1942 — April 27, Tornadoes, Rogers, Mayes (Pryor), Counties, OK –56-60

— 100 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 222.
— 70 Pryor. AP. “Death Toll Reaches 70 and is Still Rising…” Ada News, 4-28-1942, p. 1.
–56-60 Blanchard; using Grazulis for low-end of range and AP named victims for high-end.
–52-60 Pryor Public Library. Pryor Tornado: April 27, 1942 (website). Accessed 5-5-2020.*
— 60 AP. “Rehabilitation Expedited at Pryor; 59 Known Dead Have Been Identified…” 4-29-1942.**
— 56 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 502.
–52 Rogers, Mayes Counties, 15:15 F4. Grazulis 1993, pp. 502 and 899.
–49 Pryor
— 3 Farms west-southwest of Pryor.
–04 Rogers County, 15:45 F4.
–1 Car rolled near south edge of Talala.
–3 Three farm homes east of Talala.
— 52 Ludlum. The American Weather Book. 1982, 74.
— 52 NWS WFO, Norman, OK. “Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882-2009).”

*“The storm killed 52 people, according to the U.S. Weather Bureau, but The Associated Press set the total at 60 two days after the storm.”

**Notes 59 identified dead and then notes toward end of article the overnight death of Mrs. Walsie Johnston. The names of 59 deceased are provided on page 2, not noting Mrs. Johnstown.

Narrative Information

April 28: “By Ben Funk. Pryor, Okla., April 28 – (AP) – This war boom town today dug out of the ruins of an angry tornado that ripped down Main street, leaving $2,000,000 in property damage, 70 known dead and an estimate by the state highway patrol that the toll would reach 100 in this area.

“Au unofficial check of mortuaries in the storm area showed 70 known dead, and the highway patrol reported searchers till were digging through the rubble that once was Main street. Relief workers also hunted through farming areas devastated by the tornado.

“The list of hospitalized injured ran between 150 and 300, the patrol said, and scores more were given only first aid treatment.

“Mayor Thomas J. Harrison estimated the property damage would be at least $2,000,000 here…

Martial Law Prevails

“This town of 5,000 to 6,000, next door to the multi-million dollar Oklahoma Ordnance Works, was ordered under martial law, and Governor Leon C. Phillips placed Safety Commissioner Walter B. Johnson in command of state relief agencies. The martial law was announced by and is being enforced by the state highway patrol under Johnson, the state’s national guard having been mustered into the army. The booming town has no sheriff or city marshal force sufficient to cope with such an emergency.
Workers Rush To Aid

“Hundreds of workers and machinery from the ordnance works, which escaped serious damage, were rushed to the scene. Giant bulldozers and cranes shoveled through the wreckage in search of victims.

“The tornado struck yesterday at 4:45 p.m. (Central War Time). Most of the six block business district on Main street was reduced to rubble.

“Early this morning, a central relief agency was established in the Community house under the direction of Col. R. H. Cameron of the ordnance works. Street patrols were organized to prevent looting, but three arrests were reported.

Area Hospitals Crowded

“The more seriously injured were hospitalized in nearby towns. The community house, two churches and the Whitaker state orphanage were being used for first aid and emergency stations. Pryor’s two hospitals were damaged and evacuated. Wounded overflowed hospitals at Vinita, Claremore, Tulsa and other towns.

“The Red Cross sent eight disaster workers from St. Louis with medical and other supplies.

Main Street Wrecked

“Practically every brick building along the main street and on the principal business side streets was flattened or heavily damaged. About one third of the homes were damaged or destroyed. Entire blocks of houses were smashed in some instances.

“Sheriff Don McElroy estimated that hundreds of parked cars were buried under the crashing buildings.

“In one trailer camp west of town, eight persons were trapped and killed. The collapse of a grocery killed another. Five persons eating in a café died in the smashed structure. Three bodies were recovered from a rubble heap that had been a garage.

“All Went Black”

“Faye Mitchell, employee of the county agent’s office, said ‘everything went black as the storm struck.’ ‘It made my ears hurt,’ she said. ‘There was a high whistling sound. It was like swimming deep under water.’

“All telephone communications were cur. The electric power was off. Ambulances from nearby towns carried out wounded….

“The ordnance plant workers cleared the streets of rubble, then attacked the tottering walls of business houses to lay the danger of further crumbling and injury to rescue workers.

“Portable power units from the ordnance works were set up at strategic centers in the downtown area. Emergency water supplies and good were brought in….

“One side of the First National Bank was blown out. Loose money from the tills – the amount undetermined – littered the street….

“Claremore residents reported seeing the storm east of there. It dipped down on highway 20 about 12 miles west of here and apparently followed the highway into Pryor.

Automobiles Crushed

“Its path along the highway was littered by twisted automobiles, some of which it tossed too yards into fields. One giant gasoline transport truck was twisted like a pretzel.

“Standing on a hilltop on the highway, George Wolfe, Tulsa, truck driver, told of seeing the purplish-black cone – ‘from all sides were spitting big cows, calves, whole trees, telephone poles, roof tops.’ After waiting until he thought the storm had passed, he and his helper, Leonard Wallace, 18, along with 10 persons huddled on the hill, got into their machines and started out again. But those that had gone ahead apparently plunged into the storm’s center. Wallace said a light bakery truck with the driver in it just disappeared. ‘I saw that truck a good 15 feet off the road and twisting in a continuous circle, said Wallace. ‘Afterward I looked all over for it and never found a trace of the driver or the truck.’

“The storm also was reported to have taken one life at Tiawah, about 15 miles southwest of Pryor, and to have killed three east of Talala….

County Judge Killed

“County Judge W. E. Nicklin, veteran Mayes county public official, was among those killed in the storm. Walking home from the courthouse a friend called him into her home as the storm approached. The house was destroyed and both perished.

“The Baptist church, the largest in town, was cut in two and gutted by the tornado.

“Information was lacking on the number of dead and injured at farms between here and Claremore. This morning eight airplanes circled over a 40-mile area between here and Talala, directing ground crews to damaged isolated farm houses that had been in the tornado’s path.

“Sedatives and opiates were at a premium in the first rush of injured into the receiving statins. Many injured endured their torment in silence, quietly lapsing into unconsciousness.” (AP. “Death Toll Reaches 70 and is Still Rising as Ruins Searched.” Ada Evening News, 4-28-1942, p. 1.)

April 29: “Pryor, April 29 – (AP) – Rescue and relief work went on today in this Oklahoma war boom town as victims of Monday’s devastating tornado were buried. Food and supplies continued to pour into the area as state and national relief agencies cared for the homeless and injured.

“Fifty-nine dead had been identified today. Vincent Lackey, assistant supervisor of the WPA [Works Progress Administration] records project, said he knew of no additional unidentified dead. ‘There was a persistent report throughout the night that there were 24 unidentified bodies at Wagoner, but funeral homes now tell us that report was unfounded,’ he said.

“The Red Cross said 194 persons still were in hospitals, and many of them reported in a critical condition.

“The city called on the federal works agency for immediate release of 300 prefabricated houses allocated to this defense area some time ago….

“More than 400 WPA workers were sent here today to aid in the task of cleaning up the rubble and wreckage. Health officials, equipped with serums and supplies, were on guard against a possible outbreak of disease….

“Mrs. Walsie Johnston, 36, wife of Thomas Johnston, a Pryor laborer employed recently by the Gaines Brothers Construction company of Miami on a sewer line project, died at 10:30 o’clock last night. Death was attributed to a fractured skull.

Two in Serious Condition

“Meanwhile the condition of Retha Parker, 8-year-old girl whose relatives hadn’t been located until this afternoon, and that of Mrs. Inez Shapland, 23-year-old Pryor woman suffering from a broken back, remained very serious….” (AP. “Rehabilitation Expedited at Pryor; 59 Known Dead Have Been Identified; Another Succumbs in Hospital Here.” Miami News-Record, OK. 4-29-1942, 1.)
Sources

Associated Press. “Death Toll Reaches 70 and is Still Rising as Ruins Searched.” Ada Evening News, 4-28-1942, p. 1. Accessed 5-5-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ada-evening-news-apr-28-1942-p-1/

Associated Press. “Rehabilitation Expedited at Pryor; 59 Known Dead Have Been Identified; Another Succumbs in Hospital Here.” Miami Daily News-Record, OK. 4-29-1942, p. 1. Accessed 5-5-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/miami-daily-news-record-apr-29-1942-p-1/

Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982.

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

Ludlum, David M. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982.

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Norman, OK. “Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882-2009). NWS, NOAA, 12-22-2008 modification. Accessed at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/tornadodata/ok/deadliest.php

Pryor Public Library. Pryor Tornado: April 27, 1942 (website). Accessed 5-5-2020 at: https://www.pryor.okpls.org/browse/pryor-tornado-april-1942/