1953 — April 30, Tornadoes, especially Warner Robins area, GA –20-21

–20-21 Blanchard:

Both Grazulis and the NCEI at NOAA are reliable sources. We can only speculate that the reason there is a difference of one death is that Grazulis included the indirect death of man who suffered a fatal heart attack as he watched the funnel approach, and that the NCEI did not, perhaps for the rationale that this death was considered “indirect” and thus not included in their fatality number.

–21 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 968-969.
–20 NCEI/NCDC, NOAA. Storm Events Database. All States, tornado, 4-30-1953.
–20 Thompson. “Twister! A History of Tornados in Laurens County.” 10-27-2015.
–19 WMAZ 13, Macon, GA. “Looking back at EF-4 tornado that hit Warner Robins in 1953,” 5-1-2018.
–18 AP. “Tennessee Tornado Brings Toll to 28.” Thomasville Times Enterprise, GA. 5-2-1953, 1.
–18 NCDC/NOAA. Event Record Details, Tornado, Georgia, 30 Apr 1953.

Georgia (20)
–20 NCEI/NCDC, NOAA. Storm Events Database. All States, tornado, 4-30-1953.
–18 Houston County 16:13 F4
— 1 Twiggs County 16:30 F2
— 1 Twiggs County 16:30 F3

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “GA APR 30, 1953 1710 19k 300inj 400y f50m F4. PEACH/HOUSTON/ TWIGGS / WILKINSON—Moved ENE from 2m S of Fort Valley, passing across the south edge of Warner Robins and the Air Force Base, hitting the west edge of Jeffersonville and eventually dissipating south of Irwinton. Three farm homes were destroyed near the start of the path, and one man was killed in a small home near Jeffersonville. The bulk of the damage was in the Warner Robbins area of Houston County, where about 65 homes and 275 apartments were devastated. Many were swept entirely away. About 1,000 housing units were damaged. Most of the 18 deaths were in families of Air Force personnel living on two housing projects. Four homes were destroyed and 11 were damaged near Jeffersonville. $15,000,000…

“GA APR 30, 1953 1830 lk l0inj…0.5m F2. LAURENS–The death and injuries occurred as one small home was destroyed near Dublin. Other homes may have been hit.

“GA APR 30, 1953 1830 lk 3inj…15m F2. BIBB/TWIGGS–Moved ENE from 10m S of Macon to Dry branch. Homes were unroofed south of Macon. A historic church was destroyed at Dry Branch. A family in Dry Branch was trying to flee the tornado when it struck. It blew the porch roof off their house, and threw their car 75 yards, killing an infant. $10,000.” (Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 968-969.)

Thompson: “….Laurens Countians were indirectly affected by two…tornados in the 1950s. A powerful storm struck Warn Robins on April 30, 1953. The F4 cyclone, one of the first ever documented on film, killed twenty people. A child was killed in Dry Branch and another child victim died later in a Dublin hospital….” (Thompson, Scott B. Sr. Pieces of Our Past. “Twister! A History of Tornados in Laurens County. 10-27-2015.)

WMAZ 13, Macon GA: “Yesterday marked the 65th anniversary of the EF-4 tornado that ripped through Warner Robins that killed 19 and injured more than 300….

“On April 30, 1953, a tornado with winds greater than 260 mph struck Warner Robins without warning….” (WMAZ 13, Macon, GA. “Looking back at EF-4 tornado that hit Warner Robins in 1953,” 5-1-2018.)

Newspapers

May 1, AP: “Warner Robins, Ga., (AP) – A shattering twilight tornado dealt trip-hammer blows in this mid-Georgia community. At least 15 persons were killed by the devastating blow that churned down from warm spring skies late yesterday. Between 250 and 300 were injured. The enormous property damage will run into millions of dollars.

“Eleven bodies were found amid the litter of blasted homes in the town of Warner Robins, 15 miles southeast of Macon. Two persons – a four-year-old child and the wife of an Air Force colonel – died when the storm wrecked separate motor cars in which they were riding. They were Mrs. Joe Loftus and Charles Barrentine. The fourteenth victim, a boy of five, died of storm injuries aboard an Air Force plane taking him to an Atlanta hospital.

“More bodies may be found under the rubble in the town itself and in the splintered wreckage littering the Robins Air Force Base, a supply and maintenance depot and the service headquarters for the 14th Air Force.

“The death list grew to 15 with the death of Sandy K. Eason, 3, at the Macon hospital. The child lived at Bullards, three miles from Warner Robins.

“The black, roaring, funnel-shaped storm was a terrifying spectacle. One of its victims, R. W. Lindsey, principal of Watson School, saw it coming two blocks away, collapsed and died of a hear attack.

“One hundred and one persons remained in the base hospital early today. About 20 others were in Macon hospitals.

“Only three members of the Air Force personnel on the base were known to have been injured and they were dismissed after treatment. Property damage to the installation was unofficially estimated at more than a million dollars. Several large structures on the base were flattened.

“The [unclear word] black funnel appeared shortly after 6 p.m. when most of the 9,000 residents of Warner Robins were preparing for dinner. After smashing two 30 two-unit apartments in a housing project near the base, the storm entered the base and whirled giddily over the area. Some structures were leveled, some unroofed, and others were left untouched.

“Brick buildings in the town and on the base were torn apart as if made of plywood.

“Heavy damage was reported in the industrial area of the military installation where supplies are stored and maintenance work is done, Maj. D. de S. Trenholm Jr. reported. The area was closely guarded and newsmen were not permitted to enter that section….

“Wind gusts in the Warner Robins area were estimated at 100 miles an hour. Heavy rain and hailstones – some as large as golf balls – fell in the Macon area. The normally placid Ocmulgee River became a raging torrent within hours and was dangerously near flood stage, posing another threat to the stricken area.

“Two highways leading from Macon were closed by the state patrol. Water covered the Walnut Creek bridge on the outskirts of the city….

“Charles Barrentine, 4, of the Dry Branch community in Twiggs County, died when his father’s car was hurled nearly 75 yards from the highway. The twister had torn the roof from the Barrentine home and demolished a church next door when Barrentine herded his family of four into the family car to flee. The other members of the family were hospitalized in Macon.

“Mrs. Loftus’ three children were riding with her when the wind smashed the car and killed her. The children escaped with minor injuries….

“The storm tore a jagged pathway 1,000 feet wide and a mile long across the town. Some observers said it was visible five minutes before it struck but most of the people did not notice it until it was upon them….” (Associated Press. “15 Dead in Warner Robins Storm.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA, 5-1-1953, p. 1.)

May 1, AP: “Warner Robins (AP) – A list of dead in the tornado that hit this community yesterday follows:
Charles Barrentine, 4.
Hadel Cravette, 39.
Myrna Loy Cromwell.
Mrs. Troy Flander.
James C. Germany.
Ruby Lee Haynes.
Rubin W. Lindsey.
Mrs. Joe Loftus.
Barbara Massey.
Mrs. Minnie Mixon.
Marie Mixor, 6.
Glenn Register, 5.
Lucille Sheridan.
Tommy Walker.
Sandy K. Eason, 3.

(Associated Press. “List of Dead in Warner Robins’ Tornado Thursday.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA, 5-1-1953, p. 1.)

May 2, AP: “….A tornado which ripped the area of Warner Robins, Ga., on Thursday killed 18 and injured between 250 and 300….” (Associated Press. “Tennessee Tornado Brings Toll to 28.” Thomasville Times Enterprise, GA. 5-2-1953, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “15 Dead in Warner Robins Storm.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA, 5-1-1953, p. 1. Accessed 5-17-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-may-01-1953-p-1/

Associated Press. “List of Dead in Warner Robins’ Tornado Thursday.” Thomasville Times-Enterprise, GA, 5-1-1953, p. 1. Accessed 5-17-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-may-01-1953-p-1/

Associated Press. “Tennessee Tornado Brings Toll to 28.” Thomasville Times Enterprise, GA. 5-2-1953, p. 1. Accessed 5-17-2023 at:
https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-may-02-1953-p-1/

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

National Centers for Environmental Information (previously NCDC), NOAA. Storm Events Database. All States, tornado, 4-30-1953. Accessed 5-17-2023 at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=04&beginDate_dd=30&beginDate_yyyy=1953&endDate_mm=04&endDate_dd=30&endDate_yyyy=1953&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Georgia, 30 Apr 1953. NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2/4/2009 at: http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~21999

Thompson, Scott B. Sr. Pieces of Our Past. “Twister! A History of Tornados in Laurens County.” 10-27-2015. Accessed 5-17-2023 at: http://dublinlaurenscountygeorgia.blogspot.com/2015/10/twister-history-of-tornados-in-laurens.html

WMAZ 13, Macon, GA. “Looking back at EF-4 tornado that hit Warner Robins in 1953,” 5-1-2018. Accessed 5-17-2023 at: https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/without-warning-looking-back-at-ef-4-tornado-that-hit-warner-robins-in-1953/93-547625674