1962 — Jan 28-Feb 2, dense fog, traffic accidents/pileups, train hits bus, Central Valley CA-28-29

–28-29 Blanchard estimated death toll. While we note just one AP report of 28 deaths, there were
many others which could have been cited. Our own tally based on county-level breakouts
below comes to 29. From our reading of the sources it seems clear all were fog-related
accidents. We have only seen the one report of 31 deaths (Oakland Tribune), thus we do
not use this estimate. In that a number of papers show 28 deaths we use this number as
the low-end of our estimate, and 29 as the high-end, given that this is what a detailed tally
shows.

–31 Oakland Tribune, CA. “Fog Closes Airports in Bay Region.” 2-3-1962, p. 1.
–29 Blanchard tally from county breakouts below.
–28 AP. “Bus-Train Crash Adds 11 Deaths in Valley Fog.” Star News, Pasadena, CA., 2-1-1962, 1.
–27 AP. “Valley Fog Death Toll Reaches 27.” Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. 2-1-1962, p. 1.
–27 Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 4, No. 1, January 1963, p. 122.
Breakout of vehicular fatalities by locality where noted:
— 1 Los Angeles Co., northern, Lancaster area. Head-on crash; Airman 2C Leonard Bankers Fraser, 21.
–14 Fresno County.
— 2 Fresno area. Roy Russell, 58, and Mrs. Louise Winne, 61, US 99 pileup.
— 1 Fresno area, Fresno Co., US 99. Tanker enters fog, brakes, turns over on auto.
–11 Mendota, Jan 31. Thick fog; train hits farm laborer bus.
–10 Kern County, Jan 28-29.
–5 Bakersfield area.
–2 Cawelo area. Seven-car pileup; Douglas Uel Parsons, 45 and Hettie Bell Lancaster, 64.
–1 Hwy. 99 north of Famoso, 35-car pileup, Jan 29. Michael Ingram, 20.
–1 Hwy. 99 near Famoso. Three-car accident; Judy Lynn Thomas, 3, of Empire, OR.
–1 Rosedale, Jan 28. Train hits pickup; William Henry Evans, 61.
— 2 San Joaquin County.
–1 Lodi area north, US 99. Car-bus collision, “fog-bound” road. Robert Robertson, 19.
–1 Stockton area, San Joaquin County. Car hits train in fog; Marshall L. Smith, 32.
— 1 Stanislaus County. Thick fog; motorist gets lost and gets out of car; hit by truck.
— 1 Tulare County, Ducor area, Jan 31. Farm labor bus overturned in crash in dense fog.

Narrative Information

Weather Bureau, Storm Data on CA: “Central Valley…1/29-2/2…27 [killed]…70 [injured]… Fog…Extremely dense fog persisting for 5 days or longer resulted in numerous traffic accidents, in some instances involving as many as 60 vehicles at one location. Eleven persons were killed when a train struck a bus in the fog. Many schools were closed for the greater part of the week.” (Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 4, No. 1, January 1963, p. 122.)

Newspapers

Jan 29, Bakersfield Californian: “Five persons are dead as the result of highway accidents in Kern County during the week end. Four of the fatalities and numerous injuries are blamed by the California Highway Patrol on the extremely heavy fog which lay over the south end of the San Joaquin Valley during the night and this morning.

“Michael Ingram, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Merlin Ingram, 1022 9th Ave., Delano, died at 11:15 a.m. today in a Wasco hospital of injuries suffered in a 35-car pileup on Highway 99 north of Famoso four hours earlier. All off-duty officers were recalled by the CHP as further pileups were reported at Highway 99 and Fairview Road, on the Oak Street overpass and at other locations….

“Airman 2-C Leonard Banks Fraser, 21, of Edwards Air Force Base…died early this morning in a Rosamond crash;

“William Henry Evans, 61, of 6813 Norris Road…was killed when his pickup was struck by the Sana Fe’s San Francisco Chief in Rosedale Sunday [Jan 28];

“Douglas Uel Parsons, 45, of 1708 Airport Drive and Hettie Bell Lancaster, 64, of 485 Pecan St., West Sacramento…were killed in a seven car pile-up north of Cawelo Sunday….” (Bakersfield Californian. “Valley Fog Blamed for 4 Deaths.” 1-29-1962, p. 1.)

Jan 29, Modesto Bee: “Marshall L. (Monty) Smith, 32, Modesto sheet metal worker, was killed today when his car collided in the fog with a Southern Pacific freight train north of Stockton. The mishap occurred at the Hammar Lane crossing about 4 miles north of Stockton between 9 and 10 o’clock this morning. The highway patrol said Smith…apparently saw the train too late in the fog. His car skidded against the diesel drawn train and was hurled 75 feet along the tracks and off into a field….Smith was thrown from the car and killed instantly….” (Modesto Bee and News Herald, CA. “Modestan, 32, Hits Train in Fog, is Killed.” 1-29-1962, p. 1.)

Jan 30, AP: “Bakersfield (AP) – Heavy fog caused eight traffic deaths and scores of highway crashes in the San Joaquin Valley Sunday and Monday. Thirty-one accidents were reported in a three-hour period Monday to the state highway patrol office in Bakersfield. All off-duty police were called out there to cope with the wrecks.

“The eight deaths occurred over a stretch of more than 230 valley miles from Bakersfield to Stockton. The fog’s variation from light to pea soup-thick added to its treachery. Motorists would speed up in light areas, only to plunge into sudden thickness. Five persons died in the Bakersfield area, two in Fresno area and one at Stockton….” (Associated Press. “Fog Causes 8 Deaths In San Joaquin.” Humboldt Times, CA. 1-30, 1962, p.2.)

Jan 31, UPI: “Bakersfield, Jan. 31 – (UPI) – A thick fog, which showed little sign of lifting, lowered visibility to near-zero today in southern San Joaquin Valley, forcing school closures and disrupting air and road traffic. About 70,000 Kern County children began an unprecedented three-day vacation, while schools in sections of Tulare and Fresno counties also were shut down for a day. Elsewhere, classes were delayed in some areas because buses were forced toa reep through the fog.

“Tulare County recorded the first traffic fatality of the day. A farm labor bus overturned in a crash in dense fog four miles west of Ducor, killing a passenger.

“Many fender-bender accidents occurred as motorists groped on roads enroute to work. Traffic on U.S. 99 proceeded at a snail’s pace.

“Thirty airports were closed in the area, including the Fresno Air Terminal and Chandler Field, Meadows Field at Bakersfield, and Visalia Municipal Airport.

“Eight rural Fresno County schools were closed and buses operated late for many others….” (UPI. “Schools Closed and Traffic Halted — Fog Problems in San Joaquin.” Appeal-Democrat, Marysville-Yuba City, CA. 1-31-1962, p.1.)

Feb 1, AP: “Fresno (AP) – Ten farm laborers died Wednesday night in thick fog when a Southern Pacific freight train and a bus collided at a railroad crossing in Mendota, 50 miles west of here.

“The crash raised the death toll in Central California to 27 since Sunday because of blinding fog.

“Police said the farm laborers were returning to a labor camp in Mendota. Only one passenger aboard the bus survived. Names of the victims were not immediately known.

“Mendota police officer Marvin France said nine of the victims died instantly when the train, traveling 60 miles an hour toward Fresno, smashed broadside into the bus. The 10th died en route to a hospital in Fresno. ‘The bus driver apparently never saw the train’ France said. The officer estimated visibility at 100 feet. France said bodies were scattered over a 500-feet area. The train stopped a mile and a half away after the crash. The laborers were headed for Mama Rose’s Labor Camp and were only two blocks from their destination when the accident occurred.” (Associated Press. “Valley Fog Death Toll Reaches 27.” Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. 2-1-1962, p. 1.) [Blanchard note: According to UPI, the eleventh worker died shortly after reaching a nearby Fresno hospital. (UPI. “11 Die in Train-Bus Crash Near Mendota.” Appeal-Democrat, Marysville-Yuba City. 2-1-1962, p. 1.)]

Sources

Appeal Democrat, Marysville-Yuba City, CA. “Fog Hits San Joaquin (cont. from p.1).” 1-31-1962, p10. Accessed 10-6-2022: https://newspaperarchive.com/marysville-appeal-democrat-jan-31-1962-p-10/

Associated Press. “Bus-Train Crash Adds 11 Deaths in Valley Fog.” Star News, Pasadena, CA. 2-1-1962, p.1. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/star-news-feb-01-1962-p-1/

Associated Press. “Fog Causes 8 Deaths In San Joaquin.” Humboldt Times, CA. 1-30, 1962, p.2. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/eureka-humboldt-times-jan-30-1962-p-4/

Associated Press. “Tanker of Vegetable Oil Kills Motorist.” Modesto Bee and News Herald, CA. 1-31-1962, p. 5. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/modesto-bee-and-news-herald-jan-31-1962-p-5/

Associated Press. “Valley Fog Death Toll Reaches 27.” Humboldt Times, Eureka, CA. 2-1-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/eureka-humboldt-times-feb-01-1962-p-1/

Bakersfield Californian. “Valley Fog Blamed for 4 Deaths.” 1-29-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-jan-29-1962-p-19/

Modesto Bee and News Herald, CA. “Modestan, 32, Hits Train in Fog, is Killed.” 1-29-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/modesto-bee-and-news-herald-jan-29-1962-p-1/

Oakland Tribune, CA. “Fog Closes Airports in Bay Region.” 2-3-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oakland-tribune-feb-03-1962-p-1/

UPI. “11 Die in Train-Bus Crash Near Mendota.” Appeal-Democrat, Marysville-Yuba City. 2-1-1962, p. 1. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/marysville-appeal-democrat-feb-01-1962-p-1/

UPI. “Schools Closed and Traffic Halted — Fog Problems in San Joaquin.” Appeal-Democrat, Marysville-Yuba City, CA. 1-31-1962, p.1. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/marysville-appeal-democrat-jan-31-1962-p-1/

Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 4, No. 1, January 1963. Accessed 10-6-2022 at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-ACD873E1-3ECA-4C5D-BE33-CC3CBB6355BF.pdf