast between Galveston and Port Arthur near daybreak, according to the 9:30 p.m. forecast of the Brownsville weather bureau…. ‘Tides will be considerably above normal north of Galveston to Cameron, La.’….” (Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, TX. “Hurricane Is Off Of Coast. To Move Inland Near Galveston Tuesday [27th].” 7-27-1943, p. 1.)

July 28, AP: “By The Associated Press
“Houston, Texas – Damage to property and crops in the Houston-Galveston coastal region soared to an estimated $10,000,000 today as at least two deaths and scores of injuries were reported from one of the worst tropical hurricanes in the history of the Texas Gulf coast. The American Rice Growers Association estimated that the Upper Texas Gulf coast rice crop would suffer a $2,000,000 loss. Mayor George W. Fraser off Galveston said that ‘estimates of $1,000,000 worth to damage are quite conservative for this city. Preliminary estimates placed Houston’s property damage at several million dollars. Damage in the tri-cities – Goose Creek, Baytown and Pelly – was estimated at $1,000,000.

“The Galveston News said that city faces an imminent shortage of drinking water as a result of the disturbance which shut off the power supply used to pump water from the mainland. ‘The city is drawing upon reserves which will not last long.’ The News advised by telephone to Houston, ‘The health officer has issued a general advisory warning that all drinking water must be boiled to guard against typhus.’ [typhoid?]

“Described by the Houston Lighting and Power Company as ‘the worst we have ever had,’ the storm blanketed the area between Houston, Galveston and the Tri-Cities.

“In Houston at least one person was dead and 40 hospitalized. McKinley Darby, five-year-old…boy, drowned in a ditch.

“Galveston police reported one known death – a…woman who was crushed by a falling radio tower….” (Associated Press. “Hurricane Kills 2, Injures Scores and Causes $10,000,000 in Damage to Texas.” Brownsville Herald, TX. 7-28-1943, p. 1.)

July 29, AP: “Houston, ex. – (AP) – Thirteen persons were dead Wednesday night, scores were injured and property damage soared to around $10,000,000 after the Texas Gulf Coast from Houston to Port Arthur was battered by a raging tropical storm.

“Army engineers at Galveston said ten bodies had been recovered from North Jetty after the dredge Galveston sank following a terrific pounding against the rocks. Nine of the bodies, the said, were definitely identified as members of the dredge crew and the tenth might have been a crew member who signed on lat. The engineers said 57 men were known to have been in the crew and that 48 of them had been rescued [?]. Among the lost, they said, was Captain Emil Laine, 55….The vessel was blown from its Bolivar Roads anchorage onto the jetty during the hurricane Tuesday and broke up on the rocks before dawn Wednesday.

“Frank Viols, 20, drowned at Port Arthur; McKinley Darby, 5-year-old…boy, drowned at Houston; and a…woman was crushed to death by a falling radio tower at Galveston….

“Two deaths reported at Galveston were not confirmed.

“The Tri-Cities area – Goose Creek, Baytown and Pelly – was hard hit by the storm.

“Not a house in La Porte was left unscathed, the Houston Chronicle said, and damage there will mount into several hundred thousand dollars. Fifteen casualties were treated at a temporary hospital set up in the La Porte city…and six persons were sent to Pasadena Hospital. At least four of these were critically injured.

“At Ellington Field, army air base near Houston, 22 soldiers, including 13 aviation cadets, were hospitalized for injuries suffered during the hurricane, the public relations officer disclosed. Three were seriously injured….

“At Port Arthur the storm brought in 17.67 inches of rain. Damage was great from high waters and wind-smashed windows.

“The storm was judged as one of the severest ever to lash the gulf coast….” (AP. “Storm Death Toll is Raised to 13 as Bodies are Found.” Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, TX. 7-29-1943, p. 2.)

July 31, Galveston Daily News: “Charles P. McCaleb, 1714 W. Galveston, was one of four men lost when the tug Titan of the Intracoastal Towing & Transportation Co. sank in the gulf during Tuesday’s hurricane, according to Associated Press reports from Houston. Others lost were: Quintin B. Payba and John E. Paschall, both of Houston, and Roy F. Rooks of Merchantville, N.J. ….Three of the 14 men aboard the tug were drowned as they attempted to jump from their floundering vessel to the safety of a small rubber raft. One who had weathered the storm drowned as he tried to aid his delirious shipmates. Survivors landed on the beach below High Island….The tug, towing [a] barge, left Corpus Christi Monday for Port Neches, Tex., and ran into the center of the hurricane, H. Richardson, dispatcher for the company said. Members of the crew of the Titan and of the barge were wafted about on the waves for 48 hours before reaching safety, he said.

“Robert Boothly, 18, fireman on the ill-fated tug, told the story. ‘We saw two ships over the horizon,’ Boothly said. ‘Rooks looked at the men on the life raft. Their bodies were burned from the sun, and they were blistered from the salt spray. They hadn’t had a drop of water since Monday morning. ‘I believe I’ll make a break for those ships, I think I can make it,’ Rooks was quoted as saying. He plunged into the rough sea. That was the last his comrades saw of him…..” (Galveston Daily News, TX. “Galveston Man among Four Lost as Tug Sinks.” 7-31-1943, pp. 1, and 7.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Floods Hamper Rescue Work…Toll Hits 15 and Damage Rises. Lubbock Morning Avalanche, 7-30-1943, p. 1. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lubbock-morning-avalanche-jul-30-1943-p-1/

Associated Press. “Floods Slow Storm Area Rescue Work.” San Antonio Express, TX. 7-30-1943, p. 4. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/san-antonio-express-jul-30-1943-p-4/

Associated Press. “Hurricane Kills 2, Injures Scores and Causes $10,000,000 in Damage to Texas.” Brownsville Herald, TX. 7-28-1943, p. 1. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brownsville-herald-jul-28-1943-p-11/

Associated Press. “Storm Death Toll is Raised to 13 as Bodies are Found.” Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, TX. 7-29-1943, p. 2. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/valley-morning-star-jul-29-1943-p-2/

Baldwin, J. L. (Weather Bureau, Washington DC). “The Weather of 1943 in the U.S.,” Monthly Weather Review, Dec 1943, pp. 198-200. Accessed at: http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/071/mwr-071-12-0198.pdf

Baylor County Banner. “The Coast Storm.” 8-5-1943, p. 7. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/seymour-baylor-county-banner-aug-05-1943-p-7/

Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 377 pages.

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Galveston Man among Four Lost as Tug Sinks.” 7-31-1943, pp. 1, and 7. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-jul-31-1943-p-1/

Galveston Daily News, TX. “Galvestonian Is Said Missing in Sinking of Tug.” 8-1-1943, p. 16. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-aug-01-1943-p-16/

Norcross, Bryan. Hurricane Almanac: The Essential Guide to Storms Past, Present, and Future. NY: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2007.

Pendergrass, Bonnie B. with Lee F. Pendergrass. In the Era of Limits: A Galveston District History Update, 1976-1986. August 1990, 120 pages. Accessed 9-24-2022 at: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Portals/26/docs/PAO/intheeraoflimits.pdf

Roth, David (National Weather Service). Texas Hurricane History. Camp Springs, MD: NWS. 1-17-2010 update. Accessed 11-22-2017 at: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf
Also 9-24-2022 at: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf

Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, TX. “Hurricane Is Off Of Coast. To Move Inland Near Galveston Tuesday [27th].” 7-27-1943, p. 1.