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20th Century

1983 — Sep 1, Korean Air 007 (NY to Seoul) shot down by USSR off Sakhalin Isl.–61-94 US of 269

lornajarrettblanchard September 1, 1983

–269 AP. “Reagan weighs Soviet sanctions.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY, 9-3-1983, p. 1.

–269 AP. “Soviets shoot down jetliner.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY, 9-1-1983, p. 1.

–269 Aviation Safety Network. “Criminal Occurrence description.” Flight Safety Foundation.

–246 Passengers

— 23 Crew

–269 Syracuse Herald American, NY. “Doomed airliner tried to signal its pursuers.” 9-4-1983, p. 1.

— 94 US citizens and residents[1] killed in shoot-down of KAL 007. (Rescue007.org/passengers.)

–61 US citizens

— 1 US citizen or long-time resident (Dr. Jong-Jin Lim)

–32 Foreign nationals apparently living in the U.S.

— 3 CT

— 1 DC

— 1 GA

— 1 MD

— 4 MA

–12 MI

–16 NJ

–34 NY

— 1 NC

— 2 OH

— 6 PA

— 2 RI

— 2 SC

— 1 TN

— 9 US citizens living outside the U.S.

— 62 US Citizens (by nationality). Wikipedia. “Korean Air Lines Flight 007.” 8-14-2018 edit.

— 61 Americans. (President Reagan’s spokesman Larry Speakes, citing the Korean Air Lines.[2]

— 61 Americans. (Associated Press, citing Secretary of State George Shultz.)[3]

Alphabetical Listing of US Citizens and Residents[4]

(Yellow highlighting denotes a U.S. address from Sep 4, AP articled cited below.)

Ariyadej, Diane, 28 Bronx, NY US citizen[5]
Ariyadej, Sammy, 8 months, son of Diane. Bronx, NY US citizen
Avecilla, Josefina, 40 New York, NY Philippines
Baek, Yoon-Jong New York, NY South Korea
Bayona, Anita Caldwell, NJ US citizen
Bayona, Lilia Caldwell, NJ US citizen
Beirn, James, 50 Piscataway, NJ US citizen
Bevins, Richard, 32 New Windsor, NY US citizen
Bissell, Mrs. Eleanor, 71 Au Gres, MI US citizen
Bolante, Eusebio, 63 East Orange, NJ Philippines[6]
Bolante, Nymfa, 24 East Orange, NJ Philippines[7]
Burgess, James, 57 Seneca, SC US citizen
Campbell, Dr. Susan Lee, 28 Shrewsbury, MA US citizen
Carasco, Christian, 14 New York, NY US citizen
Carasco, Elizabeth, 17 New York, NY US citizen
Caser, Corneho, 67 New York, NY US citizen
Chambers, Joyce, 35 Detroit, MI US citizen[8]
Chan, Mr. Joseph Samar, Philippines US citizen[9]
Chang, Tsaichen, Mr., 63 Old Saybrook, CT Taiwan[10]
Chuapoco, Cecilio, 52 Teaneck, NJ US citizen
Chuapoco, Celita, 3 Teaneck, NJ US citizen
Chuapoco, Mary, 29 Teaneck, NJ US citizen
Cruz, Alfredo, Mr. New Rochelle, NY Philippines
Cruz, Edgardo, 59 Irvington, NJ Philippines
Cruz, Edith, 24 Chattanooga, TN Philippines
Cruz, Frisca, 60 Irvington, NJ Philippines
Culp, Marie, 75 Pontiac, MI US citizen[11]
Dang, Mr. Loc Monroe, NC Vietnam[12]
Dawson, Lucille, 57 Warwick, RI US citizen
Dorman, S. Montreal (at time) US citizen[13]
Draughn, Miss Sarah, 20 Medford, MA US citizen[14]
Ellgen, Mr. Richard New York, NY US citizen
Ephraimson-Abt, Miss Alice, 23 Saddle River, NJ US citizen
Fitzpatrick, Lillian, 60 Warwick, RI US citizen
Forman, Mrs. Evelyn, 30 New York, NY US citizen[15]
Guevara, T., infant Manila, Philippines US citizen[16]
Hjalmarsson, Mr. J., 38 Queens,[17] NY Sweden[18]
Homloar, Thomas Hyong, 4 Jersey City, NJ Bangkok, Thailand[19]
Hong, Hyong Ung (Billy), 41 Greenville, SC US citizen
Iu, Mr. Wai Kong, 33 New York Hong Kong.[20]
James, Mrs. Hazel, 50 Detroit, MI US citizen[21]
Jang, Sang-Joon New York, NY Korea[22]
Katz, Jack, 62 Plainview, NY US citizen
Kim, Jin-Hong New York, NY Korea[23]
Kim, Mr. Lee-Shik, Staten Island, NY Korea
Kohn, Mr. Allen, 63 Bala Cynwyd, PA US citizen
Kohn, Mrs. Lillian, 56 Bala Cynwyd, PA US citizen
Kole, Ms. Muriel, 39 Loudonville, NY US citizen
Lantin, Raymundo, 36 New York, NY Philippines[24]
Lee, Eun-Hyung, 36 Yonkers, NY South Korea
Lee, Hee-Ryung, 36 Detroit, MI Korea[25]
Lee, In-Ho, 23 Jersey City, NJ Korea[26]
Lee, Kyi-Hyun, 9 Detroit, MI Korea[27]
Lee (Kim), Ae-Kyong Detroit, MI Korea
Lee, Seong-Joon, 13 Detroit, MI Korea[28]
Lim, Jong-Chul, 50 Queens, NY Korea
Lim, Dr. Jong-Jin, 51[29] New Milford, NJ Korea, US?[30]
Lombard, Aiden, 43 (brother of Donald) Hatboro, PA US citizen[31]
Lombard, Donald, 41 (brother of Aiden) Huntingdon Valley, PA US citizen
Ma, Mr. Shi-Jen New York, NY Taiwan[32]
McDonald, Lawrence, 48 Marietta, GA US citizen[33]
McGetrick, Mark A., 33 Danbury, CT US citizen
McNiff, Kevin, 28 Beverly, MA US citizen
Metcalf, Mrs. Chong, 30 South Korea (at the time) US citizen[34]
Metcalf, Christa Gayle, 3 South Korea (at the time) US citizen[35]
Metcalf, Rita Denise, 7 South Korea US citizen
Miller, Edna Madison Heights, MI US citizen
Min, Kyung-Hoon, 26 Athens, OH Korea[36]
Moline, Ms. Jan New York, NY US citizen
Ocampo, Cecilia, 2 Staten Island, NY US citizen
Ocampo, Corazon, 4 Staten Island, NY US citizen
Ocampo, Suellen, 39 Staten Island, NY Philippines[37]
Oldham, John Washington, DC US citizen[38]
Oren, William, 31 Buffalo, NY US citizen
Park, Graham, 2 Buffalo, NY US citizen
Park, Han-Tae, 42 Valley Forge, PA Korea[39]
Park, Dr. Min-Shik, 31 Buffalo, NY Korea[40]
Park, Sarah, 4 Buffalo, NY US citizen[41]
Petroski, Raymond, 36 Dunellen, NJ US citizen
Putong, Jovita, 65 Staten Island, NY Philippines[42]
Ryu, Mr. Kyung-Keno Greenbelt, MD Korea
Scruton, Rebecca (Becky), 28 Meriden, CT US citizen[43]
Slaton, Judge Ms. Jessie, 75 Detroit, MI US citizen[44]
Song, Anna, 63 Yonkers, NY US citizen
Spier, Kathy Brown, 39 Secaucus, NJ US citizen
Steckler, Mrs. Irene Bigotte Osaka, Japan US citizen/NY[45]
Steckler, Mr. Stuart Osaka, Japan US citizen/NY
Stevens, Hiroko, 26 Somerville, MA Japan
Swift, Frances, 40 Detroit, MI US citizen[46]
Truppin, Dr. Michael New York, NY US citizen
Weng, Mr. M.T. Cincinnati, OH US citizen
Wuduun, Ms. Sirena, 20 New York, NY US citizen
Yoo, Mr. Chung-Soo, 45 Pittsburgh, PA US citizen
Zareh, Mr. D. Not stated US citizen
Zarif, Ms. Margaret (Min’imah), 59 Detroit, MI US citizen[47]

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:

Date: Thursday 1 September 1983

Time: 03:26

Type: Boeing 747-230B

Operator: Korean Air Lines — KAL

….

Location: 37 km (23.1 mls) W off Sakhalinsk {Okhotsk Sea} (Pacific Ocean)

Phase: En Route (ENR)

Nature: International Scheduled Passenger

Departure airport: Anchorage International Airport, AK…, United States of America

Destination airport: Seoul-Gimpo (Kimpo) International Airport…South Korea

Flight number: KE007

Narrative:

“Korean Airlines flight KE007, a Boeing 747-230B, arrived at Anchorage, AK (ANC) at 03:30 local time after a flight from New York-JFK…

“At 05:00 the aircraft took off again from runway 32, bound for Seoul (SEL). The flight was cleared directly to the Bethel VOR beacon and then on to the Romeo 20 route. However, the aircraft started diverging from it’s intended course and passed 12 miles North of the Bethel beacon. While approaching the Kamchatka peninsula, six Soviet Air Force MiG-23 fighters were scrambled. Because a US Boeing RC-135 intelligence plane was flying in the area east off Kamchatka, the Soviet defence forces probably thought the B747 radar echo to be the RC-135. KAL 007 left Russian airspace over the Okhotsk Sea and the fighters returned to their base.

“Passing abeam the Nippi waypoint (4 hours after takeoff), the aircraft was 185 miles off course and headed for Sakhalin.[48] Two Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 fighters were scrambled from the Dolinsk-Sokol airbase at 17:42 UTC and 17:54 respectively. At 18:16 UTC flight 007 re-entered Soviet airspace. At 18:22 the Soviet command ordered destruction of the target (for the second time). Two air-to-air missiles were launched by one of the fighters and struck the Boeing at 18:26 (August 31, 03:26 local time September 1). Cabin pressure was lost and the aircraft suffered control problems, causing the Boeing to spiral down and crash into the sea.”

Newspapers

Sep 1: “Washington (AP) — Secretary of State George P. Shultz accused the Soviet Union today of shooting down an unarmed South Korean airliner with a missile. He said the United States ‘reacts with revulsion’ and has demanded an explanation. Shultz said the aircraft strayed into Soviet airspace and was tracked by the Soviets for more than 2½ hours. He said that as many as eight Soviet fighters were involved in the affair.

“‘At 1826 hours, the Soviet pilot’ of one plane ‘reported that he fired a missile and the target was destroyed.’

“Shultz said a Soviet pilot had reported seeing kerosene near the surface where the plane went down about an hour later. He said there was ‘no excuse whatsoever for this appalling act.’ Shultz told reporters at the State Department that President Reagan had been informed.

“Shultz said the United States had called in the Soviet charges overnight to ‘express our grave concern’ and to ‘demand an explanation.’ He also said there was no evidence the Soviets had warned the plane, although he said the plane that fired the missile ‘was close enough for a visual inspection.’ He also said, ‘As far as we could see, thee was no communication between the planes.’

“The plane carried 269 people, including Rep. Larry McDonald, D-Ga. It is believed there were no survivors.

“….Japanese radar indicated the Korean Air Lines jumbo was pursued and shot down at an altitude of about six miles by three MIG-23s about 3:30 a.m. — 2:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday — and plummeted into the Japan Sea….” (Associated Press. “Soviets shoot down jetliner.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY 9-1-1983, p. 1.)

Sep 2: “By The Associated Press. President Reagan and members of Congress have united in demands for a full accounting from the Soviet Union for the deaths of more than 260 people aboard a South Korean airliner that was reported shot from the skies near a remote Soviet inland military installation

“The Soviet Union is steadfastly denying any responsibility for the fatal incident, but those denials are being rejected as totally inadequate by the United States and other nations which have erupted in a burst of global outrage….

“U.S. officials said Thursday in detailed accounts that a heat-seeking missile fired by a Soviet SU-15 jet fighter destroyed the unarmed 747 passenger plane, killing all its occupants — including Rep. Larry McDonald, D-Ga., and about 30 other Americans.

“The United States and South Korea demanded an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council, which was likely to be convened today….” (AP. “Soviets berated.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY, 9-2-1983, p. 1.)

Sep 3: “Washington (AP) — President Reagan, trying to frame a ‘measured response’ to the Soviets over the downing of a Korean airliner and deaths of 269 people aboard, is considering retaliatory steps to ensure safety in the skies for travelers….’the president emphasized that, as of this moment, we have received no satisfactory response from the Soviet Union for their outrageous conduct, that this incident constitutes a violation of the grossest nature of the rights of individuals,’ Speakes[49] said…

“In addition, he quoted the president as saying the families of the dead, including what Korean Air Lines says were 61 Americans, ‘deserve a just restitution for the loss of life.’ That includes financial restitution, as well as an expression of regret from the Soviets, he said….

“Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington disclosed Friday that it had suspended use of the international air route that the downed plane had flown….Flight 007 was taking the most northern of five parallel flight corridors which constitute one of the busiest commercial air routes between North America and the Orient.

“At the United Nations, the United States on Friday accused the Soviet Union of calculated, deliberate, murder.’” (Associated Press. “Reagan weighs Soviet sanctions.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY, 9-3-1983, p. 1.)

Sep 4: “Los Angeles (AP) — Here is a list of 239 of the 240 passengers aboard Korean Air Lines Flight 007, which Secretary of State George Shultz said was shot down by the Soviets. The airline, which released the list from its Los Angeles office, said there were two unidentified infants aboard. One was later identified by relatives and was added to the list by The Associated Press. The Boeing 747 also carried a crew of 29, the airline said. No ages, hometowns or nationalities were provided by the airline, but some details were provided by relatives and associates of people listed as having been aboard the plane….” [We highlight in yellow in the list of victims identified in Rescue 007, those listed in this AP article which note a U.S. residence.]

Sep 4: “New York Times Service. Washington — A South Korean airliner tried to signal it would comply with established interception procedures before it was reportedly shot down in the Sea of Japan by a Soviet jet fighter on Thursday, senior American intelligence officials said Friday [Sep 2]. The officials said a preliminary analysis of communications between Soviet pilots and ground commanders indicated that the pilots of the Korean Boeing 747, which was carrying 269 people from New York to Seoul, were aware of pursuit by Soviet aircraft and followed standard procedures to signal that they were prepared to comply with instructions from the Soviet planes. ‘Soviet communications include conversations that indicate that the Korean plane either rocked its wins, flashed its navigational lights or took some other form of action to show that it knew it was in trouble,’ a senior American intelligence official said.” (Syracuse Herald American and Post-Standard, NY. “Doomed airliner tried to signal its pursuers.” 9-4-1983, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Flight 007 victims listed.” Roswell Daily Record, NM, 9-4-1983, p. 37. Accessed 8-22-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/roswell-daily-record-sep-04-1983-p-39/

Associated Press. “List of Yanks aboard airliner.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison. 9-6-1983, p. 2. Accessed 8-25-2018 at: https://madison.newspaperarchive.com/madison-wisconsin-state-journal/1983-09-06/page-2/

Associated Press. “Reagan weighs Soviet sanctions.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY, 9-3-1983, p. 1. Accessed 8-22-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-journal-sep-03-1983-p-1/

Associated Press. “Soviets berated. U.S. demands report on jet.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY, 9-2-1983, p. 1. Accessed 8-18-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-journal-sep-02-1983-p-1/

Associated Press. “Soviets shoot down jetliner.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY 9-1-1983, p. 1. Accessed 8-18-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-journal-sep-01-1983-p-65/

Aviation Safety Network. “Criminal Occurrence description….Korean Air Lines.” Flight Safety Foundation. Accessed 8-16-2018 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19830901-0

Hatena Diary, Japan. KAL007, 1-30-2010. Accessed 8-22-2018 at: http://d.hatena.ne.jp/IAFA/201001

New York Times (Albert J. Parisi). “Flight 7 Victims Remembered,” 9-18-1983. Accessed 8-25-2018 at: https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/18/nyregion/flight-7-victims-remembered.html

People Weekly (Peter Carlson and William Plummer). “Faces of Flight 007.” 9-19-1983. Accessed 8-26-2018 at: https://people.com/archive/cover-story-faces-of-flight-007-vol-20-no-12/%20%20People%20Magazine/

Rescue 007. “Passengers” Accessed 8-16-2018 at: http://www.rescue007.org/passengers.htm

Syracuse Herald American and Post-Standard, NY. “Doomed airliner tried to signal its pursuers.” 9-4-1983, p. 1. Accessed 8-16-2018 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-american-sep-04-1983-p-1/

Wikipedia. “Korean Air Lines Flight 007.” 8-14-2018 edit. Accessed 8-16-2018 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Lines_Flight_007

[1] By a “resident” we mean a person other than a U.S. national who was legally residing in the U.S. at the time.

[2] Associated Press. “Reagan weighs Soviet sanctions.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY, 9-3-1983, p. 1.

[3] Associated Press. “List of Yanks aboard airliner.” Wisconsin State Journal, Madison. 9-6-1983, p. 2.

[4] From Rescue007.org. Notes: “This passenger list is compiled from various sources, primarily being the Associated Press list published September 4, 1983, the Korean national cemetery list, and the Passenger Manifest given to the FBI by Korean Airlines.”

[5] Going back to Thailand where her husband, a Thai civil engineer, lived. Son, Sammy, had been born in the U.S. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[6] Not on Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source).

[7] Not on Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source).

[8] Auto worker off on “16-day Asian excursion” with five other women. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[9] On Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source). Rescue007.org notes Philippines as “Country” not the U.S.

[10] The Sep 4 AP list we cite shows an Old Saybrook, CT address. Both the Rescue 007 and the Hatena Diary sites note Taiwan as home address.

[11] Retired beauty salon owner, was on way to Tokyo to visit a pen pal. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[12] Sep 4 AP list we cite does not note location of residence or nationality. Not on Sep 6 list of 61 Americans killed.

[13] On Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source).

[14] On Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source).

[15] On Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source).

[16] On Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source). This list notes Manila as residence. The Rescue007.org list notes Philippines as “Country” not the U.S.

[17] People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983. Notes he left behind in Queens, his wife, Olga, 30, a daughter, Olivia, 3, and a son, Alexander, 3-weeks. Also notes he “spent part of his last night in New York filling out the papers necessary to become a permanent United States resident.”

[18] The Sep 4 AP list we cite notes New York, NY as address. Not on Sep 6 Shultz list of 61 Americans killed.

[19] Rescue007.org notes Bangkok Thailand as home country. The Sep 4 AP article notes Jersey City, NJ, as address.

[20] Listed here in that the Sep 4 AP article we cite notes New York, NY as residence.

[21] The dressmaker was accompanying her fried Marie Culp to Tokyo. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.) Only on this flight because the two had missed an earlier Pan Am flight to NY after going to the wrong terminal.

[22] Rescue007.org notes Korea as home. The Sep 4 AP article we cite notes New York, NY.

[23] Rescue007.org notes Korea as home country. The Sep 4 AP article we cite notes New York, NY. For Jinh Kim.

[24] Both the AP and Rescue007.org note NY as city of residence. Rescue007.org notes Philippines as home country.

[25] Sep 4 AP list has name as Mr. Eunh Yung Lee, 36, Detroit.

[26] Sep 4 AP list has name as Mr. Inho Lee, 23, Jersey City, NJ.

[27] Sep 4 AP list has name as Kwih Lee, 9, Detroit.

[28] Sep 4 AP list has name as Seong Lee, 13, Detroit.

[29] “Columbia University research associate Dr. Jong Jin Lim, 51, of the Ophthalmology Department of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, was returning home with his brother, Jong Chull Lim, for their mother’s funeral.

[30] The Sep 4 AP list notes address as New Milford, NY and does not mention Korea as nationality. Rescue007.org notes address as New Milford, NJ and Korea as “Country.” A New York Times Sep 18 article, “Flight 7 Victims Remembered,” by Albert J. Parisi, notes a number of involvements within the NJ Korean community including service as a volunteer director of a Korean school in Tenafly, NJ for ten years. Congressional Representative Robert G. Torricelli was at his memorial service and the article writes about how the USSR “has ignored State Department demands for financial compensation for the families of Americans killed in the disaster…” Clearly Dr. Lim was a long-time U.S. resident. We are unclear as to whether he was born in Korea, moved to the US and became a citizen.

[31] Business trip “to repair a computer system”. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[32] The Sep 4 AP list notes only NY, NY. The Rescue007.org list does not note NY, NY, instead noting Taiwan. Not on Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed, citing Secretary of State George Schultz as source.

[33] Democratic Congressman from Georgia and chair of the John Birch Society. On way to Korea “to be part of an official six-member Congressional delegation representing the United States at a Seoul conference to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the defense treaty between the two nations.” (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[34] Sep 4 AP list notes address as South Korea. Rescue007.org list notes Korea as “State” and USA as “Country.” A Sep 6 AP article lists Mrs. Chong Metcalf and Christa Gayle Metcalf (3), in “List of Yanks aboard airliner.” (Wisconsin State Journal, Madison).

[35] On Sep 6 list of 61 Americans killed, citing Secretary of State George Schultz.

[36] Not on Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source).

[37] Mother of Cecilia and Corazon. On way to Manila, Philippines to attend a funeral. Not on Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source), though daughters are listed.

[38] Law-school grad going to China to study Chinese and law for a year. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[39] On way to sister’s wedding in Korea. People (“Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983), notes he “had settled in Audubon, Pa. in 1976 to pursue a career with an electronics firm.”

[40] Had just passed exams in order to practice in the U.S. Was going to visit relatives on a two-week vacation.

[41] On Sep 6 AP list of 61 Americans killed (citing Secretary of State George Shultz as source).

[42] On way to funeral in the Philippines.

[43] On trip to visit parents un Seoul, South Korea, where father worked as civilian employee of the U.S. Army. Left daughter, Alicia, 2, and son Todd, 6, behind with friends and relatives. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[44] Judge note is from: People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.

[45] Expatriates returning to home near Osaka. (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[46] Notes that on September 19 she was to “be moving to a new job, heading up an occupational therapy unit at Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children in Atlanta.” (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[47] Travel agent who “had recruited five other Detroit women for a 16-day Asian excursion, touching down in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.” (People. “Faces of Flight 007,” 9-19-1983.)

[48] Sakhalin Island is east off the then Soviet (now Russian) coast and 28 miles north of Japanese Island of Hokkaido.

[49] Chief presidential spokesman, Larry Speakes.

20th Century

1983 — Aug 31, fire, mentally handicapped home dorm., Annandale Village, Suwanee, GA-8

lornajarrettblanchard August 31, 1983

— 8 Associated Press. “8 killed in Blaze at Mental Facility.” New York Times, 9-1-1983.

— 8 Setser. “Through the cracks: Failures in the implementation of fire and life safety…” p. 253.

Narrative Information

Sep 1, AP: “Suwanee, Ga., Aug. 31 — A fire that quickly spread through a rustic cottage-style dormitory at a rural home for the mentally handicapped killed eight people today and injured two, the authorities said. The fire, traced to faulty electrical wiring, broke out between 1:30 A.M. and 2 A.M. in one of four dormitories at Annandale Village, a private center on 100 wooded acres about 35 miles northeast of Atlanta. Sixteen residents and four staff members were sleeping in the one-story building at the time….investigators had determined that aluminum wiring, installed in 1974, caused the fire. The wiring met the county’s fire code then, but the code has been changed to require copper wiring.” (AP. “8 killed in Blaze at Mental Facility.” New York Times, 9-1-1983.)

Sources

Associated Press. “8 killed in Blaze at Mental Facility.” New York Times, 9-1-1983. Accessed 9-20-2015 at: http://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/01/us/8-killed-in-blaze-at-mental-facility.html

Setser, Katherine S. “Through the cracks: Failures in the implementation of fire and life safety standards in the selection, specification, and installation of interior content.” Chapter 7 in: The State of the Interior Design Profession, Caren S. Martin and Denise A. Guerin (eds.), Fairchild Publications, Inc., 2010, pp. 251-263. Accessed 9-20-2015 at: http://njcidl.org/MG_Setser.pdf

20th Century

1983 – Aug 21, Landry Aviation plane with skydivers stalls/crashes, Silvana, WA — 11

lornajarrettblanchard August 21, 1983

— 11 AP. “Eleven Die in Fiery Crash.” Farmington Daily Times, NM, 8-22-1983, A2.

— 11 NTSB. AAR. Landry Aviation Lockheed Learstar L-18…Silvana, [WA], Aug 21, 1983.

— 11 NTSB. Special Investigation Report on the Safety of Parachute Jump Operations. 2008.[1]

Narrative Information

National Transportation Safety Board AAR Synopsis: “About 1832 Pacific daylight time on August 21, 1983, a Lockheed L-18 Learstar, N116CA, operated by Landry Aviation, Inc., crashed in a field adjacent to a State highway after an uncontrolled descent from 12,500 feet. The airplane had carried 24 sport parachute jumpers and 2 pilots. Fifteen parachutists successfully parachuted from the airplane during the descent; nine parachutists and the two pilots did not and were killed in the crash.

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the operator and the pilot-in-command to assure proper load distribution during the jumper exit procedure. A more intensive program of surveillance by the Federal Aviation Administration may lead to the detection and elimination of some of the factors in the accident.” [p.1]

NTSB History of the Flight: “About 1810 [PDT] on August 21, 1983, a Lockheed L-18 Learstar, N116CA, operated by Landry Aviation, Inc., as a sport parachute jump flight, departed the Arlington, Washington, municipal airport, on its fourth such flight of the day carrying sport parachute jumpers to a drop zone near Silvana, Washington, about 5 nautical miles west of the airport. This flight was to carry 24 parachutists to 12,500 feet mean sea level over the drop zone where a mass jump was to be made. The airplane was in a cargo configuration with no seats. There were 24 seatbelts in 2 rows of 12 which were attached to seat track/cargo tiedown rails in the floor, and the aft cabin entry door had been removed. For takeoff, the jumpers sat on the airplane floor in rows of three abreast facing aft. One jumper was said to have occupied a jump seat immediately behind the cockpit.

“After departure, the airplane climbed in a large circular track around the drop zone. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) regarding the parachute jump had been filed by the pilot with the Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) that morning before he commenced operations. In accordance with that NOTAM, the crew was in contact with the ARTCC during the climb for traffic advisories and to advise when the parachutists had jumped. [end of p. 1]

“Surviving parachutists stated that takeoff and climb to the jump altitude were normal. All the parachutists remained in the positions occupied at takeoff until jump altitude was reached, Surviving parachutists also stated that none of the jumpers seated on the floor used the available seatbelts. About 1 minute before the airplane arrived over the drop zone, two jumpers moved aft to the door to spot the airplane for the jump run and to relay maneuvering directions to the pilots by hand signal, As the airplane neared the drop zone, the jumpers moved to their pre-jump positions. Two jumpers moved outside the door, one forward of the door on a narrow external step holding on to an external handle, and one on the aft side of the doorway holding on to the aft door frame. A third positioned himself in the doorway by standing on the door sill, facing inboard, and holding onto the top door frame. Five more lined up as close as possible to the door. The other 16 lined up in rows of 8 each along both sides of the cabin.

“The jumpers stationed in the door stated that they were not aware of any airplane problem as they jumped. One of them observed the airplane after he fell away from it. He stated that it was in a steep right bank, that it then rolled over, the nose dropped, and that it entered a steep dive during which it made one or two slow spirals as it continued the steep dive until it struck the ground. Descriptions of the descent offered by several other jumpers were similar.

“Three jumpers, the 9^th, 11^th , and 12^th in the planned jump sequence, stated that they felt the aft end of the airplane drop, then oscillate slightly up and down, after which the airplane rolled to the right before the jumpers were able to reach the door and leave the airplane. Sixteen of the 24 jumpers were able to leave the airplane before and after the upset. One was killed and two were seriously injured when they struck the horizontal stabilizer; 13 were uninjured. All 16 parachutes functioned normally.

“Witnesses on the ground, many of whom had watched previous flights of the airplane that day, stated that, just as the first jumper left the airplane, it rolled to the right, entered a steep dive, and rotated slowly two or three times during the dive. They stated that it struck the ground in a steep nosedown attitude slightly past vertical. They described loud “screaming” engine sounds which continued until the airplane struck the ground. Some witnesses described a light colored smoke trail coming from one of the engines during the latter part of the dive…. [p. 2]

“The airplane crashed on the downslope of the shoulder of State Highway 530 1 mile north of Silvana, Washington. The earth fill was displaced outward and upward, and the asphalt pavement was displaced upward and damaged by an intense gasoline-fed fire…. [p. 2]

“The fatally injured jumper was observed by other jumpers to have descended in a properly opened parachute. Postmortem examination showed that he sustained a through fracture of the L-3 vertebral body, torn back muscles, partial severance of the aorta, and complete severance of the inferior vena cava at the L-3 level. These injuries are consistent with severe impact to the lower back.

“The 10 persons who were unable to leave the airplane were killed by the forces of impact. The bodies were fragmented severely, and no autopsies or toxicological examinations were performed.” [p. 4]

“Landry Aviation began parachute operations in June 1983 after contacting several parachutists who indicated an interest in using that type of airplane. The two pilots who flew most of the parachute flights, including the captain of the accident flight, had flown the airplane regularly in the previous cargo operations. The copilot of the accident flight also had flown as copilot in the cargo operations and occasionally as copilot on jump flights. They did not have any experience in jump operations before June 1983. Between June and the day of the accident, the airplane made more than 40 flights to transport parachutists to the jump site. About 15 of these involved mass drops of 24 jumpers at once.” [p. 5]

“During the investigation of this accident, the Safety Board learned of at least four other instances in which Lockheed L-18 airplanes entered steep nosedown descents while on jump runs with 24 or more jumpers on board. At least one of these was a Learstar modification and one was unmodified. The configuration of the others could not be confirmed, These four events were:

Date Location No. of Jumpers Altitude Recovery Altitude

Nov 10, 1974 Casa Grande, Arizona 24 14,000 7,000

Nov 1975 Roswell, New Mexico 24 10,500 6,000

June 18, 1977 near Toledo, Ohio 25 12,000 10,000

April 1979 Tampa, Florida 24 12,500 3,000

“The pilots involved in these occurrences were interviewed. Their accounts were similar to those given by survivors and witnesses of the accident involving N116CA. The pilots stated that, while on drop runs at airspeeds of 95 to 100 mph, when the jumpers moved aft and gathered at the doorway, an increasing amount of forward elevator was required to maintain level attitude until full or nearly full nosedown elevator was applied. As power was reduced and airspeed slowed, the elevator would no longer control the pitchup. All pilots reported that the tail dropped and the airplane rolled over and entered a steep, nosedown descent. One of the pilots described a fully developed spin, which he stopped with standard spin recovery procedures as described in the airplane flight manual. All of the pilots were able to recover to normal flight after a large altitude loss. The recovery technique was to add power, apply rudder against the roll, then, when the nose

was down and airspeed was increasing, reduce power and recover from the dive. They all stated that their experience caused them to revise their jump run procedures. The revisions most common among the pilots included maintaining higher airspeed on the drop run regardless of jumpers’ requests; keeping the landing gear down, to move the center of gravity forward; and maintaining full forward main fuel tanks.

“The pilot who had performed the original weight and balance computations for Landry stated that on one flight carrying 18 jumpers he had experienced a full nosedown trim and reached the limit of nosedown elevator travel once the jumpers were in place to exit the airplane. To keep the nose from continuing to pitch up, he increased power and regained some elevator effectiveness. Following this, the pilots discussed with some of the jumpers the importance of their staying forward in the airplane and not crowding at the door for exit. They also discussed among themselves the spin recovery procedures set out in the airplane flight manual….” [pp. 9 and 12]

NTSB Analysis: “….The weight and balance computations worked out by Landry personnel for 24 jumpers in their’ takeoff positions showed that the airplane center of gravity would be very near the aft limit based on crowding jumpers in the forward compartment and jump seat. Even so, they did not examine the effect on the center of gravity with the jumpers moved into position for the jump. The Safety Board’s center of gravity computations for the jump position show that the center of gravity would have been 16 inches aft of the aft limit. Typically as an airplane’s center of gravity is moved aft, positive longitudinal stability is decreased to a point of neutral stability. Further aft movement of the center of gravity causes the airplane to become longitudinally unstable and the horizontal stabilizer and elevator to become less effective in controlling the noseup pitching moment. When full elevator travel is reached, any further pitchup is uncontrollable. This uncontrolled pitchup will cause an increase in the wing angle of attack until an aerodynamic stall occurs. The Safety Board is convinced that the loss of control and departure from level flight were the result of an extreme rearward shift in the center of gravity which resulted in a noseup pitch which could not be countered by full nosedown elevator deflection. The position of the elevator trim actuator shows that nearly full nosedown trim had been applied. This evidence, together with the descriptions of similar incidents provided by pilots involved, corroborate the Safety Board’s conclusion….

“During the investigation, it became apparent that most of the parachutists, including the USPA[2] Area Safety Officer, had little or no knowledge of the significance of airplane center of gravity limits. They were generally aware of the need to “stay as far forward as possible” for takeoff, but were not aware of the significant effects on airplane control of their lining up for the jump. They indicated generally that they believed the pilots were responsible for assuring that weight and center of gravity limits were not exceeded and that, because the jump coordinator and the pilots had discussed the jump procedures, those procedures would not lead to unsafe operations.” [pp. 16-17]

“The Safety Board believes that, notwithstanding the low priority given by the FAA to surveillance of parachuting operations, when the FAA District Office inspectors became aware of Landry’s intention to engage in parachuting activities, they should have made some effort to observe those activities and advise the operator of the various applicable regulatory requirements. Based on FAA Operations Bulletin 83-1, the Safety Board believes the inspectors should have ascertained that the original airplane modifications and operations were in accordance with applicable regulations. Had the FAA inspectors reviewed the sport jumping activities with Landry Aviation, it would have been apparent that the operation with 24 parachutists would, of necessity, not be in compliance with several regulations, namely:

The airplane could not be loaded properly with the c.g. [center of gravity] within allowable takeoff limits if the parachutists were seated at locations where they could be restrained by seatbelts as required by 14 CFR 91.14.

The procedures to be used as the jumpers exited the airplane would cause loading greatly exceeding the airplane’s c.g. limits.

The number of parachutists carried aloft exceeded the regulatory maximum number of occupants allowable for the number of emergency exits. (14 CFR 91.47)

The airplane had been modified with the addition of a step and handholds without FAA approval by STC or Form 337. Consequently, there had been no prior analysis or flight tests to confirm that the devices or intended use of the devices during flight would not affect the airplane’s controllability.

“Therefore, the Safety Board concludes that the FAA should undertake additional action to further safe parachute operations and has made recommendations to that end…..” [pp. 18-19]

(NTSB. Aircraft Accident Report. Landry Aviation Lockheed Learstar L-18, N116CA, Silvana, Washington, August 21, 1983 (NTSV/AAR-84/06). Adopted 5-17-1984.)

Newspaper

Aug 22, Associated Press: “Stanwood, Wash. (AP) — Skydivers on a parachuting outing with friends were force to dive for their lives when the World War II-era plane went into a ‘classic stall’ and plummeted to earth, killing 11 people, the survivors and authorities said. Fifteen of the skydivers survived but nine parachutists and two pilots aboard the twin-engine Lockheed Lodestar were killed Sunday when the plane slammed into a highway embankment about 45 miles north of Seattle, officials said.

“Some of the survivors who parachuted to safety before the crash said they had to struggle against gravity forces sucking them back inside the spiraling plane….

“Witnesses estimated the plane fell at least 12,000 feet and was approaching 400 mph at its nearly vertical impact….

“…the jumpers were all friends who had been skydiving from the same plane since June…all 24 had planned to form a cluster on the last jump….” (Associated Press. “Eleven Die in Fiery Crash.” Farmington Daily Times, NM, 8-22-1983, A2.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Eleven Die in Fiery Crash.” Farmington Daily Times, NM, 8-22-1983, A2. Accessed 2-23-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/new-mexico/farmington/farmington-daily-times/1983/08-22/page-2?tag

National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Landry Aviation Lockheed Learstar L-18, N116CA, Silvana, Washington, August 21, 1983 (NTSV/AAR-84/06). Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 5-17-1984. Accessed 2-23-2017 at: http://reports.aviation-safety.net/1983/19830821-0_L18_N116CA.pdf

National Transportation Safety Board. Special Investigation Report on the Safety of Parachute Jump Operations (Aviation Special Investigation Report, NTSB/SIR-08/01). Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 9-16-2008 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SIR0801.pdf

[1] Table 1. Fatal parachute jump operations accidents since 1980, p. 2.

[2] United States Parachute Association.

20th Century

1983 — Aug 18, Hurricane Alicia, Galveston, greater Houston & Southeast TX — 21

lornajarrettblanchard August 18, 1983

— 21 Blanchard tally of deaths by location and cause of death breakouts below.

— 21 Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. 2004, p. 205.

— 21 KHOU.com. “Hurricane Alicia 30 Year Anniversary.” 8-3-2013.

— 21 NHC, NWS, NOAA. Preliminary Report. Hurricane Alicia, 15 to 21 August 1983.

— 21 NWS WFO Houston/Galveston. One Hundred Years…[SE TX] Weather (1900-2000).

— 21 Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 60.

— >20 AP. “Houston asks for debris clean-up aid.” Paris News, TX, 8-25-1983, 19A.

–10-20 NRC. Hurricane Alicia: Galveston and Houston, [TX], Aug 17-18, 1983. 1984, 75.[1]

— 17 American Red Cross (in Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team rpt.); cited in NRC, 134.

— 17 NCDC. “Billion Dollar US Weather Disasters 1980-1994, 1994.

— 17 Roth, David. Texas Hurricane History: Late 20th Century. NWS, 1998; 6-23-2003 mod.

Deaths by Location (21):

— 2 Clear Lake. NRC. Hurricane Alicia: Galveston and Houston…Aug 17-18, 1983. p. 134.[2]

–1 Clear Lake (south of Houston), Aug 18? Drowning; male (Hung Van Le), 20.[3]

— 1 Conroe (north of Houston), Aug 18. Tree fall on residence; Richard L. Furstenfeld, 54.[4]

— 1 Dallas, ~Aug 18. Wind blows traffic sign onto truck; Billy Austin Hatcher, 26.[5]

— 1 Dallas (NE), Aug 19. Drowning; swept into storm sewer. Christopher M. Bowman, 10.[6]

— 1 Highlands (east of Houston), Aug 18. Tree fall on automobile. Female (Lisa Norman), 24.[7]

— 1 Houston, Aug 18. Tree fall on residence; Elisa Lopez Flores, 71.[8]

— 1 Houston (River Oaks section), Aug 19. Truck runs into fallen tree. Kenneth Long, 22.[9]

— 2 Houston, Aug 20. Fire from candles, home without power; male, 19, sister, 10 (Gilliam).[10]

— 2 Houston Ship Channel bayou, Aug 20 (found). Drowning; male shrimpers, ages 25 & 29.[11]

— 2 Huntington Bayou (Houston area), Aug 18. Drowning while swimming; males, 17 & 20.[12]

— 1 Porter (west of Houston), Aug 18. Tree fall on residence; Cynthia Gaye Bingham, 15.[13]

— 1 ~Rosharon. Smoke inhalation, fire from candle, home without power; male, 62.[14]

— 1 Seabrook (southeast of Houston), Aug 18. Apparent drowning; male (Vien Van Le), 53.[15]

— 1 ~80 miles off Gulf coast. Drowning, Aug 17? LA tugboat sinks; crewman, 40, drowns.[16]

— 1 Location and date not noted. Tree fall on girl, 14, trying to move car outside her home.[17]

— 1 Location and date not noted. Utility repairman fell to death while working on power line.[18]

— 1 Apparent drowning of engineer on fishing boat near Houston Ship Channel.[19]

Identified Causes of Death (21)

Drowning: (10)

— 2 Clear Lake (south of Houston), Aug 18? Drowning; males (one was Hung Van Le), 20.

— 1 Dallas (NE), Aug 19. Drowning; swept into storm sewer. Christopher M. Bowman, 10.

— 2 Houston Ship Channel bayou, Aug 20 (found). Drowning; male shrimpers, ages 25 and 29.

— 2 Huntington Bayou (Houston area), Aug 18. Drowning while swimming; males, 17 and 20.

— 1 Seabrook (southeast of Houston), Aug 18. Apparent drowning; male (Vien Van Le), 53.

— 1 ~80 miles off Gulf coast. Drowning, Aug 17? LA tugboat sinks; crewman, 40, drowns.

— 1 Apparent drowning of engineer on fishing boat near Houston Ship Channel.

Fall: (1)

— 1 Location and date not noted. Utility repairman fell to death while working on power line.

Fire and/or Smoke Inhalation: (3)

— 2 Houston, Aug 20. Fire from candles, home without power; male, 19, sister, 10 (Gilliam).

— 1 ~Rosharon. Smoke inhalation, fire from candle, home without power; male, 62.

Tree Falls: (6)[20]

— 1 Conroe (north of Houston), Aug 18. Tree fall on residence; Richard L. Furstenfeld, 54.

— 1 Highlands (east of Houston), Aug 18. Tree fall on automobile. Female (Lisa Norman), 24.

— 1 Houston, Aug 18. Tree fall on residence; Elisa Lopez Flores, 71.

— 1 Houston (River Oaks section), Aug 19. Truck runs into fallen tree. Kenneth Long, 22.[21]

— 1 Porter (west of Houston), Aug 18. Tree fall on residence; Cynthia Gaye Bingham, 15.

— 1 Location and date not noted. Tree fall on girl, 14, trying to move car outside her home.

Vehicle Accidents: (2)[22]

— 1 Dallas, ~Aug 18. Wind blows road sign onto vehicle; Billy Austin Hatcher, 26.

— 1 Houston (River Oaks section), Aug 19. Truck runs into fallen tree. Kenneth Long, 22.[23]

Gender

Female (16)

Male ( 5)

Age Range

0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 Not Noted

0 6 7 0 1 2 1 1 3

Narrative Information

NHC: “The Coast Guard cutter Buttonwood moored at Galveston reported sustained winds of 96 mph with gusts to 125 mph. Hobby Airport at Houston, Texas reported 94 mph sustained winds with gusts to 107 mph. Wind gusts of hurricane force in downtown Houston littered the streets with broken glass as windows broke in the high-rise buildings. Additionally, twenty-three tornadoes were reported from Alicia.” (NHC, NOAA. Hurricanes in History. “Alicia, 1983.”)

NRC Committee on Natural Disasters: “Hurricane Alicia, which came ashore near Galveston, Texas, during the night of August 17-18, 1983, was the first tropical cyclone of full hurricane intensity to strike the U.S. mainland in over three years. It [was at the time]…the second most costly storm ever to strike the United States, if Hurricane Agnes, which in 1972 caused inland flooding over a large part of the U.S. East Coast, is excluded. Alicia’s coastal property damage was exceeded only by that of Hurricane Frederic, which came ashore near Mobile, Alabama, in 1979.

“Though Alicia was not a strong hurricane, the area of maximum winds in the storm crossed a large metropolitan area– the Galveston-Houston area of Texas…placing that area’s network of expensive structures, buildings, and lifeline facilities at risk. Wind damage was extensive throughout the area, and rain and storm surges caused flooding damage in some areas bordering the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay. A unique effect of the storm was concentrated damage to the glass of a cluster of high-rise buildings in downtown Houston. ‘It was a hypnotic thing to watch,’ said a spokesman from the city’s Public Works Department who observed damage in downtown Houston from a police squad car. ‘A panel would break out, but it wouldn’t fall directly to the ground. It would get whipped around in the wind, hit another panel, maybe in the building across the street, and then there would be more broken glass flying around. It seemed to be feeding on itself.’

“Other residents of the area reported being scared, lying in the dark listening to the wind roar, glass breaking, and flying debris hitting around them. For some, the storm was fatal. Tallies of the death toll from Alicia vary from 10 to 20, depending on the extent to which deaths indirectly attributable to the storm are included….” [p. 1.]

“Besides the loss of life and property damage, life was affected in a number of ways. Electricity and telephone service were disrupted over a wide area, and it took weeks to get services restored in some locations. Other services, such as water and waste treatment, were lost when powr was lost….Fuel deliveries were interrupted and electrically powered gasoline pumps failed, resulting in refueling problems for emergency vehicles in some areas. Many ites were in short supply, and at least 60 formal complaints of price gouging were being investigated by the Texas Attorney General’s office.

“August temperatures are uncomfortable on the Gulf Coast, and in Houston 31 ‘cooling centers’ were set up for people whose air conditioning or fans were made useless by the electrical outage. Having lost food due to lack of refrigeration and not being able to prepare hot meals, many people depended on volunteer groups such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army for meals….

“Looting was reported on the first day after the storm (Thursday): 22 people were arrested in Galveston, 65 in Houston, and 11 in Texas City. Curfews were imposed in Galveston, Hitchcock, La Marque, and Humble. On Friday only two arrests for looting were made in Galveston and none in Houston….” [p. 135]

“Many residents were homeless after the storm, particularly those from the hardest-hit beach and bayfront locations. It was estimated that over 3,000 people needed housing, and FEMA began attempts to rent 2,000 units. Some people remained in public shelters for more than a week. The Red Cross opened a total of 111 shelters in 22 counties, housing over 25,000 evacuees. Over 1,000 volunteers and 150 staff workers were involved in these efforts….” [p. 137]

“President Reagan declared Harris, Galveston, Chambers, Matagorda, Brazoria, and Fort Bend counties disaster areas shortly after Alicia, and on August 29 added Liberty, Montgomery, and San Jacinto counties….” [p. 137]

(Committee on Natural Disasters, National Research Council (Rudolph P. Savage, et al.). Hurricane Alicia: Galveston and Houston, Texas, August 17-18, 1983. 1984, p. 1.)

NWS: “Hurricane Alicia – August 18, 1983

First billion dollar storm to affect the Texas coast with damage estimated near $2 billion dollars
21 persons killed with over 7000 injured
Sustained winds measured at 115 mph with gusts in excess of 125 mph
Alicia produced 23 tornadoes.”

(National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Houston/Galveston, TX. One Hundred Years of Southeast Texas Weather (1900-2000). NWS, 12-20-2009 modification.)

Roth: “A weak frontal trough drifted in the Northern Gulf of Mexico on the night of August 14th. A huge area of thunderstorms developed off the coasts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Northwest Florida. A large cluster of thunderstorms, known as a Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC) was seen 150 miles south of the Louisiana coast during the morning and early afternoon of the 14th. It drifted west-southwest and by the afternoon of the 14th, thunderstorms developed over an apparent surface circulation. A weak low was analyzed in that area. It became Alicia, a tropical storm, by the afternoon of the 15th and a hurricane by the afternoon of the 16th. Hurricane Alicia struck the coast at around 2 am on August 17th in Southwestern Galveston Island after moving painfully slowly in the Gulf. It weakened into a tropical depression as it passed east of College Station….

“Storm surges were 12.1 feet at Morgan Point, along Galveston Bay. Highest rainfall total noted was 10.75″ at Greens Bayou; 9.70″ fell at Deweyville. Highest winds measured were 102 m.p.h. gusts at Galveston. Seventeen tornadoes were spawned by Alicia in Southeast Texas and seventeen people perished.

“A major crude oil spill occurred around Texas City…. An ocean going tug capsized 50 miles south of Sabine Pass. Alicia relieved the drought stricken Plains over the next few days as it continued northward through Oklahoma. Fifty to 200 feet of Galveston Island’s coast eroded away. Damages totaled over $3 billion.” (Roth (NOAA), Texas Hurricane History Late 20^th Century, 2003.)

Roth: “August 17-18th, 1983 (Alicia): A weak frontal trough drifted in the northern Gulf of Mexico on the night of the 14th. A huge area of thunderstorms developed off the coasts of Mississippi, Alabama, and northwest Florida. A large cluster of thunderstorms, known as a Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC), was seen 150 miles south of the Louisiana coast during the morning and early afternoon of the 14th. It drifted west-southwest and by the afternoon of the 14th, thunderstorms developed over an apparent surface circulation. A weak low was analyzed in that area. The system became Alicia, a tropical storm, by the afternoon of the 15th and a hurricane by the afternoon of the 16th.

“Hurricane Alicia struck the coast at around 2 AM on the 17th in southwestern Galveston Island after moving painfully slow in the Gulf. The pressure fell to 28.55″ at the Alvin weather office. In Houston, glass from skyscrapers filled the streets below. It weakened into a tropical depression as it passed east of College Station. Storm surges were 12.1 feet at Morgan Point, along Galveston Bay.

“As Alicia moved northward through Oklahoma, it relieved drought conditions across the Plains. The highest rainfall total noted was 10.75 inches at Greens Bayou, while 9.70 inches fell at Deweyville. Highest winds measured were 102 mph gusts at Galveston. Twenty-three tornadoes were spawned by the cyclone in southeast Texas and twenty-one people perished. A major crude oil spill occurred around Texas City. About 60 gallons of water had to removed from the National Weather Service Office in Alvin. An ocean going tug capsized 50 miles south of Sabine Pass. Fifty to 200 feet of the Galveston Island coast eroded away. Damages totaled over $3 billion.” (Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, pp. 59-60.)

Newspaper

Aug 20: “Houston (UPI) — The list of the dead from Hurricane Alicia indicates the storm’s wind, not its torrential rain or high tides, was the main culprit. Five of the hurricane’s victims died from falling objects blown down by winds that reached 130 mph.

“First to die was Elisa Lopez Flores, 71, who was killed in her sleep Thursday when the wind knocked over a tree causing the collapse of the roof of her home.

“Three hours later, Robin Lisa Stutts Norman, 21, of Highlands was killed when a tree fell on her

Car. Her husband was injured.

“The storm moved inland and hit Conroe, north of Houston, where Cynthia Gaye Brigham, 14, was killed trying to move a car to shelter and was struck by a falling tree.

“Also in Conroe, former utility lineman Richard L. Furstenfeld, 54, was killed when a tree fell on him as he tried to repair a fallen power line.

“By nightfall Thursday, Alicia had moved north as far as Dallas, which was whipped by 80 mph winds that blew a 110-foot sign spanning four lanes of the Interstate 635 freeway, striking the cabs of two tractor-trailer rigs. The driver of one rig, Billy Austin Hatcher, 26, of Roth, Okla., was killed. Traffic investigator Roy Hodgens said the sign severed the truck’s air line.” (UPI. “Alicia’s winds blamed for most of fatalities.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-20-1983, p. 22.)

Sources

Associated Press (Houston). “Alicia death toll increases to 16.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, TX, 8-21-1983, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=115464372&sterm

Associated Press. “Alicia’s death list.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-22-1983, p. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=112276750&sterm=hurricane+alicia+dead

Associated Press. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=112276727&sterm=hurricane+alicia

Associated Press (Galveston). “Alicia’s winds claim 2 lives.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, TX, 8-18-1983. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=115464355&sterm

Associated Press (Houston). “Houston asks for debris clean-up aid.” Paris News, TX, 8-25-1983, 19A. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=113293995&sterm=hurricane

Associated Press (Houston). “Insurers Say Alicia Ranks Among Costliest Hurricanes.” Baytown Sun, TX. 8-22-1983, A8. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=118422038&sterm

Associated Press (Galveston, Paul Recer). “Troops guard against looting in crippled Galveston.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-19-1983, p. 3A. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=115322976&sterm=hurricane+alicia+dead

Baytown Sun, TX (Louise Shaw and David Byford). “Highlands Woman Dead; Power Return Slow.” 8-19-1983, A1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=118421884&sterm

Baytown Sun, TX. “Storm Victim’s Rites Set.” 8-21-1983, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=118421941&sterm=hurricane+alicia

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United Press International. “Alicia’s winds blamed for most of fatalities.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-20-1983, p. 22. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=137698197&sterm

United Press International. “Damage, deaths mount in wake of hurricane.” Bryan Times, OH, 8-22-1983, p. 2. Accessed 9-5-2014 at: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19830822&id=BVkdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CFgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6584,4858250

[1] “Tallies of the death toll from Alicia vary between 10 and 20, depending on the extent to which deaths indirectly attributable to the storm are included….The ‘official’ Red Cross estimates were 17 deaths and 3,243 injuries (Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team, 1983).”

[2] “Bodies of two men were found in Clear Lake, presumably drowned while staying on boats docked there.”

[3] Associated Press (Houston). “Alicia death toll increases to 16.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, 8-21-1983, p. 1. Notes “The body of an unidentified man was found about 6:30 p.m. in Clear lake, south of Houston…” Another account notes that “Hung Van Le, 20, of the Beaumont area, whose body was found in a sunken boat in 15 to 20 feet of water near Clear Lake…was thought to have drowned in floodwaters Thursday [18^th].”

[4] Associated Press. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. Another source writes that the former utility lineman “was killed when a tree fell on him as he tried to repair a fallen power line.” (UPI. “Alicia’s winds blamed for most of fatalities.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-20-1983, p. 22.)

[5] Associated Press. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2 (notes the wind blew a traffic sign over onto his truck on the LBJ Freeway in Dallas). AP (Galveston). “Troops guard against looting in crippled Galveston.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-19-1983, 3A. See, also, NRC. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p.134.

[6] AP. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. NRC. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p.134.

[7] Baytown Sun, TX (Shaw and Byford). “Highlands Woman Dead; Power Return Slow.” 8-19-1983, p. A1. Another account notes full name as Robin Lisa Norman, whose husband and 2-year-old son were injured. (Baytown Sun, TX. “Storm Victim’s Rites Set.” 8-21-1983, p. 1.) See, also, NRC. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p.134.

[8] AP. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. NRC. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p.134.

[9] AP. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. NRC. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p.134.

[10] AP. “Alicia death toll increases to 16.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, TX, 8-21-1983, 1. Another account notes names as Alfred Gilliam Jr. and Lolita Gilliam (AP. “Alicia’s death list.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-22-1983, 2.) NRC. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p.134.

[11] Associated Press (Houston). “Alicia death toll increases to 16.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, 8-21-1983, p. 1. Notes that the out-of-state men “probably drowned after falling out of their boat in high winds.” Another account notes that their bodies were “pulled Saturday [20^th] from Braes Bayou near Brady Island in the Houston Ship Channel.” (AP. “Alicia’s death list.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-22-1983, p. 2.) Names of victims were “Kenneth Packer, 29, and Ozell Jones, 25, of Youngstown, Ohio.” (UPI. “Damage, deaths mount in wake of hurricane.” Bryan Times, OH, 8-22-1983, p. 2.) See, also, NRC, Cmt. on Natural Disasters. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p. 134.

[12] Associated Press. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. Notes that “Michael Lopez, 17, and Sergio Rodriguez, 20, both of Houston [were] pulled Friday from Huntington Bayou, where they disappeared on Thursday while swimming.” See, also, NRC, CND. Hurricane Alicia… 1984, p. 134.

[13] AP. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. Another account has last name as Brigham, age as 14, and home in Conroe, while noting that she was the third person to die. (UPI. “Alicia’s winds blamed for most of fatalities.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-20-1983, p. 22.)

[14] Associated Press (Houston). “Alicia death toll increases to 16.” New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, 8-21-1983, p. 1. Rosharon is in Brazoria County, and is south of Houston and west of Galveston. Another account notes victim’s name as Tommy Lee Campbell (Associated Press. “Alicia’s death list.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-22-1983, p. 2.)

[15] Associated Press. “Alicia’s victims listed.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-20-1983, p. 2. AP. (Galveston). “Troops guard against looting in crippled Galveston.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-19-1983, 3A. Name provided in: Associated Press. “Alicia’s death list.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-22-1983, p. 2, which notes “The body was found near the Pier Restaurant” and that the victim was from the Beaumont area.

[16] AP (Houston). “Insurers Say Alicia Ranks Among Costliest Hurricanes.” Baytown Sun, TX. 8-22-1983, A8. Notes “The Coast Guard on Sunday [22^nd] suspended the search for the latest victim, a Louisiana tugboat crewman missing since the vessel sank in the hurricane about 80 miles off shore. Four others clung to a leaky raft for 2½ days before being rescued Friday.” Another account names victim as M. J. Boiteaux, writes that he was from Harvey, LA, and that he drowned after “he abandoned a life raft and tried to swim to an offshore oil platform.” (Associated Press. “Alicia’s death list.” Del Rio News-Herald, TX, 8-22-1983, p. 2.)

[17] Cmt. Natural Disasters. Hurricane Alicia: Galveston and Houston, Texas, Aug 17-18, 1983. 1984, pp. 75, 134.

[18] Cmt. on Natural Disasters. Hurricane Alicia: Galveston and Houston… Aug 17-18, 1983. 1984, pp. 75, 134.

[19] UPI. “Damage, deaths mount in wake of hurricane.” Bryan Times, OH, 8-22-1983, p. 2.

[20] One of these is cross-counted in Vehicle Accidents.

[21] Cross-listed under “Vehicle Accidents.”

[22] One of these is cross-listed in Tree Falls.

[23] Cross-listed under “Tree Falls.”

20th Century

1983 — Aug 17, Las Vegas Airlines Flight 88 flies into mountain, Grand Canyon, AZ– 10

lornajarrettblanchard August 17, 1983

— 10 AP. “10 dead on remote ledge in Grand Canyon crash.” Syracuse Herald. 8-19-1983, A3.

— 10 Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. “ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37219.”

— 10 NTSB. “NTSB Identification: DCA83AA034.” Washington, DC: No date.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network Narrative: “A combination of low clouds and poor visibility were the major factors in the tragic mishap that claimed Las Vegas Airlines (LVA) Flight 88. The scheduled air tour, along with a flight of four other Las Vegas Airlines aircraft originated from the North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) on the morning of August 17, 1983. The final destination for the flight was Grand Canyon National Park Airport (KGCN).

“In command of Flight 88 was Captain Wallace S. Gustafson Jr. Known by fellow pilots as “Gus”, Captain Gustafson was a retired fighter pilot with the United States Air Force and had well over 8,000 total flight hours. He was hired by Las Vegas Airlines on April 16, 1980. A family of nine vacationing tourists from Italy made up Flight 88’s passenger manifest.

“The flight departed on a cloudy/rainy day at 11:42 AM and proceeded eastbound over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead to the western boundary of the Grand Canyon. At this point, most of the Las Vegas Airlines aircraft in the flight began climbing over the Shivwits Plateau to avoid the deteriorating weather conditions. For reasons unclear, Captain Gustafson decided to fly through the canyon and below the overcast. During this time he was relaying his position by radio using radials off of the Peach Springs VORTAC navigation station.

“Flying low through the canyon, the flight encountered what other pilots in the area would later describe as a “wall of clouds” that went to ground level. With visibility decreasing, Captain Gustafson may have become confused with his precise location within the canyon. It was later speculated by other tour pilots and the NTSB that Captain Gustafson may have thought he was in the area known as “Twin Peaks” which was six miles to the north and clear of rising terrain. At around 12:27 PM, Captain Gustafson made a final radio call to the other company aircraft; “It’s getting too bad in here, I’m getting out”.

“Attempts were made to contact the flight by another company aircraft were unsuccessful. The four remaining Las Vegas Airlines aircraft completed their sightseeing flights by proceeding over the Shivwits Plateau just north of Mt. Dellenbaugh. When it was clear that Flight 88 had not made it to Grand Canyon Airport nor had returned to North Las Vegas Airport, a missing aircraft alert was issued to try and locate Flight 88. With bad weather hampering the search, it was not until noon the following day when two company pilots flying a search mission found the scattered wreckage of Flight 88 on the southwest slope of a remote mesa within the Grand Canyon. There were no survivors.

“The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that it was too much of a risk to conduct an on-site investigation of this accident. The official accident investigation was made possible through a series of photographs taken by investigators as they hovered by helicopter near the crash site. A majority of the scattered human remains were removed by Coconino County Sheriff Deputies and volunteers from the Hualapai Tribe who rappelled down the cliff face.”

Newspaper

Aug 19, Associated Press: “Las Vegas, Nev. (AP) — Helicopters and alpine crews will be needed to reach the bodies of a pilot and nine Italian tourists killed when their sightseeing plane slammed into a mountain during a flight through storm-shrouded Grand Canyon. The grim task of removing bodies and wreckage from a plateau facing the canyon was to begin today, with crews rappelling down from helicopters or the face of the 5,800-foot Arizona mountain 110 miles east of Las Vegas.

“Las Vegan Airlines Flight 88, its pilot attempting to dodge thunderstorms that blanketed the canyon, flew into the mountain about noon Wednesday. The charred debris was found 24 hours later by another of the airline’s pilots. A helicopter and paramedics who flew to the scene said there were no survivors. ‘It’s a wonder they even spotted the wreckage,’ said photographer Rene Germanier, who flew over the scene. ‘There was just nothing there. The biggest piece of the plane was a small section of the tail.’ ‘It looks like it ran head-on into the mountain near the 5,800 -foot level,’ said Earl Leseberg, owner of Lake Mead Airlines….

“Sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Anderson said the plane struck 75 feet below the rim of the 5,800-foot mountain, and the debris came to rest 50 feet below the point of impact.” (Associated Press. “10 dead on remote ledge in Grand Canyon crash.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. 8-19-1983, A3.)

Sources

Associated Press. “10 dead on remote ledge in Grand Canyon crash.” Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. 8-19-1983, A3. Accessed 4-11-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/syracuse-herald-journal-aug-19-1983-p-3/?tag

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. “ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37219.” Added 10-24-2008; updated 6-14-2015 and 12-27-2016. Accessed 3-11-2017 at: https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=37219

National Transportation Safety Board. “NTSB Identification: DCA83AA034.” Washington, DC: NTSB, No date. Accessed 4-11-2017 at: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001214X44099&key=1

20th Century

1983 — Aug 10, Car and Tractor-Trailer Head-on Collision, Highway 86 ~Coachella, CA-11

lornajarrettblanchard August 10, 1983

— 12 Aiken Standard, SC. “Highway Crash Kills 12.” 8-10-1983, p. B8.[1]

— 11 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. FARS 1975-2010 Fatality Analysis.

— 11 Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA. “Crash dead were aliens, INS says.” 8-24-1983.

— 11 Salina Journal, KS. “Collision with hay truck kills 11 in car.” 8-11-1983, p. 16.

— 10 Ottawa Herald, KS. “Crash Kills Ten in One Car.” 8-10-1983, p. 10.

Narrative Information

Aug 10, Associated Press in Aiken Standard, SC: “Coachella, Calif. (AP) — A car collided head-on today with a hay truck on a stretch of narrow highway called “Blood Alley” because of its history of accidents, killing all 12 men in the car, authorities said. “All 12 victims were in the sedan that collided with a hay truck going the opposite direction (south) on Highway 86,” said California Highway Patrol Capt. Bob Scott. The driver of the hay truck was uninjured, he said.

“At least 58 people have died on the highway since 1980, authorities said. The victims were all men and appeared to be Hispanic, possibly farm-workers, Scott said.” (Aiken Standard, SC. “Highway Crash Kills 12.” 8-10-1983, p. B8.)

Aug 10, AP/Ottawa Herald, KS: “Coachella, Calif. (AP) — A car being chased by the Border Patrol early today ran a stop sign at a desert intersection on a narrow highway and was struck by a tractor-trailer truck loaded with hay, killing 10 people in the car, police said. An llth person in the car was critically injured, but neither the driver of the hay truck nor the Border Patrol agents were hurt.

“The wreck occurred about 2 a.m. on a stretch of the highway called “Blood Alley” because of its history of carnage, authorities said. The collision, about three miles south of Coachella and 120 miles east of Los Angeles, brought to at least 56 the number of people who have died on Highway 86 in this Riverside County area since 1980, officials said.

“California Highway Patrol officer Tom Granger said the victims were jammed in the 1974 Ford Galaxy and most were hidden from sight during the 30-mile chase, which began near Salton City. “My understanding is that the Border Patrol observed only two people during the entire pursuit,” he said. “It was only after they got to the scene that they found them — all packed into that car.”

“Some of the victims appeared to be 13 to 15 years old, Granger said. “There were two or three in that range,” he said.

“The victims appeared to be Hispanic, possibly farm-workers, said highway patrol spokesman Jim Mousely. Mousely initially said eleven were confirmed dead at the scene and a 12^th died in route to a hospital, but Joette Wilson, an office assistant at the highway patrol office in Indio, later said 10 people died and an 11th was critically injured.

“The impact of the crash crumpled the car, which came to rest alongside a plowed field in an agricultural area, and snapped out a windshield, which was wound into a roll.

“In the front of the car was an almost empty half-pint bottle of brandy. On the back seat were a Spanish-language comic book and two rubber-soled sandals.

“Granger said two Border Patrol agents sitting in their car alongside Highway 86 near Salton City saw the car drive by and when they pulled out to try to get the its license number, the car accelerated to about 100 mph. Granger said he didn’t know why the agents became suspicious or where the occupants lived.” (Ottawa Herald, KS. “Crash Kills Ten in One Car.” 8-10-1983, 10.)

Aug 11, United Press International: “Coachella, Calif. (UPI) – A car believed carrying illegal aliens sped through a stop sign at 100 mph while racing away from Border Patrol agents Wednesday and crashed into a hay truck, killing all 11 people packed inside the sedan.

“Agents were parked at a check-point on Highway 86 — a main route through the Imperial Valley connecting the U.S.-Mexico border with Los Angeles — when they spotted the low-riding car and grew suspicious, Chief Agent Bill King said. When agents in a marked van and sedan followed the car, the victims raced away at an estimated 100 mph and ran a stop sign on a country road intersecting the highway about eight miles south of Coachella in Riverside County.

“Ten of those stuffed into the car were declared dead at the scene about 4 a.m. CDT, the California Highway Patrol reported. The eleventh was rushed to Desert Hospital in Palm Springs, where he died Wednesday afternoon. “The car was split open and bodies were all over the place,” one officer said.

“CHP records reveal the accident was the worst crash involving a passenger car in California since 1972, and perhaps the worst in the state’s history, a spokesman said in Sacramento.

“A coroner’s investigator said three of the victims — all men and most in their teens or early 20s — had birth certificates from the state of Michoacán, Mexico, while a fourth carried papers with up to four different names. Investigators asked Mexican authorities to help identify the victims. “It fits the classic alien smuggling profile,” King said. “I would be astounded if our investigation

doesn’t show it was an alien smuggling scheme.”

“The truck driver, whose vehicle was carrying baled hay, ran his 18-wheeler off the roadway but was not injured.

“CHP officials said Highway 86, an 80-mile, two-lane desert road that connects two interstate highways, was dubbed “Death Alley” and “Killer Highway” by residents because of an unusually high number of fatalities on the road in recent years.” (Salina Journal, KS. “Collision with hay truck kills 11 in car.” 8-11-1983, p. 16.)

Aug 24: “Los Angeles — All 11 people killed two weeks ago when a car crashed while fleeing Border Patrol agents on a desert highway called “Blood Alley” were illegal aliens, an Immigration and Naturalization Service spokesman said Tuesday. The accident occurred Aug. 10 about 2 a.m. on a stretch of two-lane Highway 86 about three miles south of Coachella and 120 miles east of Los Angeles. The car, jammed with 11 people, collided with tractor-trailer truck at the intersection of Highway 86 and Avenue 62, California Highway Patrol officers said.” (Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA. “Crash dead were aliens, INS says.” 8-24-1983, A3.)

Sources

Aiken Standard, SC. “3 Missing After Air Crash.” 12-1-1978, 3B. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=106641272

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Partial Data Dump of Crashes Involving 10 or More Fatalities, by Year, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 1975-2009 Final and 2010 ARF. Washington, DC: NHTSA, pdf file provided to Wayne Blanchard, 1-26-2012.

Orange County Register, Santa Ana, CA. “Crash dead were aliens, INS says.” 8-24-1983, A3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=169192477

Ottawa Herald, KS. “Crash Kills Ten in One Car.” 8-10-1983, p. 10. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=136072906

Salina Journal, KS. “Collision with hay truck kills 11 in car.” 8-11-1983, p. 16. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=135182919

[1] Based on an inaccurate first report.

20th Century

1983 — July 10/11, US Army CH-47 Chinook Helicopter Crash, South Fox Island, MI– 6

lornajarrettblanchard July 15, 1983

–6 Baugher, Joseph F. 1968 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-10-2012 revision.

–6 Chinook-helicopter.com. “68-15845.”)

–6 Daily Intelligencer, Doylestown, PA. “6 soldiers believed killed in crash….” 7-12-1983, 3.

–6 Hawk Eye, Burlington IA. “’Copter lost in lake.” 7-11-1983, p. 1.

–6 Ottawa Herald, KS. “Bodies Recovered From Copter Crash.” 7-12-1983, 8.

–6 Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo. “Six GIs believed dead in CH-47 helo crash.” 7-13-1983, 6

–6 Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “1^st Night Flight Fatal To Crew.” 7-12-1983, p. 14.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Boeing-Vertol CH-47C Chinook….15845 (B.557) in accident at South Fox Isle, Michigan Jul 11, 1983. All 6 onboard killed.” (Baugher, Joe F. 1968 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-10-2012 rev.)

Chinook-helicopter.com: “160th, Accident: (CONUS, South Fox Isle, Michigan) A flight of 2 CH-47C aircraft were on a night NVG low level training mission over a lake. After deviating from the planned route, the lead aircraft struck a hill on a small island in a level attitude at 100 knots. The aircraft disintegrated on impact with fatalities to all 6 occupants and was consumed by the post crash fire.” (Chinook-helicopter.com. “68-15845.”)

Newspapers

July 11, UPI: “South Fox Island, Mich. (UPI) – An Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter carrying six members of the 101st Airborne Division crashed on an island in northern Lake Michigan about midnight Sunday. Rescue teams today reported no sign of survivors. ‘Right now there are rescue teams on the scene from the Coast Guard, the Army and Leelanau County. They are reporting no indication of survivors,” said Major Bill Mulvey, public relations officer for the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., where the soldiers were headquartered. “We’re not ready to report all six were dead but I am expecting to report shortly,” he said. “We expect to have that within the next couple of hours.”

“The helicopter, carrying six crew members, was taking part in routine overwater night navigational training maneuvers when the accident occurred at midnight on South Fox Island in Lake Michigan about 50 miles northwest of Traverse City, Mulvey said.

“The aircraft was not scheduled to land on the island but it was not known if the pilot was attempting to reach land, he said. Another helicopter participating in the same training session reported the crash and then returned to the Coast Guard base.” (Hawk Eye, Burlington IA. “’Copter lost in lake.” 7-11-1983, p. 1.)

July 12, AP: “Traverse City, Mich. (AP) — An Army helicopter crashed and burned on a densely wooded island in Lake Michigan, and all six crew members were believed killed, officials said Monday….

“”It’s been reported to me there were no adverse weather conditions” in the area at the of the crash, Mulvey said. It is not known how long the craft had been airborne when the crash occurred….” (Daily Intelligencer, Doylestown, PA. “6 soldiers believed killed in crash of helicopter.” 7-12-1983, p. 3.)

“South Fox Island, Mich. (UPI) — Six crewmen killed in the crash of their Army CH-47 Chinook

helicopter on tiny South Fox Island were making their first night flight over Lake Michigan when they went down… Maj. Bill Mulvey, division public information officer at Fort Campbell, Ky., said the 101st Airborne Division crew had flown one training session during the day Sunday and was making its first night run over the lake when the helicopter crashed about midnight Sunday. He said it was not immediately known how long the craft had been in the air. Mulvey said a three-man team from the U.S. Army Safety Center in Fort Rucker, Ala., would inspect and photograph the accident site in northern Michigan before bodies of the accident victims could be taken to a Coast Guard station at Traverse City for identification.” (Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “1^st Night Flight Fatal To Crew.” 7-12-1983, p. 14.)

July 12, AP: “Traverse City, Mich. (AP) – The burned bodies of six Army crewmen on a helicopter training mission were recovered from an island in Lake Michigan after the aircraft crashed in flames. officials said….

“Investigators from the Army Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala. Arrived Monday afternoon on densely wooded South Fox Island, 16 hours after the helicopter went down… The island is about 45 miles south of Traverse City.

“The cargo helicopter crashed at 11:57 p.m. Sunday [July 10] on the southern part of the island…The accident occurred during “routine over-water night navigational training,” said Yeoman Bob Seekins of the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station at Traverse City.

“The hilly island has no permanent residents, Leelanau County Sheriff Fred Buehrer said. Hunters occasionally travel to the island in the fall.” (Ottawa Herald, KS. “Bodies Recovered From Copter Crash.” 7-12-1983, p. 8.)

July 13: “South Fox Island, Mich. – A helicopter carrying six members of the 101st Airborne Division crashed on an island in northern Lake Michigan just before midnight Sunday….The CH-47 Chinook…like the men, was based at Fort Campbell….

“”As I understand it, that portion of South Fox Island is very heavily wooded,” Mulvey said. “The other helicopter reported the crash to the Coast Guard in Traverse City and that craft, not being able to land or do anything, returned to Traverse City.”….

“The two helicopter crews arrived Saturday at the Traverse City Coast Guard station. They performed a training exercise during daylight hours Sunday, then went out again at night. They were to have trained in Michigan for about a week, Mulvey said.

“It was not known if the pilot of the downed craft was attempting to reach land when the crash occurred. The chopper was not scheduled to land on the island, Mulvey said.

“It was the first time that 101^st Airborne pilots had gone through over-the-water navigational training on the Great Lakes, he said….” (Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo. “Six GIs believed dead in CH-47 helo crash.” 7-13-1983, p. 6.)

Sources

Baugher, Joseph F. 1968 USAF Serial Numbers. 1-10-2012 revision. Accessed 3-5-2012 at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1968.html

Chinook-helicopter.com. “68-15845.” Accessed 3-9-2012 at:

http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/Research/CH-47_Cross_Reference_1.xls

Daily Intelligencer, Doylestown, PA. “6 soldiers believed killed in crash of helicopter.” 7-12-1983, 3. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=26639835

Hawk Eye, Burlington IA. “’Copter lost in lake.” 7-11-1983, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=147961873

Ottawa Herald, KS. “Bodies Recovered From Copter Crash.” 7-12-1983, 8. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=136072685

Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo. “Six GIs believed dead in CH-47 helo crash.” 7-13-1983, p. 6. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=133267642

Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “1^st Night Flight Fatal To Crew.” 7-12-1983, p. 14. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=109324488

20th Century

1983 — July-Aug esp., Heat (esp. July 15-30) esp. MO/70 KY/57 IL/53 GA/35 TX/35–595-597

lornajarrettblanchard July 1, 1983

–595-597 Blanchard tally[1] of State and DC breakouts below.[2]

— 556 CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

— 556 LA Times. “Death toll from heat rises to nearly 300 across U.S…” 7-18-1995.[3]

—>231 AP/Langford. “Long, hot summer.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 9-18-1983, p. 14.

–>200 UPI. “Heat wave moves eastward.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-22-1983, p. 14.

—>196 UPI. “Surf pounds Pacific beaches.” Hutchinson News, KS. 8-9-1983, p. 12.[4]

—>195 UPI. “Remnants of heat wave drape much of nation.” Salina Journal, KS, 8-8-1983, p.5.

–>190 UPI. “Death toll tops 190 as heat wave continues.” Hutchinson News, KS. 8-3-1983, 12.

— 189 Altoona Mirror, PA. “New heat wave baking southern Plains.” 8-1-1983, 25.

— 188 Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, IN. “Storms Welcome.” 7-31-1983, p. 28.

— 187 Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. “Heat toll reaches 187.” 7-30-1983, 1.

— 183 Associated Press. “Heat, wind hit nation.” Garden City Telegram, KS, 8-9-1983, p. 1.[5]

— 176 Galveston Daily News, TX. “Heat wave returns as forecasters track…” 7-29-1983, 14B.

— 175 Altoona Mirror, PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7.

— 160 The Register, Orange County, CA. “160 deaths across country…” 7-26-1983, E1.

— 148 Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “Parts of U.S. remain hot.” 7-25-1983, 1.

— 123 New York Times. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as U.S. Toll Rises.” 7-24-1983.

— 53 Galveston Daily News, TX. “Nationwide heat wave leaves 53 dead.” 7-23-1983, 1.

— 42 Daily Herald, Chicago. “42 die as heat wave suffocates Midwest, East.” 7-22-1983, p. 3.

— 33 Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “National toll for heat wave rises to 33…” 7-22-1983, 11.

— 24 The Register, Orange County CA. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-83, A24.

Summary of State Breakouts

Alabama 20 Massachusetts 4 South Dakota 1

Arizona 18 Michigan 6 Tennessee 29

Arkansas 16 Minnesota 3 Texas 35

California 29 Mississippi 11 Utah 1

Colorado 1 Missouri 69-70 Vermont 2

Connecticut 5 Montana 1 Virginia 12

District of Columbia 3 Nebraska 2 Washington 1

Florida 15 New Jersey 7 West Virginia 2

Georgia 35 New Mexico 1 Wisconsin 5

Illinois 53 New York 9

Indiana 25 North Carolina 25

Iowa 19 Ohio 15

Kansas 9 Oklahoma 9

Kentucky 57 Oregon 2

Louisiana 2 Pennsylvania 6

Maryland 4 South Carolina 26

Breakout of Heat Fatalities July-Aug, 1983 by State

Alabama ( 20)

–20 Blanchard tally. (Nineteen noted by CDC plus Lee Co. heat stroke death of football player.)

–19 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Blount County Female 65-74

–1 Butler County Male 65-74

–1 Etowah County Female 85+

–1 Franklin County Male 65-74

–1 Hale County Female 65-74

–3 Jefferson County Males 55-64 and 75-74 Female 75-84

–1 Lawrence County Male 55-64

–1 Marshall County Male 45-54

–1 Mobile County Male 55-64

–1 Montgomery Co. Female 65-74

–1 Morgan County Male 75-84

–1 Pike County Female 55-64

–1 St. Clair County Male 75-84

–1 Shelby County Male 45-54

–2 Tuscaloosa Co. Female 65-74 Male 75-84

— 3 State, by July 26. The Register, Orange Co. “160 deaths across country…” 7-26-1983, E1.

— 1 Auburn, Lee County, Aug 20. Heatstroke; Auburn Univ. football player, 20, after drills.[6]

— 1 Tuscaloosa Co., Tuscaloosa. The Register, Orange Co., CA. “160 deaths…” 7-26-1983, E1.

Arizona ( 18)

— 18 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–10 Maricopa County

–5 Females, 25-34, 65-74 (2), 75-84, 85+

–5 Males, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85+

— 1 Mohave County Female 55-64

— 1 Pima County Female 65-74

— 6 Yuma County Males 45-54 (2), 55-64 (2), and two not stated

Arkansas ( 20)

–20 State. Blanchard tally based on county breakouts below.[7]

–16 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Baxter County Male 45-54

–1 Carroll County Male 35-44

–1 Chicot County Male <1

–1 Crawford County Male 55-64

–2 Greene County Males 65-74

–1 Jackson County Male 65-74

–1 Miller County Male 45-54

–1 Polk County Male 55-64

–3 St. Francis Co. Female 55-64 Males 75-84

–1 Saline County Male 35-44

–1 Sebastian Co. Male 65-74

–1 Washington Co. Male 65-74

–1 Woodruff Co. Male 55-64

–13 State, June-Aug. Heat Wave/drought. NCDC/NOAA. Storm Data, V25/N8, 1983, p. 21.[8]

–1 Baxter County

–1 Garland County

–1 Greene County

–1 Jackson County

–1 Miller County

–2 Pulaski County

–2 Saint Francis County

–1 Saline County

–2 Sebastian County

–1 Woodruff County

California ( 29)

–29 Blanchard tally. (CDC 28 plus Orange County death of male, 71, not noted by CDC.)

–28 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Alameda County Male 85+

–4 Imperial County Males 55-64 and 65-74 Females 75-84 (two)

–1 Kern County Male 25-34

–5 Los Angeles Co. Males 25-34, 35-44 (2) 45-54, 55-64

–2 Orange County Male 45-54 Female 75-84

–6 Riverside County Males, 45-54 (2), 55-64 (2), 65-74 Female 85+

–4 San Diego Co. Males 20-24, 35-44 Female 1-4, 76-74

–2 Shasta County Males 1-4 and 55-64

–1 Ventura County Male 20-24

— 1 Huntington Beach, Orange Co. Male, 71 in retirement home with no AC; room temp 100.[9]

Colorado ( 1)

— 1 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Denver County Female 65-74

Connecticut ( 5)

— 5 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–2 Fairfield County Males 45-54 and 75-84

–1 Litchfield County Male 20-24

–2 New Haven Co. Females 75-84

District of Col. ( 3)

— 3 CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–3 District Females 35-44, 55-64, and 75-84

Florida ( 15)

–15 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Clay County Male 65-74

–3 Escambia Co. Females 55-64, 65-74, 75-84

–1 Hillsborough Co. Male 25-34

–1 Lake County Female 45-54

–6 Miami-Dade Co. Males, <1, 45-54, 55-64, 85+ Females, 55-64 and 65-74

–1 Polk County

— 8 State. Lushine. “Underreporting of Heat and Cold Related Deaths in Florida.” Figure 3.[10]

— 3 State, by July 28. Altoona Mirror PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7

Georgia (35)

–35 CDC. “Epidemiologic Notes and Reports…” MMWR, V.33, N.23, 6-15-1984, pp. 325-26.[11]

–20 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.[12]

–1 Barrow County Female 85+

–2 Bibb County Females 55-64 and 65-74

–3 Chatham County Female 55-64 Males 55-64 and 85+

–1 DeKalb County Female 75-84

–1 Dougherty Co. Male 20-24

–1 Elbert County Male 65-74

–1 Floyd County Male 35-44

–1 Fulton County Male 25-34

–1 Hart County Male 45-54

–1 Monroe County Female 65-74

–4 Muscogee Co. Males 15-19, 55-64, 75-84 Female 65-74

–1 Quitman County Male 65-74

–1 Troup County Male 35-44

–1 Upson County Female 55-64

–23 State. By July 29. Kokomo Tribune, IN. “Killer heat returns to heartland.” 7-29-1983, 8.

–22 “ by July 31. Altoona Mirror PA. “New heat wave baking southern Plains.” 8-1-‘83, 25.

–15 “ by July 26. The Register, Orange Co., CA. “160 deaths…country…” 7-26-1983, E1.

–12 “ by July 24. NYT. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as US Toll Rises.” 7-24-1983.

–10 “ by July 22. Daily Herald, Chicago. “42 die…heat…suffocates Midwest…” 7-22-83

— 3 “ by July 21. Register, Orange County. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-83.

Illinois ( 53)

–53 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

— 1 Champaign Co. Male 45-54

— 1 Clay County Female 85+

— 1 Clinton County Female 85+

–10 Cook County

–5 Males 25-34 (2), 45-54, 55-64, 75-84

–5 Females 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85+ (2)

— 1 De Witt County Male 85+

— 1 Fayette County Male 85+

— 1 Gallatin Co. Male 55-64

— 1 Kane County Male 65-74

— 1 Kankakee Co. Female 55-64

— 1 Lawrence Co. Female 65-74

— 3 McDonough Co. Female s 65-74 and 85+ (2)

— 1 McLean County Female 75-84

— 2 Madison Co. Males 65-74 and 75-84

— 2 Peoria County Male 20-24

— 1 Perry County Male 75-84

— 1 Piatt County Male 75-84

— 1 Randolph Co. Female 65-74

–20 St. Clair County [East St. Louis is in St. Clair County.]

— 9 Males 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 (3), 65-74, 75-84 (3)

–11 Females 45-54 (3) 55-64 (3), 65-74, 75-84 (4)

— 2 Saline County Males 15-19 and 55-64

— 1 Will County Female 75-84

— 1 Winnebago Co. Male 66-64

–27 State, by 7-24. NYT. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as U.S. Toll Rises.” 7-24-1983.

–32 “ by 7-25. Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “Parts of U.S. remain hot.” 7-25-1983, 1.

–28 “ by 7-28. Altoona Mirror, PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7.

–23 “ by 7-31. Altoona Mirror, PA. “New heat wave baking southern Plains.” 8-1-1983, 25

— 4 Chicago, July 23. Elderly residents of nursing home after building air conditioning failed.[13]

— 5 East St. Louis area. Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “National toll…heat wave rises…” 7-22-83.

— 1 “ ~Aug 24. Male, 81, “whose body was found inside his locked, stifling apartment…”[14]

Indiana ( 25)

–25 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–2 Clark County Male 65-74 Female 75-84

–1 Daviess County Male 85+

–1 De Kalb County Male 45-54

–1 Lake County Female 65-74

–1 Madison County Female 15-19

–6 Marion County Male 25-34, 35-44 (2), 55-64 (2) Female 75-84

–1 Posey County Male 65-74

–2 Rush County Male 75-84 Female 85+

–1 Scott County Male 35-44

–7 Vanderburgh Co. Males 55-64 (2), 75-84, 85+ Females 45-54, 75-84 (2)

–1 Wabash County Male 75-84

–1 Wayne County Female 25-34

— 6 “ by July 24. Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Heat persists; 123 dead…” 7-24-1983, 2A.

— 16 “ by July 28. Altoona Mirror PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7

Iowa ( 19)

–19 State. Blanchard tally. CDC 18 no. plus Postville death (Allamakee and Clayton Counties).

–18 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Audubon County Male 45-54

–2 Benton County Females 45-54 and 55-64

–1 Bremer County Male 55-64

–1 Delaware Co. Male 65-74

–1 Dubuque County Female 65-74

–2 Henry County Female 75-84 Male 75-84

–2 Jones County Male 65-74 Female 85+

–1 Marion County Male 55-64

–1 Muscatine Co. Male 55-64

–1 Page County Male 65-74

–2 Polk County Male 55-64 Female 75-84

–2 Pottawattamie Co. Males 75-84 and 85+

–1 Sac County Male 85+

— 2 State, by July 25. Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “Parts of U.S. remain hot.” 7-25-1983, 1.

— 4 “ by July 28. Altoona Mirror PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7

— 1 Allamakee County, July 23. Heat stress; female, 14, at grandparents during heat wave.[15]

— 1 Benton Co., rural Vinton, July 23. Female in “tightly closed mobile home.” Heat wave.[16]

— 1 Des Moines, Polk Co., 7-22. Oelwein Register, IA. “Heat stress claims…” 7-25-1983, p. 1.

— 1 Polk County, July 22. Heat stress; male, 58; apartment without air conditioning. NCDC.[17]

— 1 Postville 7-23. Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “Heat stress claims life…Postville.” 7-25-83, 1.

Kansas ( 9)

–9 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Atchison County Female 75-84

–1 Franklin County Female 55-64

–1 Kiowa County Female 85+

–1 Nemaha County Male 25-34

–1 Sedgwick Co. Female 55-64

–3 Shawnee Co. Males 35-44, 65-74 Female 65-74

–1 Wyandotte Co. Male 55-64

–1 Kansas City, Wyandotte Co., July 17-23. Male, 64, “from the heat” while walking outside.[18]

–1 Ottawa, Franklin County, July 22. Heat prostration, female (Mary Rodriguez), 56.[19]

Kentucky ( 57)

— 57 Blanchard tally. (CDC figure of 42 plus fifteen additional Jefferson County deaths.)[20]

— 44 State, by 7-28. Altoona Mirror, PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7.

— 43 “ by 7-26. The Register, Orange County. “160 deaths across country…” 7-26-83, E1.

— 42 “ by 7-25. Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “Parts of U.S. remain hot.” 7-25-1983, p. 1.

— 42 “ CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

— 1 Barren County Female 65-74

— 3 Boyd County Females 55-64, 65-74 Male 85+

— 1 Carter County Male 65-74

— 2 Fayette County Male 65-74 Female 75-84

— 1 Graves County Male 65-74

— 1 Green County Female 75-84

–19 Jefferson Co.

–13 Females, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74 (3), 75-84 (5), 85+ (2)

— 6 Males 55-64 (2), 65-74, 75-84, 85+ (2)

— 1 Kenton County Male 85+

— 1 Lawrence Co. Female 75-84

— 2 Lincoln County Male 55-64 Female 65-74

— 1 McCracken Co. Male 35-44

— 2 Marshall Co. Males 65-74 and 75-84

— 1 Muhlenberg Co. Male 65-74

— 1 Powell County Male 25-34

— 1 Pulaski County Male 65-74

— 1 Scott County Female 65-74

— 3 Warren County Males 55-64, 85+ Female 75-84

— 42 State. National Climatic Data Ctr., NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 20.[21]

— 34 State, by 7-24. NYT. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as U.S. Toll Rises.” 7-24-1983.

Breakout of Kentucky heat deaths by identified locality (see also, CDC WONDER).

— 34 Louisville, July 10-31. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 20.

— 27 Louisville. NYT. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as U.S. Toll Rises.” 7-24-1983.[22]

— 26 “ Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Heat persists; 123 dead nationwide.” 7-24-1983, 2A.

— 1 “ West side, Aug 21. Hazel M. Lewis, 67, found in hot apartment.[23]

Louisiana ( 2)

— 2 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Pointe Coupee Parish Male 35-44

–1 West Baton Rouge Parish Male 35-44

Maryland ( 4)

— 4 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–2 Baltimore Male 65-74 Female 55-64

— 1 State, by July 21. Register, Orange Co. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-83.

Massachusetts ( 4)

— 4 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Bristol County Male 75-84

–1 Norfolk County Male 75-84

–2 Worcester Co. Male 85+ Female 65-74

Michigan ( 6)

— 6 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Berrien County Female <1

–1 Calhoun County Male 55-64

–1 Eaton County Male 35-44

–1 Lenawee County Female 55-64

–1 Macomb County Female 1-4

–1 Oakland County Female 25-34

Minnesota ( 3)

–3 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Martin County Male 75-84

–1 Mille Lacs Co. Female 65-74

–1 Renville County Male 55-64

–1 State, by July 28. Altoona Mirror, PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7.

Mississippi ( 11)

— 11 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Adams County Female 55-64

–3 Bolivar County Female 65-74 Males 35-44 and 75-84

–1 Clarke County Male 45-54

–1 Coahoma County Female 45-54

–1 Holmes County Male 55-64

–1 Lincoln County Male 35-44

–2 Scott County Male 45-54 Female 45-54

–1 Tunica County Male 85+

Missouri (69-70)

–70 State. Lyman, Francesca, et al. The Greenhouse Trap. Boston: Beacon Press, 1990, p. 75.

–69 “ Blanchard tally of county breakouts below.[24]

–67 “ CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

— 1 Buchanan Co. Male 55-64

— 1 Clay County Female 65-74

— 1 Crawford Co. Female 85+

— 8 Jackson County Males, 25-34, 35-44, 65-74 (4) Females 65-74 (2)

— 1 Johnson County Female 1-4

— 2 Marion County Female 65-74 Male 75-84

— 1 Platte County Male 35-44

— 1 Pulaski County Female 75-84

— 1 Randolph Co. Male 65-74

— 1 Ripley County Male 35-44

— 2 Saline County Female 55-64 Male 65-74

— 1 Scott County Female 65-74

— 1 St. Francis Co. Female 65-74

–39 St. Louis City

–10 Males 15-19, 25-34, 35-44 (3) 45-54, 55-64 (2), 65-74, 75-84

–29 Females 45-54 (4), 55-64 (3), 65-74 (6), 75-84 (13), 85+ (3)

— 5 St. Louis Co. Males 1-4 and 65-74 Females 55-64 and 75-84 (2)

— 1 Taney County Male 35-44

— 9 “ by 7-21. Register, Orange County. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-83.

–15 “ by 7-22. Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “National toll…heat wave rises to 33…” 7-22-83

–20 “ by 7-22. Daily Herald, Chicago. “42 die…heat wave suffocates Midwest…” 7-22-83.

–29 “ by 7-24. NYT. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as U.S. Toll Rises.” 7-24-1983.

–33 “ by 7-25. Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “Parts of U.S. remain hot.” 7-25-1983, 1.

–36 “ by 7-26. The Register, Orange County. “160 deaths across country…” 7-26-1983, E1.

–37 “ by 7-29. Galveston Daily News, TX. “Heat wave returns as…” 7-29-1983, 14B.

–38 “ by 7-28. Altoona Mirror, PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7.

–40 “ by 7-31. Altoona Mirror, PA. “New heat wave baking southern Plains.” 8-1-1983, 25

–41 “ by 7-29. Kokomo Tribune, IN. “Killer heat returns to heartland.” 7-29-1983, 8.

–46 “ by Aug 5. AP. “Heat, wind hit nation.” Garden City Telegram, KS, 8-9-1983, p. 1.

— 1 “ Aug 4. AP. “Heat, wind hit nation.” Garden City Telegram, KS, 8-9-1983, p. 1.

— 2 “ Aug 5. AP. “Heat, wind hit nation.” Garden City Telegram, KS, 8-9-1983, p. 1.

— 1 Kansas City, Jackson County, Aug 7. Heatstroke, Male, 74, in Veteran’s hospital.[25]

— 1 Sikeston, Scott County, July 28. Female, 84, “felled by the heat” according to Coroner.[26]

— 1 Sikeston, Aug 2-3. Male, 65; “caused by the heat” according to Scott County officials.[27]

— 1 St. Louis area, July 15. Times-News, Twin Falls, ID. “Eastern half…nation…” 7-17-83, A5.

— 1 “ July 18. Daily News, Huntingdon, PA. “Mercury Soars Across Nation.” 7-19-1983, 1.

— 3 “ July 15-19. Bedford Gazette, PA. “Six Dead as Heat Wave Burns…” 7-20-1983, 3.

— 2 “ July 20. The Register, Orange Co. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-1983.

— 1 “ July 21. The Register, Orange Co. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-1983.

— 1 “ July 22. Boy (Paul Jason Carter), 3, left sleeping in a church van.[28]

— 3 “ Aug 20. Males. NYT. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as US Toll…” 7-24-1983.

— 1 “ Aug 21. Elderly male.[29] St. Louis Health Commissioner William Hope cited.

— 1 “ Aug 22. Elderly female.[30] St. Louis Health Commissioner William Hope cited.

–36 “ by July 26. The Register, Orange Co.. “160 deaths across country…” 7-26-1983, E1.

–38 “ by July 23. Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Heat persists; 123 dead…” 7-24-1983, 2A .

–50 “ by July 29. Galveston Daily News, TX. “Heat wave returns…” 7-29-1983, 14B.

–51 “ by July 30. Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. “Heat toll reaches 187.” 7-30-1983, 1.

–35 “ July 11-Aug 15. CDC. “Epidemiologic Notes and Reports…” MMWR, 33/23, 6-15-1984.[31]

–54 “ by Aug 24. UPI. “South bears burden of summer’s fire.” Salina Journal, KS, 8-24-83, 18.[32]

Montana ( 1)

–1 Meagher Co., female, 55-64. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat/hyperthermia.

Nebraska ( 2)

–1 Douglas County. Male, 65-74. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat/hyperthermia.

–1 Jefferson County. Female, 85+. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat/hyperthermia.

New Jersey ( 7)

— 7 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Atlantic County Female 75-84

–1 Burlington Co. Male 20-24

–2 Essex County Male <1 Female 85+

–2 Gloucester Co. Male 55-64 Female 85+

–1 Hudson County Male 45-54

New Mexico ( 1)

— 1 Lea County. Male, 35-44. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia.

New York ( 9)

–9 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Chenango Co. Male 75-84

–1 Erie County Male 45-54

–2 Kings County Male 1-4 Female 1-4

–1 Ontario County Female 75-84

–1 Queens County Female 75-84

–1 Schenectady Co. Male 35-44

–1 Wayne County Female 85+

–1 Westchester Co. Male 20-24

–1 NYC, July 18. Ruston Leader, LA. “Seven die in storms, steamy heat wave.” 7-18-1983, 3.

North Carolina (25)

–25 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Alamance Co. Male 25-34

–1 Beaufort County Male 55-64

–2 Bertie County Males 25-34 and 55-64

–1 Cabarrus County Female 65-74

–1 Cleveland Co. Female 55-64

–1 Cumberland Co. Male 25-34

–1 Forsyth County Female <1

–1 Guilford County Male 35-44

–1 Henderson Co. Male 35-44

–1 Johnston County Male 25-34

–1 Lenoir County Male 35-44

–1 Martin County Female 55-64

–1 Mecklenburg Co. Male 65-74

–1 Orange County Male 65-74

–2 Richmond Co. Male 35-44 Female 85+

–1 Rockingham Co. Female 65-74

–2 Rowan County Male 65-74 Female 75-84

–2 Wake County Male 65-74 Female 75-84

–1 Warren County Male 65-74

–1 Washington Co. Female 75-84

–1 Wayne County Female 75-84

–17 State. Mirabelli and Richardson. “Heat-Related Fatalities in North Carolina.” Figure 1.

— 2 State, by July 21. Register, Orange Co. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-83.

— 5 “ by July 24. Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Heat persists; 123 dead…” 7-24-1983, 2A.

— 6 “ July 12-24. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 29.

— 9 “ by July 28. Altoona Mirror PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-1983, 7

— 1 “ Aug. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 8, Aug 1983, p. 34.[33]

— 1 Lenoir Co., LaGrange, July 18. Bedford Gazette, PA. “Six Dead as Heat Wave…” 7-20-83.

Ohio ( 15)

–15 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–4 Butler County Females 45-54, 75-84, 85+ Male 45-54

–2 Cuyahoga Co. Females 65-74

–4 Franklin County Females 35-44 and 85+ Males 55-64 and 85+

–2 Hamilton County Females 55-64 and 65-74

–1 Mahoning Co. Male 45-54

–1 Marion County Female 85+

–1 Montgomery Co. Female 75-84

— 3 State, by July 24. Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Heat persists; 123 dead…” 7-24-1983, 2A.

— 1 Dayton, Mont. Co. Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “Heat persists; 123 dead…” 7-24-1983, 2A.

Oklahoma ( 9)

— 9 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Caddo County Female 75-84

–1 Muskogee Co. Female 55-64

–3 Oklahoma Co. Males 55-64 (2) Female 75-84

–1 Payne County Male 65-74

–1 Tulsa County Female 65-74

–1 Woodward Co. Male 20-24

— 4 State, by 7-31. Altoona Mirror PA. “New heat wave baking southern Plains.” 8-1-1983, 25

— 1 Eufaula, McIntosh Co., ~July 27. Female “heat wave fatality,” boarding house.[34]

— 1 Oklahoma City, July 25. Male body found (Robert Owen), 55, in field in SW OK City.[35]

— 1 Oklahoma City, July 26. Male body found (James Mahan), 57; his apt., no air conditioner.[36]

Oregon ( 2)

— 2 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Lake County Male 35-44

–1 Multnomah Co. Female 85+

Pennsylvania ( 6)

— 6 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Montgomery Co. Male 85+

–4 Philadelphia Co. Females 55-64, 75-84, 85+ Male 85+

–1 Pike County Male 15-19

South Carolina (26)

–26 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Abbeville Co. Male 75-84

–1 Aiken County Female 35-44

–3 Anderson Co. Female 75-84 Males 75-84 (2)

–2 Beaufort County Male 45-54 Female 75-84

–1 Berkeley County Male 35-44

–1 Charleston Co. Male 65-74

–3 Chesterfield Co. Males 35-44, 65-74 Female 75-84

–1 Florence County Male 25-34

–1 Greenville Co. Male 25-34

–1 Newberry Co. Male 35-44

–2 Orangeburg Co. Female 55-64 Male 55-64

–1 Pickens County Female 55-64

–3 Richland County Females 45-54. 55-64 Male 45-54

–1 Spartanburg Co. Male 75-84

–4 Williamsburg Co. Males 15-19, 45-54, 65-74 Female 65-74

— 1 State, by July 25. Oelwein Daily Register, IA. “Parts of U.S. remain hot.” 7-25-1983, 1.

— 2 “ by July 26. The Register, Orange Co.. “160 deaths across country…” 7-26-83, E1.

— 3 “ by July 28. Altoona Mirror, PA. “Another heat wave takes aim on East.” 7-28-‘83, 7.

— 4 “ by July 29. Kokomo Tribune, IN. “Killer heat returns to heartland.” 7-29-1983, p. 8.

–11 State, July. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 37.[37]

South Dakota ( 1)

–1 Hutchinson Co. Male, 85+. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia.

Tennessee (29)

–29 State. Blanchard tally of breakouts below.[38]

–25 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–6 Davidson Co. Males 45-54, 75-84 Females, 55-64, 75-84 (2), and 85+.

–4 Hamilton County Males 45-54, 75-84 Females, 75-84, 85+.

–1 Hickman County Male 25-34

–1 Jefferson County Male 65-74

–1 Knox County Female 55-64

–1 Macon County Male 55-64

–2 Madison County Females 55-64 and 85+.

–1 Perry County Female 65-74

–1 Roane County Male 75-84

–4 Shelby County Males 25-34, 65-74 Females 65-74, 85+.

–1 Warren County Male 45-54

–2 Williamson Co. Males 55-65 and 85+.

–15 State. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No’s 7-8, July-Aug 1983.

–12 July 20-24. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 39.

–1 Bradley County, July 23; 74-year-old person.

–2 Davidson County, July 23; 52-years-old and 77-years-old persons.

–1 Davidson County, July 24; 86-years-old person.

–1 Hamilton County, July 22; age not noted.

–2 Hamilton County, July 23; 79 and 107-years-old persons.

–1 Obion County, July 21; 67-year-old person.

–1 Robertson County, July 23; person, age not noted.

–1 Robertson County, July 24; 83-year-old person.

–1 Shelby County, July 22, 80-years-old person.

–1 Shelby County, July 24, 73-years-old.

— 3 Aug 20-24. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 8, Aug 1983, p. 41.[39]

–1 Hamilton County, Chattanooga. Male, 46.

–1 Knox County, Knoxville. Female, 61.

–1 Shelby County, Memphis. Male, 31.

Texas (35)

–35 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Angelina County Female 55-64

–1 Archer County Male 55-64

–1 Bandera County Female 75-84

–8 Dallas County Females 1-4, 75-84 (4) Males 45-54, 65-74 (2)

–1 Denton County Female 75-84

–1 Ector County Male 45-54

–1 Ellis County Female 75-84

–1 El Paso County Male 55-64

–1 Galveston Co. Female 55-64

–1 Gregg County Male 25-34

–1 Grimes County Male 6-9

–1 Guadalupe Co. Male 25-34

–5 Harris County Females 1-4, 75-84 Males 1-4 and 65-74 (2)

–4 Jefferson County Males 25-34, 45-54, 75-84 Female 75-84

–1 Leon County Male 20-24

–1 Shelby County Male 55-64

–4 Tarrant County Males 35-44, 55-64 (2) Female 45-54

— 1 Wilson County Male 45-54

— 1 Dallas, Dallas County, July 31. Heatstroke; female, 78.[40]

Utah ( 1)

–1 Salt Lake County, male, ,1. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia.

Vermont ( 2)

— 2 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Chittenden Co. Male 25-34

–1 Franklin County Male 35-44

Virginia (12)

–12 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Buchanan Co. Male 35-44

–6 Norfolk City Females 35-44, 75-84 (3) Males 45-54 and 65-74

–1 Northampton Co. Male 65-74

–2 Richmond City Males 65-74

–1 Roanoke City Female 55-64

–1 Wise County Male 55-65

Washington ( 1)

–1 Grays Harbor Co. Female, 45-54. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperther.

West Virginia ( 2)

— 2 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Wayne County Male 35-44

–1 Wood County Male 35-44

Wisconsin ( 5)

— 5 State. CDC WONDER. ICD-9, E900 Excessive heat – hyperthermia, 2-16-2017 search.

–1 Calumet County Male 75-84

–2 Iowa County Male 65-74 Female 85+.

–1 Jefferson County Male 65-74

–1 Washington Co. Female 25-34

Narrative Information

General or Multiple States (Chronological)

July 15: “By UPI. Easterners got yet another day of Dixie summer Saturday as a heat wave spread from the Atlantic Coast to the Mississippi with no relief in sight….

“The heat wave killed at least one woman. A 53-year-old St. Louis woman died of heatstroke Friday night. The mercury in St. Louis stayed below the 90-degree mark Friday for the first time in seven days.

“A massive high-pressure center was sending the Southern-style summer across the Eastern half of the nation, National Weather Service forecaster Nolan Duke said. “It’s pretty much what we expect for the Gulf Coast States, but it’s heading up into New England, across the Great Lakes and over into the Mississippi Valley,” Duke said. The air system is “repelling any entrance of cool weather,” Duke said. “It’ll be hot and smoggy, with a lot of sunshine, and no relief through the next week.”….” (Times-News, Twin Falls, ID. “Eastern half of nation suffers with heat wave.” 7-17-1983, A5.)

July 17: “A heat wave continued over the northeastern third of the nation Saturday while record-breaking cool weather settled over the Northwest. Temperatures reached 100 degrees along the southern Atlantic Coast. Columbia, S.C., had a record high of 103 and a half-dozen cities from the Carolinas to Michigan reported record high temperatures in the 90s. Highs in the upper 90s were recorded as far north as Michigan and New York….” (Associated Press. “Nation: Heat wave, cold.” Yuma Sun, AZ. 7-17-1983, p. 8.)

July 20, AP: “Savage thunderstorms packing winds up to 87 mph hammered northern Illinois while in the southern part of the state a heat spell with temperatures as high as 100 degrees were linked to four deaths near St. Louis.

“Edwardsville Mayor Kenneth Evers warned water should not be used for lawns, washing cars and for swimming pools. The neighboring Madison County town of Troy already has a water curtailment plan in effect.

“No relief was in sight for today with temperatures of 92-102 predicted across the state by the National Weather Service. Chicago was in its seventh straight day of 90-plus temperatures and even savage thunderstorms slamming through the area could not sustain relief. Temperatures at dawn were around 80 degrees.

“The only heat wave deaths reported were those around St. Louis. Among the dead was 78-year-old Virginia Jenkins, a victim of heatstroke found dead in her closed home in Washington Park near East St. Louis. Health officials said one of the victims lived in St. Louis and the other two lived on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. The deaths came during an 11-day period of 90-plus temperatures….” (Alton Telegraph, IL. “Southern Illinois swelters as heat hovers near 100.” 7-20-1983, 1.)

July 20, AP: “St. Louis officials declared a heat emergency Tuesday and opened emergency shelters in the second week of a triple-digit heat wave that has killed at least six people nationwide on scorched city streets find tobacco fields.

“Day after day of baking sunshine and light winds in the Midwest and East have pushed temperatures gradually upward and dried out fields that were soaked by this spring’s heavy rains. Now crops are endangered and water supplies are dropping.

“Forty towns and cities in Massachusetts and several in New Jersey have restricted water use because of low supplies or poor pressure, and suburbs of Baltimore banned car washing and lawn

sprinkling as water pumps strained to meet the demand.

“Kentucky Lt. Gov. Martha Layne Collins on Tuesday asked the federal government to declare disaster areas in 23 counties that suffered floods this spring and are parched this summer….

“A 38-year-old man working in a tobacco field near LaGrange, N.C., passed out Monday afternoon and died a half-hour later after being taken to a nearby, house. Officials said Allen M. Whitfield died of heat stroke.

“There have been three heat-related deaths since Friday in the St. Louis area, prompting city Health Commissioner William Hope to declare an emergency on the llth day of temperatures in the 90s. The 19 shelters include senior citizens’ centers, day care centers and other buildings willing to open cool rooms to hot residents. “They’re basically places where people can go to cool off, get a drink, just relax and stay out of the sun,” Hope said. St. Louis officials took early action this year remembering a July 1980 heat wave that killed 113 people, Hope said.” (Bedford Gazette, PA. “Six Dead as Heat Wave Burns Across America.” 7-20-1983, 3.)

July 21, AP: “A triple-digit, crop-wilting heat wave blamed in 24 deaths baked the nation with no relief in sight today, prompting sweltering Americans to stock up on dry ice, splash in city fountains and line up for free fans.

“With temperatures Wednesday hitting 107 in Pierre, S.D.; 104 in Des Moines, Iowa; and 101 in St. Louis, the operative principle was to try to stay cool. A St. Louis minister offered free electric fans to help people suffering from the blistering sun….

“The heat wave is nearly 2 weeks old, but there were no reported deaths nationwide until Friday [July 15]. In Missouri, the heat was blamed for the death today [July 21] of a 76-year-old woman in St. Louis County, bringing the state death toll to nine. Two elderly men and one woman died Wednesday [July 20]. St. Louis County Executive Gene McNary declared a heat emergency and social agencies prepared 50 air-conditioned shelters to help to help the elderly cope with the soaring temperatures.

“Ten people have died in Georgia from the weather, including a Connecticut National Guardsmen who collapsed during a training exercise and two men who died today. One was found in his apartment with the heat on. Illinois has had three deaths, all in the East St. Louis area. North Carolina has had two and New York and Maryland have had one each….” (The Register, Orange County, CA. “Nation’s searing heat wave kills 24…” 7-21-1983, A24.)

July 22, AP: “Two elderly women living near St. Louis died Thursday in a heat wave that has grown increasingly dangerous, killing 33 people and causing more than 300 to become ill in the East and Midwest.

“The worst hot spell since hundreds of people died in 1980 has killed 15 people in 100-degree Missouri and nine in Georgia, including a Connecticut National Guardsman who suffered heat stroke during training and a man in his 30s who dropped dead while jogging.

“More than 300 cattle perished in South Dakota and at least five dogs died in Virginia.

“Two hundred people watching or marching in a parade in Minneapolis were treated for heat exhaustion Wednesday night. “I started to forget where I was,” said Mike Koran, 33, who plays a drum for the University of Minnesota Alumni Band. “I was looking at the buildings and I didn’t recognize any of them. This is the hottest parade I’ve ever marched in.” People were placed on cots outdoors and soaked with cold water in the 90-degree heat. About 44 were sent to Hennepin County Medical Center for emergency treatment, said spokeswoman Monette Johnson.

“A storm with 115 mph winds in Minnesota left 62,000 homes and businesses still without air conditioning Thursday in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, where the temperature was 94 degrees.

“In addition to the deaths in Missouri and Georgia, five heat-related deaths have been reported in Illinois, all in the St. Louis area, two have been reported in North Carolina, and one each has been reported in New York and Maryland.

“Officials said 124 illnesses in Georgia were blamed on the heat, as were the illnesses of two dozen people treated in Kansas City area hospitals, according to health officials.” (Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA. “National toll for heat wave rises to 33 dead, over 300 ill.” 7-22-1983, 11.)

July 24, NYT: “For more than two weeks a deadly heat wave with temperatures in the upper 90’s and low 100’s has kept the daytime sky here a sickly pastel blue. Forty-two people in the St. Louis area have died from heat-related causes as of today, accounting for more than one-third of the national heat death toll of 123.

“Since the heat wave began, the weather has been blamed for at least 29 deaths in Missouri; 34 in Kentucky, 27 in Illinois; 12 in Georgia, and smaller numbers in North Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, New York, Tennessee and Maryland. Four elderly residents of a Chicago nursing home died after the building’s air conditioning system failed in Friday’s 100-degree temperatures. Deputy Health Commissioner Phillip Davis said it was ”a reasonable assumption” that the deaths were heat-related.

“City and county officials in the St. Louis area believe heat fatalities here would be even higher if it were not for more than 70 cooling-off centers, which were opened in air-conditioned public buildings, church halls, Masonic temples, Salvation Army centers and recreation buildings after local officials declared a heat emergency. Some of the centers are equipped with cots for those who wish to stay overnight.

“The centers grew out of the experiences of the 1980 heat wave, which left more than 113 people dead in St. Louis. Most of them were elderly, living in crime-ridden neighborhoods in old row houses whose windows had been nailed shutto prevent break-ins.

“Most victims of the heat have been women older than 55 who lived alone, but, unlike 1980, some of those who died this week have been younger. On Friday, as the temperature climbed to 102 degrees, a 3-year-old boy, Paul Jason Carter, died after being left sleeping in a church van. And on Thursday three men were found dead from the heat, the first male victims.

“Besides its human toll, the impact of the relentless heat is being felt by utility companies and public agencies. Because of the demand, electrical transformers are burning out more frequently, causing failures in scattered sections of the St. Louis area. An overheated expansion beam under an interstate highway bridge forced the closing of some traffic lanes over a Mississippi River span; highways in other areas have buckled from the heat. In St. Louis, the water pressure has dropped to dangerously low levels because people have been opening fire hydrants.

“William B. Hope, the St. Louis Health Commissioner, issued an advisory urging people to greatly restrict outdoor activities. Those who do venture outside should wear light clothing and ventilated hats or carry umbrellas to protect the head, he said, and women should not wear pantyhose or other confining clothing outdoors for any extended period of time….

“Lieut. Gov. Martha Layne Collins of Kentucky declared a state of emergency in Louisville late Friday at the request of Mayor Harvey Sloane, who said hospitals were running out of space for heat victims. Twenty-seven deaths from the heat had been reported in Louisville as of Saturday.” (NYT, “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as U.S. Toll Rises.” July 24, 1983.)

July 25: “A sizzling heat wave blamed for 148 deaths nationwide continued to fry Dixie today after temperatures climbed as high as 107 degrees, but thunderstorms cooled the country’s midsection like tapwater dancing on a hot skillet.

“A series of heavy rains hit St. Louis on Sunday, prompting officials to call a meeting for today to decide whether to lift a heat emergency decree. Temperatures in the area have hovered over the 100 mark for five days and the heat emergency has been in effect for six. For Missouri and for most of the Midwest, Great Plains and Northeast, today’s weather should bring some relief, with highs in the 80s forecast from the Ohio Valley to the East Coast.

“But more suffering was in store for the Deep South, where temperatures over 100 flirted with all-time heat records. Temperatures in the 80s were forecast for Kentucky, which has had 42 heat-related deaths in the past two weeks and temperatures that have soared into the 90s for the last 15 days. Despite the cooling trend, Jefferson County coroner Robert Carter said those most susceptible to heat problems — the elderly and those with diabetes or cardiovascular ailments — remain at risk.

“The heat wave nationwide is the worst since 1980, when nearly 1,300 deaths were attributed to high temperatures. Here is a breakdown of deaths attributed to the heat wave: Kentucky 42; Missouri 33; Illinois 32; Georgia 12; Tennessee 9; Indiana 6; North Carolina 5; Ohio 3; Iowa 2; and one each in South Carolina, Arkansas, Maryland and New York.” (Associated Press. “Deaths attributed to heat rise to 148.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 7-25-1983, p. 14.)

July 26, UPI: “For a moment at least, the nation’s central states took a breath of cool air Monday [July 25]. But heat burned on in the South. South Carolina broiled in its worst heat wave in 30 years and no relief was in sight. A high pressure system stalled over the East Coast and Sunday’s temperature blistered Columbia on a 107-degree range. The toll from the nation’s worst heat wave in three years climbed to 137. The most deaths came in the sweltering St. Louis and Louisville areas, where elderly people cooped up in sealed, oven-dry rooms died wholesale.

“….After five consecutive days of 100-degree-plus scorchers and more than two weeks in the 90s, St. Louis got 1.3 inches of cool, heat-breaking rains. Forty-eight area people had already died in the heat. Despite the break in the weather, doctors at St. Louis’ City Hospital refused to discharge patients who had recovered from heat-related illnesses. They said the homes of patients were still stifling….” (UPI. “Heat wave leaves Midwest.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-26-1983, p. 10.)

July 27: “….Temperatures around 100 were expected in Oklahoma and parts of Texas and the desert Southwest today with readings in the 90s for the Southeast. The northern third of the country was expected to reach the 80s.

“St. Louis health officials were keeping a wary eye on the thermometer as temperatures, which have hovered around 90-degree mark for the past couple days, were forecast to creep up to the mid-90s by the end of the week. The Missouri death toll stood at 39 Tuesday with the addition of a 40-year-old Kansas City man, who was found in his apartment on Sunday. Thirty people in the St. Louis area have succumbed to the high temperatures. Another 17 heat-related deaths have been reported across the Mississippi River in the East St. Louis, Ill., area.” (Associated Press. “The Weather…Nation: Plains stormy.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 7-27-1983, p. 28.)

July 28, UPI: “The summer’s second heat wave rolled out of the Plains into the Midwest today, pushing the thermometer past 100 in sun-scorched states where 175 people have already died from sweltering temperatures. ‘We’re setting up for that same situation we had (with the first heat wave), the jet stream sweeping from the southwest across the western edge of the Plains into Canada and pulling hot air north and east,’ said forecaster Nolan Duke at the National Severe Storms Center in Kansas City, Mo. ‘The heat wave’s back,’ Duke said. ‘We’ve got a 106 forecast for Wichita and we’ve got 100-degree temperatures forecast all the way from Texas to Nebraska and Missouri.’ Temperatures Wednesday were above 100 across much of the Plains. It was 106 at Concordia, 105 at Salina, 104 at Gage, Okla., 102 at Wichita Falls, Texas, 101 at Tulsa, Okla., and 100 at Kansas City….” (United Press International (Brenda W. Rotzoll). “Three-digit weather scorches Midwest.” Hutchinson News, KS. 7-28-2983, p. 8.)

July 29: “After a short breather, the killer heat wave has returned to the heartland, bringing back the triple-digit temperatures and jungle-like humidity that have claimed 180 lives….

“An elderly Scott County woman became Missouri’s 41^st heat-related fatality Thursday, the first in three days. Effie Morrow Beaird, 84, was found dead in her closed Sikeston home by her brother, said Scott County Coroner Tim Nunnelee. She had apparently been working in her garden just before she was felled by the heat, he said. A high reading of 100 degrees at mid-afternoon Thursday in St. Louis caused city and county authorities to reinstitute a heat warning that had been called off the day before. Missouri’s high was 103 at Kansas City, and the National Weather Service Severe Storms Center said no relief was in sight.

“Chicago sweltered under a record 100 degrees Thursday, breaking the previous high of 98 set in 1941. Illinois Agriculture Director Jerry Werries said the prolonged heat cut corn yields in the southern part of the state by 30 percent, with smaller losses in northern sections.

“Temperatures hovered around 100 degrees from northern Texas across Oklahoma and eastern Kansas to western Missouri.

“Midwestern thunderstorms dumped up to 4 inches of rain in Michigan and buffeted parts of Nebraska with 80-mph winds….

“In Eufaula, Okla., second-degree manslaughter charges were filed against the four owners of a home for the mentally ill where a woman died and five other residents were hospitalized because of excessively high temperatures. The four were to be arraigned today in McIntosh County District Court….

“Here is a state-by-state breakdown of the July heat wave deaths: Kentucky 43, Missouri 41, Illinois 32, Georgia 23, Indiana six, North Carolina nine, Tennessee 10, Ohio three, Iowa two, Alabama three, South Carolina four, and one each in Arkansas, Maryland, New York and Oklahoma.” (Associated Press. After short breather, heat wave returns.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 7-29-1983, p. 6.)

July 30, UPI: “By United Press International. The second blast of a one-two heat wave sent temperatures past the 100-mark, prompting emergency declarations in the middle United States, while storms packing 65 mph winds and 2½ inch hail knocked out power to 70,000 people in the northern Plains. Two consecutive heat waves have been blamed for 187 deaths.

“In Oklahoma, temperatures soared into the 100s for the eighth day. It was 103 at Altus yesterday, 101 at Hobart and 100 at Tulsa. Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh issued an emergency declaration, ordered daily inspections for excessive heat at all nursing homes and boarding houses, and urged all mayors and city officials to keep “all public facilities” open seven days a week as shelters from the heat….

“St. Louis, which has had 51 heat-related deaths since the oppressive heat bore down more than two weeks ago, had 100 again yesterday.

“It was 101 at Salina, Kan., 100 at Russell, Kan., and Joplin, Mo., 99 at Jefferson City, Mo., and 97 at Columbia, Mo., Kansas City and Sedalia, Mo.

“Cook County Coroner Robert Stein ruled the deaths of four people in an overheated nursing home in Chicago were homicides. He said the victims would have lived longer had it not been for the 105-degree heat that resulted from an air conditioning breakdown.

“Four operators of a boarding home in Eufaula, Okla., where a woman died of heat-stroke pleaded innocent to second-degree manslaughter charges.” (Syracuse Herald Journal, NY. “Heat toll reaches 187.” 7-30-1983, 1.)

Aug 1, UPI: “The nationwide death toll from back-to-back heat waves approached 200 Sunday as 90-degree temperatures threatened to do more damage in the southern Plains….The heat waves, which have been blamed for 189 deaths nationwide this month [July], were producing 90-degree temperatures Sunday [July 31] in the southern Plains. The 90-degree readings were expected to bring some relief, compared to Saturday’s 100-degree plus readings….said National Weather Service meteorologist Nolan Duke….The nation’s hot spots Sunday were Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, where temperatures climbed into the high 90s. On Saturday, Oklahoma was put under an emergency declaration after eight days of 100-plus temperatures ….Temperatures in the mid-90s were forecast for the Mississippi Valley from Louisiana to Missouri. Cooling centers to aid the elderly and poor were open in the St. Louis area, where 51 people have suffered heat-related deaths sine the oppressive heat choked the area more than two weeks ago.” (UPI. “Heat wave death toll approaches 200.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-1-1983, 16.)

Aug 8, UPI: “….Readings of 102 degrees were reported in Pierre, S.D. …Crisp early-morning temperatures quickly wilted as temperatures went over 90 degrees over the Midwest. The heat wave, blamed for at least 195 deaths since early July, showed no signs of relief….In Sacramento, Calif., forecasters said expected highs of 103 or 104 would rival the record of 108 set in 1913.” (UPI. “Remnants of heat wave drape much of nation.” Salina Journal, KS, 8-8-1983, p. 5.)

Aug 9, AP: “Baking heat has returned to the East and Midwest, jeopardizing people and pets, and jamming beaches with bathers, while monsoon-like winds sent surf crashing into the Southern California coast…Temperatures soared to 96 degrees Monday [Aug 8] in Boston, breaking the record of 95 set in 1949, but a cool front had moved in today and doused New England and parts of New York state with thunderstorms. In New York City, Consolidated Edison officials reported record demand for electricity as the mercury rose to 94.

“It was the 13^th straight day of temperatures over 90 in Washington, D.C., short of the 20 consecutive days recorded during the heat wave of 1980. Similar temperatures have been recorded on 27 of the past 38 days.

“A lingering series of heat waves sine has claimed at least 183 lives in 15 states since early July, officials said. In Missouri, one heat death occurred Thursday and two on Friday to bring that state total to 46.

“In Baltimore, which has recorded highs over 90 on 27 of the past 39 days, the National Weather Service said this year’s heat wave was the worst in 28 years.

“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meanwhile reported that Americans spent $2.055 billion, or $377 million more than normal, for air conditioning in the last three weeks of July. It blamed unusually hot and humid conditions…” (Associated Press (Dean Fosdick). “Heat, wind hit nation.” Garden City Telegram, KS, 8-9-1983, p. 1.)

Aug 20: “The Midwest’s heat wave, which sent 11 high school students to hospitals in Indiana, began abating Saturday [Aug 20] as hot air slid over the East and the remains of Hurricane Alicia pushed cool, wet weather onto the parched Plains. Thunderstorms moved from north central Texas across Oklahoma and into central Kansas, with as much as four inches of rain recorded in central Oklahoma in a 24-hour period.

“Indiana, Iowa and Illinois had reported temperatures above 100 Friday, with at least 10 cities reporting record heat. But on Saturday most of the area had temperatures only in the 90s.

“In central Indiana, where the high school football season began Friday night, officials called frequent timeouts to hose down players and rub them with ice. Two Frankfort players were taken to a hospital where they were treated for heat exhaustion. Nine high school band members in Indianapolis were taken to a hospital Friday after they suffered faintness, numbness and hyperventilation during another football game, said hospital spokesman Dr. John D. Graham. Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Harold H. Negley issued a warning Saturday to high schools to have a doctor present during games. Negley also said extra supplies of towels, fluids, and ice ‘must be available’ and that pre-game and halftime assessments of players’ conditions ‘should be made.’

“At Chicago, where the city opened emergency cooling centers Friday for the first time this summer as the temperature hit 99, Saturday’s temperature was in the low 80s and cooling centers were not opened.

“But while the most of the Midwest cooled into the 90s, temperatures rose into the 90s Saturday from central New England through Florida and to near 100 in North Carolina. Farmers contined to watch their crops turn brown in North Carolina where the last substantial rainfall recorded at the Raleigh-Durham Airport weather station was June 6 and 7 when 1.36 inches fell. The last measurable rainfall was Aug. 12 when .29 of an inch was recorded. ‘I’ve never before walked in an alfalfa field that was supposed to be green and heard it rattle,’ said Fred W. Burt, a farmer in southern Wake County.

“In Virginia, all-time high temperatures were recorded in at least five locations, including Roanoke, where a reading of 104 degrees broke the old record of 96 degrees set on this date in 1954.

“A record 101 degrees was also measured in Columbus, Ohio, breaking a 28-year-old record for the date and marking the first time the mercury topped 100 in the capital city since Aug. 4, 1955.

“Oklahoma’s cotton crop may have been saved by Alicia’s rain, a state agriculture official said Saturday. ‘All the dryland crops needed it,’ said John Waldrop, spokesman for the Oklahoma Crop and Livestock Reporting Service, some of the state’s dryland cotton crop — an estimated 304,000 acres — would not have survived until harvest without the rain, he said. In central Oklahoma, the rain prompted flash flood warnings, and the Highway Patrol said high water closed part of a highway near El Reno….” (Associated Press. “Heat wave beginning to subside.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 8-21-1983, p. 32.)

Aug 22: “Thunderstorms drenched the Midwest and southern Plains states today, after a heat wave singed the South with record temperatures blamed for one death in North Carolina and a damaging propane explosion in Virginia….

“A 104-degree reading Saturday [Aug 21] in Lynchburg, Va., was the highest ever recorded in that city. All-time heat records also tumbled in Augusta, Ga., where it reached 108 degrees Sunday, and in Roanoke, Va., where the mercury hit 105 degrees Sunday. The extreme heat in Lynchburg caused an explosion in a propane tank on a second-floor balcony at Walden Pond subdivision Sunday, said deputy Fire Marshall G. Wayne Saunders. He said the propane gas, which is heavier than air, apparently leaked out of the tank, floated toward the ground and was ignited by an exhaust fan from a first-floor laundry room. No injuries were reported in the fire but 12 apartments were damaged.

“An elderly man in North Carolina died Sunday after he collapsed from the heat while riding his motorcycle, state police reported today. The man fell from his vehicle and rolled into a ditch.” (Assoc. Press. “The Weather….Nation: Record Highs.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 8-22-1983, p. 9.)

Aug 22-23: “A record-breaking heat wave that has sent temperatures to 100 degrees or more in 18 cities held on today across the Midwest and Southeast with ‘no relief in sight,’ baking crops, closing schools and causing at least eight deaths. New temperature marks were set or tied in 25 cities in a dozen states Monday [Aug 22], from Missouri to the Carolinas, and although thunderstorms dropped as much as a half-foot of rain on sections of Nebraska by midnight, they may have done farmers more harm than good, a forecaster said. ‘We see no immediate relief from the heat,’ said Harry Gordon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City, Mo. ‘The nation’s high was 107 yesterday in Augusta, Ga., and Fayetteville, N.C., and we expect more of the same around there today.’

“The heat wave, which began Saturday, has broken records in up to 40 cities, some of which have stood since the late 1800s, Gordon said. ‘Although we had some pretty good rains reported yesterday — not to mention wind damage in five states — any break from the heat will be short-lived,’ he said today….

“Public schools already in regular session in Nashville, Tenn., were ordered closed today and more to remain closed until a break in the heat. Officials will decide ‘on a day-to-day basis’ whether conditions have improved enough for the city’s 63,000 students to resume classes. ‘In some classes the temperature today ranged from 96 to 100 degrees,’ said Charles Frazier, director of Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County schools. ‘We feel it’s in the best interest of the students and teachers to close school.’

“Students were sent home early Monday in Pender, Dublin, Scotland and Buncombe counties in North Carolina and in the cities of High Point and Reidsville Closings or short school days also were ordered in some Kentucky communities.

“The deaths of two elderly St. Louis residents increased the city’s heat toll to 35 since July 15, Health Commissioner William Bo. Hope said. Heat has been blamed for three deaths in Alabama, two in Missouri, and one each in North Carolina, Kentucky and Illinois….” (AP. “Record heat wave continues with no relief in sight.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 8-23-1983, p. 6.)

Aug 23-24: “A sizzling heat wave that has claimed 18 lives and ‘just keeps getting hotter’ marked time in the South today as the second tropical storm of the season grew stronger off the Atlantic Coast of Florida. Students left sweltering schools early on Tuesday [Aug 23], the elderly stayed at air-conditioned shelters, soybean and hay crops withered and thousands of chickens died in the heat. ‘The culprit right now is a front that’s wandering almost along the Mason-Dixon line, a barrier that won’t allow cooler air in from the west,’ said Harry Gordon, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service Severe Storms Center in Kansas City, Mo.

“The mercury soared over the century mark Tuesday in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee, but the nation’s hot spot was Gila Bend, Ariz., where the high was 107 degrees. In the South, Athens, Ga., suffered through 105-degree heat, the highest in the region.

“In Anderson, Ind., a 14-year-old high school football player, Rick Vida Jr., died Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack during practice in 90-degree heat earlier in the day. Madison County Coroner John Noffze said the investigation was centering on the belief the death was heat-related, although Frankton High School Coach Bob Scharnowski disputed that….

“In Nashville, schools closed after only one full day of the new academic year when officials measured indoor temperatures at 98 degrees in some of the city’s 1,214 non-air conditioned classrooms. Stores reported a run on fans and air conditioners. ‘We’ve sole everything we can lay our hands on,’ said Betty Gibbons, an appliance clerk at a Nashville Sears store. “And we were about the only people in town that had anything left. We just can’t keep anything in stock….” (Assoc. Press. “South swelters in heat wave.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 8-24-1983, p. 1.)

Aug 25-26: “The heat wave that has claimed 17 lives kept up its assault on much of the Midwest, where farmers pleaded for federal disaster aid to rescue them from the ‘slow torture’ of billion-dollar crop losses.

“In St. Louis, where the mercury was heading toward 100 degrees today, health officials issued a strong air pollution alert, urging elderly people and those suffering from heart and lung diseases to stay indoors and reduce physical exertion.

“The nation’s mid-section continued sweltering Thursday [Aug 25] as temperatures climbed over 100 from Oklahoma to Iowa…But the Deep South got a breather as thundershowers bathed parts of Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas, touched off in part by sputtering tropical depression Barry….

“No heat-related deaths were reported Thursday, halting a toll that had reached 17 this week. Since Saturday, the heat has been blamed for five deaths in Alabama, two each in South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky and one each in North Carolina and Illinois.” (AP. “Heat wave continues to bake Midwest.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 8-26-1983, p. 7.)

Aug 27: “Hot air roasted much of the nation again Saturday [Aug 27], with a forecaster saying the heat wave on the Plains could last two more weeks, as Barry strengthened to regain its title as a tropical storm as it slid toward southern Texas….

“Temperatures were expected to hit 90 as far north as Montana and North Dakota, with cooler readings around the Great Lakes and along the Pacific Coast. In the Northeast, the temperature hit 90 early in the afternoon at Boston and New York City.

“A heat alert remained in effect Saturday for St. Louis, which has had temperatures over 90 degrees for 13 straight days and a total of 55 days this year. On five of those days, including Friday, the mercury hit 100 degrees or more….The heat alert triggered the reopening of 20 cooling centers in the city. The St. Louis area also has been plagued by air pollution for three days. The pollution standards index in East St. Louis, Ill., on Friday was an ‘unhealthy’ 204, officials said. Readings of 0 to 50 are considered good. Readings above 100 mean people with heart or respiratory ailments should remain inside….

“Temperatures in the south-central region are predicted to remain above 90 degrees for at least two more weeks…and the mercury was expected to climb to 100 degrees during the weekend….” (Associated Press. “Heat continues as Barry regains tropical storm status.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 8-28-1983, p. 32.)

Sep 2: “Thunderstorms lingered over the Southeast today and a heat wave continued to bake the Northern Plains states….Temperatures were above 70 degrees this morning in the central third of the nation, with some 80s in the Northern Plains. Readings in the 70s covered the Southeast and the 90s in the desert Southeast. The hottest spot in the nation Thursday was Gila Bend, Ariz., with a 114 reading. Temperatures at 3 a.m. EDT ranged from 46 at Redmond, Ore., to 95 at Phoenix, Ariz.” (AP. “The Weather…Nation: Storms, heat.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 9-2-1983, 12.)

Sep 12-13: “Showers and thunderstorms lingered over the Gulf Coast states and the Tennessee Valley today and stretched up the Atlantic seaboard from Florida to southern New England….

“The latest East Coast heat wave continued unabated from North Carolina to Maryland Monday [Sep 12] with a record 95 at Raleigh, N.C., 98 at Norfolk, Va., and 94 at Baltimore….” (Assoc. Press. “The Weather….Nation: Heat continues.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 9-13-1983, p. 14.)

Sep 14: “Rain and a few thunderstorms lingered today over areas from southern Texas and the Gulf coast states through Georgia and up the Atlantic coast to Maryland. The rains brought some relief from an excessive heat wave in the Southeast during the past week….Temperatures at 3 a.m. EDT ranged from 34 degrees at Hibbing, Minn., to 93 at Phoenix.” (Associated Press. “The Weather….Nation: Rain lingers.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. 9-14-1983, p. 24.)

Sep 18: “It was over the Fourth of July weekend, when 3 million chickens perished in their coops, that the Drought of 1983 started firing up its stove in earnest. After farmers and gardeners in much of the East were stung by an unusually wet and cold spring, the mercury shot as high as 107 as far north as Williston, N.D., on July 16 and 110 in the rural community of Cheraw, S.C., on July 21. It jumped up to 108 on Aug. 17 at Des Moines, Iowa, where it was Senior Citizens Day at the state fair. More than 50 people were treated for heat exhaustion. The 110 degrees in Fayetteville, N.C., on Aug. 21 was an all-time record for the state and the hottest reading in the country on that day.

“When summer comes to an official end at 10:42 a.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 23, it will go into the record books as one of the hottest and driest ever seen, producing the worst drought in the Midwest and Ohio Valley since the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s.

“At least 231 died and losses to farmers are estimated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at $7 billion, with the corn crop expected to yield the smallest harvest in 13 years, just over half of last year’s record 8.4 billion bushels.

“Thousands of farmers have gone broke, with many losing their farms, and the cost of food at the grocery counter is expected to increase about 6.5 percent next year.

“‘It was something that we wouldn’t expect to happen more than once in a generation,’ said Phil Shideler of the National Weather Service in Topeka, Kan. He said that although there were more days in 1934 and 1936 when temperatures climbed above 100 degrees, this year ‘the combination of heat and dryness probably made it worse.’

“Near Bowman, S.C., Hugh Weathers rigged up fans and water hoses to drip on the tin roof of his barn to try to keep his family’s 850 dairy cows from keeling over. Some died anyway.

“Under the blazing sunshine, farmlands dried out and cracked open in giant checkerboard patterns. ‘It would take three days of rain just to fill up the cracks around here,’ Nolan Duke of the National Weather Service in Kansas City, Mo., said in early September.

“St. Louis, practically in the dead center of the country, was typical. It had one of the wettest springs on record, with 17.16 inches from March through May, as flash floods drove thousands from their homes along the bloated Mississippi and Missouri rivers. But with the change of season, St. Louis was brought to a boil, with 58 days above 90 degrees, including 14 days with temperatures above 100. St. Louis officials opened cooling shelters for the poor and elderly as more than 40 people died from the heat in the area.

“The drought was unmerciful across the vast corn and soybean fields of the Midwest. It shriveled crops from the tomato fields of New Jersey and the tobacco fields of Kentucky to the peanut fields of Georgia and the cotton fields of Alabama.

“Millions of chickens died in Maryland, Virginia, Georgia and across to Arkansas.

“Catfish farmers in Mississippi and elsewhere in Dixie said hundreds of thousands of commercial fish died because the heat cooked the oxygen out of the ponds. Mississippi produces about 100 million pounds of catfish a year.

“Across the Southeast from South Carolina to Alabama, which was also hit by droughts in 1977, 1978 and 1980, farmers were losing their farms. In Georgia, Tal C. DuVall, state director of the Agricultural Extension Service, estimated that 6,000 Georgia farmers were ‘insolvent.’ Many of the hardest hit were among the 16,000 growers of the state’s $370 million peanut crop, which provides 40 percent of the nation’s supply….” (Associated Press/David L. Langford. “Long, hot summer. ’83 drought comes ‘once in generation’.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 9-18-1983, p. 16.)

Arizona

July 28: “A Mexico man trying to cross the desert into the United States without water was found dead south of Tacna [Yuma Co.] Thursday [July 28], the U.S. Border Patrol reported. Two other men, both illegal aliens, were rescued. The dead man was identified as a 57-year-old who had crossed into the United States illegally….He was the second illegal alien found dead this summer by area Border Patrol agents. So far, agents have rescued nine. Last year, agents in the Yuma area recovered three bodies of aliens who died of heat exhaustion. In the summer of 1981 the number was considerably higher, according to agents….” (Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “One illegal alien dies in desert but 2 saved.” 7-29-1983, p. 1.)

Arkansas

NCDC on Arkansas, June-Aug: “A combined period of dryness, beginning in June, and excessive heat, beginning in July, occurred over the state and lasted through most of August. Precipitation was confined to afternoon thundershowers that were isolated to widely scattered….The northeast corner of the State was the driest section, while reaching temperatures of 100 degrees or higher, sooner than other parts. One hundred degree temperatures spread southward and westward from the northeast corner of Arkansas. The heat contributed to 13 fatalities statewide, according to the Arkansas Health Department…” (NCDC/NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 8, August 1983, p. 21.)

Kentucky

Aug 22, AP on KY: “Louisville, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s summer without relief could last into September, according to a National Weather Service forecaster….It will probably be mid-September before we see the last of the 90-degree range.

“Louisville tied a record established in 1936 when Sunday’s temperature reached 100 degrees. But the high readings for the day were recorded at Bowling Green and Lexington, each at 101. London had a high of 100 on Sunday, Covington was at 99, Paducah 98 and Jackson 96. A day earlier, Bardstown reached 105 degrees, followed by Lexington with 103 and Louisville with 100. Ironically, California’s infamous Death Valley recorded a high on Saturday of only 98…” (Associated Press. “Little relief in sight.” Times Tribune, Corbin, KY, 8-22-1983, p. 1.)

Aug 23, AP on KY: “Louisville, Ky. (AP)…some school closings have been blamed on a heat wave, the second of an uncommonly warm summer, that continues to cook the state of Kentucky. Highs were expected to be well into the 90s again today, with little relief in sight….As readings approached the 100-degree mark on Monday [Aug 22] Monticello decided to operate its city schools from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. to avoid the afternoon heat. Elsewhere in Wayne County, schools were ordered closed until further notice. Estill County schools closed Friday and again Monday because of the weather. And Graves County schools will operate on a half-day schedule, closing at 1 p.m. daily….Officials in Louisville have distributed more than 700 air conditioners or fans to needy families, and 300 more are on the way….” (Associated Press. “More school closings blamed on heat wave.” Times-Tribune, Corbin, KY, 8-23-1983, p. 3.)

Missouri

July 19: “….An elderly woman died of heat stroke, hypothermia and a heart attack in St. Louis, which endured its 10^th straight day of weather in the 90s….” (Daily News, Huntingdon, PA. “Mercury Soars Across Nation.” 7-19-1983, 1.)

New York

July 18: “UPI…. In New York City, where temperatures reached 94 degrees, an 87-year-old Queens man died when “excessive heat and humidity” aggravated a heart condition. His wife, also 87, was hospitalized suffering severe dehydration….” (Ruston Daily Leader, LA. “Seven die in storms, steamy heat wave.” 7-18-1983, p. 3.)

North Carolina

NCDC on July 12-24 North Carolina Heat Wave: “A large area of stagnant High Pressure located over the south central United Sates resulted in abnormally high temperatures across the State. Temperatures exceeded 90° in most locations for almost two weeks, with many areas reaching 100°, resulting in the establishment of many new record high temperatures. The heat combined with a prolonged dry spell to produce an agricultural drought which inflicted irreparable damage to many of the State’s agricultural commodities….Six deaths were attributed to the Heatwave; four directly from heatstroke and two indirectly from heat related complications.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 29.)

NCDC on Aug in NC: “The heat wave and drought which began in July continued in earnest during August as arid conditions and record high temperatures became commonplace. Most areas across the state received less than half of their normal rainfall amounts, which when combined with the record high temperatures produced disastrous results for the State’s agricultural commodities. Almost every station reached 100° during the five day period between the 19^th and 23^rd, which was the zenith of the heat wave. Fayetteville recorded an unprecedented 110° on the 21^st, breaking the State’s all-time record high temperature by one degree. One death was directly attributed to the heat as a man riding a motorcycle was overcome by heat exhaustion and crashed. Countless cases of heat exhaustion were reported across the State as one of the worst heat waves in recent years continued.” (NCDC. Storm Data, V. 25, N. 8, Aug 1983, p. 34.)

Ohio

Schmidlin and Schmidlin: “A hot summer month with temperatures 4 degrees above normal in Ohio culminated with a hot Sunday on 21 August 1983. Highs reached 100 degrees in western and southern Ohio and peaked at 107 at Meldahl Lock and Dam along the Ohio River west of Chilo. This was the hottest official temperature in Ohio since 107 degrees was recorded at the downtown Cincinnati Weather Bureau office on 12 July 1954. The 107-degree temperature has not been matched in Ohio since 1983. Other hot readings in August 1983 included 105 degrees at Chillicothe and 104 degrees at Hamilton and Cincinnati-Fernbank. Ohio River communities reached 90 degrees on twenty or more days during August 1983, and some nights did not cool below 75 degrees. Heavy use of air conditioning created record electricity demand for Cincinnati Gas and Electric Company. The Cincinnati Post reported that twenty-three ‘cool centers’ were opened in city neighborhoods for residents to escape from the heat. Unhealthy levels of air pollution accompanied the heat in Cincinnati and caused added stress to the elderly and those with respiratory problems.” (Schmidlin and Schmidlin. Thunder in the Heartland: A Chronicle of Outstanding Weather Events in Ohio. Kent State University Press, 1996, p. 144.)

Oklahoma

July 29, UPI: “Oklahoma imposed a heat emergency Friday [July 29] as temperatures topped 100 there and across the nation’s central band. Two deadly heat waves back to back claimed 180 lives. Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh ordered a statewide emergency and ordered daily inspections for excessive heat at all nursing homes and boarding houses. Nigh said the inspections would continue until the hot spell is over. He urged all mayors and city officials to keep ‘all public facilities’ open seven days a week, with extended hours. He recommended that libraries, senior citizens centers, city halls and community centers be kept open in early evening hours to serve as shelters from the heat….Oklahoma temperatures went over 100 for the eighth day. It was 103 at Altus, 101 at Hobart and 100 at Tulsa….” (UPI/David Smothers. “Oklahoma declares heat emergency.” 7-29-1983.)

South Dakota

July 19, Charles Mix and Jerauld Counties, SD: “Heat killed nearly 100 cattle at Academy (Charles Mix County) and 93 cattle in Wessington Springs (Jerauld County), with scattered small losses nearby. Temperatures were between 100 and 105 degrees with little wind.” (NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 38.)

Tennessee

July 20-24, TN: “Temperatures from the middle 90’s to the lower 100’s created heat stress for Tennesseans. About a dozen people died with heat believed the cause or contributing cause.” (National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 39.)

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United Press International. “Surf pounds Pacific beaches.” Hutchinson News, KS. 8-9-1983, p. 12. Accessed 2-18-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/kansas/hutchinson/hutchinson-news/1983/08-09/page-108?tag

United Press International (Brenda W. Rotzoll). “Three-digit weather scorches Midwest.” Hutchinson News, KS. 7-28-2983, p. 8. Accessed 2-19-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/us/kansas/hutchinson/hutchinson-news/1983/07-28/page-45?tag

Yuma Daily Sun, AZ. “One illegal alien dies in desert but 2 saved.” 7-29-1983, p. 1. Accessed 6-8-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/yuma-sun-jul-29-1983-p-1/

[1] Compiled by B. Wayne Blanchard in 2017 and 2019 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com

[2] This is for July-Aug — have found no reports of deaths in June or Sep. Have found reports of lingering heat in Sep.

[3] “…the sweltering summer of 1995 would rank with killer heat in 1983 and 1988, which caused 556 and 354 deaths, respectively. It could still fall far short of the 1,700 heat victims in 1980.”

[4] “At least 196 deaths nationwide since early July have been blamed on the scorching summer heat…”

[5] “A lingering series of heat waves…has claimed at least 183 lives in 15 states since early July, officials said.”

[6] UPI. “Autopsy shows Pratt was hit by heat stroke.” Salina Journal, KS. 8-23-1983, p. 15. Identified victim as fullback Greg Pratt. Notes: “Lee County Coroner Jon Williams said Monday [Aug 21] the autopsy by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences showed the cardiac arrest was caused by heat stroke…`I am ruling the cause of death was found to be a heat stroke.”

[7] Start with CDC WONDER at 16 deaths, and add four deaths noted by NCDC from counties not noted by CDC.

[8] “….The heat contributed to 13 fatalities statewide, according to the Arkansas Health Department.”

[9] United Press International. “Surf pounds Pacific beaches.” Hutchinson News, KS. 8-9-1983, p. 12. Writes: “Police attributed his death to room temperatures around 100 degrees.”

[10] Figure 3, “Annual Temperature Deaths, Florida, 1979-1999.” is a chart which shows heat deaths in one color and cold deaths in another on the same horizontal bar for each year. The fatality range shown on the left of the chart is in increments of five, going up to thirty. The bars for each year are shown diagonally and do not show any numbers. This does not make them readily readable. Thus one has to measure with a ruler the bar showing the lowest combined deaths (1979), which appears to show one cold death and one heat death. With the unit of measurement of one death then measured against the heat portion of all the other bars, one can get an approximation of the heat deaths for each year. I say “approximate” in that by this method we counted 133 heat deaths over the 21-year period included in the graph, whereas the text of the article notes that there were 125. Repetitious measurement attempts gave us the same result. The article notes that the data came from death certificates collected by the Public Health Statistics Section, Office of Vital Statistics, Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

[11] “In Georgia, 84 cases of HRI [heat-related illness] and 35 HRDs [heat-related deaths] were reported…” [Presumably over same period of time discussed for St. Louis in the same article — July 11-August 15.] “Patients over 60 years of age were the most severely affected, accounting for 20 (57.0%) of the deaths and 147 (26.0%) of the HRIs throughout the state….Over half of the Georgia HRDs occurred between July 19 and July 28, when Atlanta reported mean daily temperatures between 34.4 C and 37.2 C (94.0 F and 99.0 F), an average of 6 F above normal for that time period.”

[12] One might wonder at the difference between the two CDC figures of 20 Heat deaths and 35 Heat-Related deaths. The probable reason is that the CDC WONDER number (20) reflects death certificates accessible to the CDC on which the ICD code for excessive natural heat (hyperthermia) is noted as the primary cause of death. Heat-related death numbers can reflect deaths wherein determinations are made that heat was a contributing factor.

[13] AP. “Heat wave death toll hits 110.” Roswell Daily Record, NM, 7-24-1983, p. 1. Notes temperature reached 100° and cites Deputy Health Commissioner that “it was ‘a reasonable assumption’ that the deaths were heat-related.”

[14] UPI. “South bears burden of summer’s fire.” Salina Journal, KS, 8-24-1983, p. 18.

[15] NCDC. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 19. Probably same death noted in press for Postville on July 23.

[16] National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 19.

[17] National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1983, p. 19.

[18] Lawrence Journal-World, KS. “Weather turns sticky while city heats up.” 7-27-1983, p. 3. Victim identified as Theodore C. Elliott.

[19] Hutchinson News, KS. “Regional weather conditions. Kansas.” 7-26-1983, p. 10.

[20] CDC WONDER notes 19 Jefferson County deaths. We note two press reports on July 24 that there had been 26-27 deaths in Louisville (in Jefferson County), plus a note on a probable heat death in Louisville on Aug 21. We also note the National Climatic Data Center/NOAA, which notes 34 deaths in Louisville, Jefferson County, in July alone.

[21] Starting July 10 “A heat wave swept across the state of Kentucky during the final two-thirds of July. The state was declared in a state of emergency on July 22, 1983 by the acting Governor…when the excessive heat started taking lives. Forty-two people died throughout Kentucky as a result of the hear. 34 of those 42 deaths were in Louisville (Jefferson County)….The heat wave continued on into August, 1983.”

[22] “Twenty-seven deaths from the heat had been reported in Louisville as of Saturday [July 23” Louisville is the Jefferson County seat.

[23] AP. “More school closings blamed on heat wave.” Times-Tribune, Corbin, KY, 8-23-1983, p. 3. Cites Jefferson Co. coroner that windows had been left covered with plastic since the winter, and heat probably was a factor.

[24] We use CDC tally of 67 for all but Scott County, where they have one female death (aged 55-64), and the press notes (1) death of a 65-year-old male in the Aug 2-3 time frame, citing “Scott County officials” to effect “death was caused by the heat,” and (2) death of an 84-year-old woman on July 28 in Sikeston, in Scott County, citing Coroner.

[25] United Press International. “Heat wave moves northward.” Hutchinson News, KS. 8-10-1983, p. 26.

[26] AP/Kim Mills. “Heat strikes home in the heartland as deaths mount.” Lawrence Daily Journal World, KS. 7-29-1983. Article identified the victim as Effie Morrow Beaird, and notes “She had apparently been working in her garden just before she was felled by the heat…”

[27] UPI (Tim Coder). “Death toll tops 190 as heat wave continues.” Hutchinson News, KS. 8-3-1983, p. 12.

[28] New York Times. “St. Louis Bears Brunt of Heat Wave as U.S. Toll Rises.” 7-24-1983.

[29] UPI. “South bears burden of summer’s fire.” Salina Journal, KS, 8-24-1983, p. 18.

[30] UPI. “South bears burden of summer’s fire.” Salina Journal, KS, 8-24-1983, p. 18.

[31] Out of “348 cases of heat-related illness… Of those who died, 23 (65.7%) were elderly (aged 60 years and over), 27 (77.2%) were female, and 23 (65.0%) were black.” (pp. 325-326)

[32] St. Louis area, however, includes East St. Louis, IL, where article notes an male, 81, died “inside his locked, stifling apartment…housing project.”

[33] “…a man riding a motorcycle was overcome by heat exhaustion and crashed.”

[34] UPI (Brenda W. Rotzoll). “Three-digit weather scorches Midwest.” Hutchinson News, KS. 7-28-2983, p. 8.

[35] The Oklahoman (Pat Record). “City heat chalks up 2 deaths.” 7-28-1983. Ruled as heat-related natural causes death by Medical Examiner’s Office.

[36] The Oklahoman (Pat Record). “City heat chalks up 2 deaths.” 7-28-1983. Writes: “Medical examiners said Mahan’s body temperature after death was still 107.”

[37] “Unusually hot dry weather set high records at many locations during the month, [and] caused heavy losses to agriculture. Eleven deaths were heat related. Undetermined number of people injured.”

[38] We start with CDC WONDER base of 25. Add NCDC/NOAA noted deaths in Bradley (1), Obion (1), and Robertson (2) counties in July.

[39] Notes “…daily temperatures soared to over 100 degrees in many places…Many school systems across the state either let schools out early in the day or delayed the opening of schools…”

[40] UPI. “Sizzling heat settles on southern Plains.” Hutchinson News, KS, 8-2-1983, p.10. Notes she was 189^th victim.

20th Century

1983 — June 28, eastbound Mianus River Bridge Span Collapse, I-95, Greenwich, CT– 3

lornajarrettblanchard June 28, 1983

— 3 AP. “Three die as highway bridge collapses.” The Sun, Lowell, MA. 6-28-1983, p. 3.

— 3 Carper and Feld. Construction Failure. 1997, p. 13.

— 3 Frederick and Young. “Mianus River Bridge Collapses…June 28.” ConnecticutHistory.org.

— 3 Delatte. Beyond Failure: Forensic Case Studies for Civil Engineers. ASCE, 2009, p. 185.

— 3 Levy and Salvadori. Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail. 1987, p. 138.

— 3 NTSB. HAR. Collapse of a Suspended Span of Interstate Route 95 Highway Bridge… p. 1

Narrative Information

Carper and Feld: “Mianus River Bridge, Connecticut Turnpike, June 1983. Three persons were killed when a connection gave way, allowing a section of the 26-year-old bridge to collapse into the river.” (Carper and Feld. Construction Failure. 1997, p. 13.)

National Transportation Safety Board Synopsis: “At 1:30 a.m., e.d.t. on June 28, 1983, a 100-foot-long suspended span between piers 20 and 21 of the eastbound traffic laves of the Interstate Route 95 highway bridge over the Mianus River in Greenwich, Connecticut, collapsed and fell 70 feet into the river below. Two tractor-semitrailers and two automobiles plunged into the void in the bridge and were destroyed by impact from the fall. Three vehicle occupants died, and three received serious injuries.

“The suspended span which collapsed was attached to the bridge structure at each of its four corners. To support the weight of the northeast and southeast corners of the suspended span, each corner was attached to the girders of the cantilever arm of an adjacent anchor span by a pin and hanger assembly. The pin and hanger assembly includes an upper pin attached through the 2½ inch-thick web of the girder of the suspended span. One and one half-inch thick steel hangers connect the upper and lower pins — one on the inside and one on the outside of the web.

“Sometime before the collapse of the suspended span, the inside hanger in the southeast corner of the span came off of the inside end of the lower pin. This action shifted the entire weight of the southeast corner of the span onto the outside hanger. The outside hanger gradually worked its way farther outward on the pin, and over a period of time, a fatigue crack developed in the top outside end of the upper pin. The shoulder of the pin fractured off, the pin and hanger assembly failed, and the span collapsed into the river.

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the collapse of the Mianus River bridge span was the undetected lateral displacement of the hangers of the pin and hanger suspension assembly in the southeast corner of the span by corrosion-induced forces due to deficiencies in the State of Connecticut’s bridge safety inspection and bridge maintenance program.”

Newspaper

June 28, Associated Press: “Greenwich, Conn. (AP) — A 100-foot section of an interstate highway bridge collapsed before dawn today, hurling trucks and cars 70 feet into the Mianus River. Three people were killed and at least three others were critically injured, authorities said. The three eastbound lanes of the bridge dropped into the river at about 1:30 a.m. on Interstate 95, Connecticut’s main highway into New York City some 20 miles to the southwest, said Chet West, Greenwich Fire Department dispatcher. Two tractor-trailer trucks and two cars fell into the water, and Guard and Greenwich police boats searched the river for more motorists who may have been trapped in their cars. State police spokesman John McLeod confirmed three people died. In addition, two women and one may were taken to the emergency room of Greenwich Hospital in critical condition.

“Authorities said they had no idea why the bridge fell apart. The 100-foot section made a clean break with the rest of the bridge. The 25-year-old bridge on the Connecticut Turnpike was last inspected in September, said state Transportation Commissioner J. William Burns. ‘There were problems with the bridge deck, but not with the structure,’ he said….

“The accident happened at high tide, when the water is about eight to 10 feet deep, said Lt. Joe Orrico of the Cos Cob Fire Department….

“Gordon Gillman, who lives next to the bridge, said that in recent weeks it had been making ‘some squeaking noises,’ which he had reported to the state Transportation Department. ‘They said that had been contacted — they’d had people call — and that regular maintenance needed to be done.’ Gillman said….” (Associated Press. “Three die as highway bridge collapses.” The Sun, Lowell, MA. 6-28-1983, p. 3.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Three die as highway bridge collapses.” The Sun, Lowell, MA. 6-28-1983, p. 3. Accessed 4-122-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun-jun-28-1983-p-31/?tag

Carper, Kenneth L. and Jacob Feld. Construction Failure. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997. Partially digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=-jnlb-oJxcEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=true

Delatte, Norbert J. Jr. Beyond Failure: Forensic Case Studies for Civil Engineers. Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers Press, 2009.

Frederick, Karen, and Anne Young. “Mianus River Bridge Collapses — Today in History: June 28.” ConnecticutHistory.org. Accessed 4-12-2017 at: https://connecticuthistory.org/mianus-river-bridge-collapses-today-in-history/

Levy, Matthys, and Mario Salvadori. Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1987.

National Transportation Safety Board. Highway Accident Report. Collapse of a Suspended Span of Interstate Route 95 Highway Bridge Over the Mianus River, Greenwich, Connecticut, June 28, 1983. Washington, DC: NTSB, adopted 7-19-1984, 112 pages. Accessed 4-14-2017 at:

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR8403.pdf

20th Century

1983 — June 16, US Navy P-3B Orion Crash in Mountain, Na Pali coast, Kauai, HI — 14

lornajarrettblanchard June 16, 1983

— 14 Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). 10-29-2011.

— 14 Daily Herald (Chicago). “14 Dead in Navy Crash,” June 17, 1983, p. 8.

— 14 Howell. “Kalepa Ridge Crash Site of NAVY P-3 Orion YB-06 June 16, 1983.”

— 14 Planecrashinfo.com. “1983. Accident Details. US Navy Lockheed P-3B Orion…June 16”

— 14 US Dept. Navy. “Casualties: US Navy…Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Injured…”

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Lockheed P-3B-65-LO Orion….152720 (c/n 185-5160, VP-1) crashed into mountain side on Kauai, HI Jun 16, 1983. All 14 on board killed.” (Baugher. 10-29-2011.)

Howell: “In the pre-dawn hours of June 16, 1983, “Yankee Bravo Zero Six” was on a submarine-hunting training mission north of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The Orion’s radar was off, in order to be undetected by the submarine. The night, overcast sky made for zero visibility. At just after 4 a.m., the aircraft hit a steep ridge on the Na Pali Coast of Kauai. All fourteen Shipmates were lost.” (Howell. “Kalepa Ridge Crash Site of NAVY P-3 Orion YB-06 June 16, 1983.”)

[Howell provides the names of the fourteen victims as well as their home city and State of residence on his site, as well as a photo of the ridge the plane flew into.]

US Navy: “P-3 Orion lost over Kauai, Hawaii, killing 14 crewmembers. 17 Jun. 1983.” (US Dept. Navy. “Casualties: US Navy…Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Injured…”)

Newspaper

Chicago Daily Herald: “Honolulu — A Navy P3 Orion plane carrying 14 men crashed on a remote, treacherous section of Kauai Island early Thursday, and all aboard were killed, the Navy said. Lt Cmdr Roger Copeland, public affairs officer for the Third Fleet at Pearl Harbor, confirmed the deaths late Thursday. The four-engine, turboprop plane disappeared shortly after 4 am, during a training flight, Copeland said Rescue aircraft located the wreckage later in the morning on a ridge overlooking Kauai’s northwest coast Rescue helicopters were trying to land a ground crew to reach the remote crash site, Copeland said The plane, assigned to Patrol Squadron 1 at the Barbers Point Naval Air Station on Oahu, was participating in a routine readiness training exercise in support of ships operating in waters off the Kauai coast.” (Daily Herald (Chicago). “14 Dead in Navy Crash,” June 17, 1983, p. 8.)

Sources

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). Oct 29, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html

Daily Herald, Chicago, IL. “14 Dead in Navy Crash,” June 17, 1983, p. 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=15753103

Howell, Brian. “Kalepa Ridge Crash Site of NAVY P-3 Orion YB-06 June 16, 1983.” Accessed 4-14-2017 at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/inter-island_helicopters/8910063011

Planecrashinfo.com. “1983. Accident Details. US Navy Lockheed P-3B Orion…June 16, 1983.” Accessed at: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1983/1983-26.htm

United States Department of the Navy. Casualties: US Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Injured in Selected Accidents and Other Incidents Not Directly the Result of Enemy Action. Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center. 2008.

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