This blog is dedicated to a treasured past, the past that has shaped the foundation of all of our todays. Each post will give a glimpse into the history that once was on the day it was written..Posts will not be daily, but will be multiple times in any given week.
Or worse yet, here comes the storm before the rain. On June 9, 1953 nearly 94 Worcester, Massachusetts people lost their lives to a series of tornadoes that still today live on in the memories of the survivors. The outbreak actually began it's wrath on June 8, and in Flint, Michigan when an F5 hit and killed many just after they finished their dinners and were settling down in their homes.
Known as the Flint-Worcester tornado sequence outbreak, - the storm system that created the Michigan tornado moved it's way eastward across the country spawning 46 tornadoes including one F5 and five F4s. By the time the storms pushed along and diminished over 240 people lost their lives - marking 1953 as the deadliest tornado year in U.S. history. '
Fast forward to 2008 and just under 20 miles from this writer's home, a major tourist attraction in the Wisconsin Dells/Lake Delton area became a victim of that year's massive rains when a dam gave way and the lake drained into the Wisconsin River - taking everything in it's path with it.
Words can not express what the actual video of the event shows -
During the runaway river event...
A few hours later.........
And then one year later...and after diverting water back in....well, see for yourself...
I find it interesting that while I do my research for posts on this blog, that any given date I can see patterns in the events that happened on the same day, in the same month, however a different year. Sometimes it can be amusing - then sometimes it can be ironic- then, however, there are days like to day when it is tragic. Today my research uncovered an ominous atmosphere- an aura, I suppose some may suggest.
This past century June 5 is prominent as a day of tragedy -
June 5, 1941 - 4000 people in Chongqing, China perished - they died while seeking safety in a bomb shelter as their world around them was being destroyed. Hiding in a tunnel they were asphyxiated. On that day the bombing went on for three hours. In what is known as the Bombing of Chongqing - From 1938 until 1943 a "terror bombing" occurred on the city ...reports say the Japanese Army and Naval service is said to have dropped an estimated 11,500 bombs.
June 5, 1942 - (WWII) The United States declares war on Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
June 5, 1946 - 61 people perish in a fire at the LaSalle Hotel in Chicago. It was in the early morning hours when the fire started in an elevator shaft which soon overtook the lower floors of the 23 story building. Naturally people panicked - that panic caused hysteria as they attempted to exit the building. Some of those trapped in the upper levels of the hotel were unable to exit through the lobby below them as it was engulfed in flames - for some the only option was to leap to their deaths. Tragically many children died on this day in the fire trap.
An unlikely heroine in this tragedy was a switchboard operator, Julia Barry. She stayed next to her switchboard to answer any calls of help that may still come in - she died there, consumed in the toxic air and flames.
Some of those who did perish went unidentified in the news reports: Unidentified 10 year old Boy. Unidentified 13 year old Girl.
Unidentified Mother and Child in Arms.
Around 900 people were able to leave the hotel on their own - however 150 needed to be rescued. Those that did perish did so by suffocating on the thick black smoke.
One positive came as a result of the fire. The City of Chicago, after the fire and because of it, enacted new fire fighting regulations along with new building codes - One of which was that automatic alarm systems be installed in motel/hotel rooms.
June 5, 1968 - Presidential candidate, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan. The tragedy took place at the Ambassador in Los Angeles, CA. Kennedy was shot three times with a .22 caliber revolver. A fourth bullet passed through his jacket - he died 26 hours later.
Five others who were standing by Kennedy at the time of the assassination were also shot, but lived to tell their story; Paul Schrade, an official with the United Automobile Workers union; William Weisel, an ABC TV unit manager; Ira Goldstein, a reporter ; Elizabeth Evans; and a teenaged campaign volunteer, Irwin Stroll.
For his crime Sirhan is currently incarerated at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, California.
June 5, 1981- In a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention they announced that five people in Los Angeles were diagnosed with a rate form of pneumonia - it was considered unusual as it was only seen in people with a weakened immune system - this report was the first clue that our world would soon change and AIDS would in the next years would be discovered - today, on the 30th anniversary of that clue it is estimated that well over 60 million people have been infected with HIV and there has been over 25 million deaths from AIDS.
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Now, let's not all be doom and gloom on this day. There is one thing that happened on a June 5th which may have sent many conservative parents running in the other direction as they yanked their children away from the television - but, today we can all smile at it when we look back -
In 1956 Elvis Presley premiered his song, Hound Dog, on the Milton Berle Show -while the song was a good one, the scandal came from the erratic twist and suggestive movements of Elvis and in his hips.. ahhh... the good old innocent days.....
Can't imagine life without those bluetooth ear buds? Or how about those fond memories of a rotary dial? Some of us may even still be carrying around memories of telephone numbers that actually started with two letter...UN4-something or other comes to mind as I remember my grandmother's phone number when I was a child.
Well, if any of the above matters to you, then take a moment today to honor a significant piece of American innovative history and the man who catapulted us into the age of communication - Alexander Graham Bell and in making the first voice transmission. The date of this ever historic event was June 3, 1875.
Oddly enough another significant event happened on June 3rd and one which would help catapult our nation into another era like no other, this time however the year was 1889 - on this day 122 years ago the very first long distance electric power transmission was completed. A power line that ran 14 miles from a generator in Williamette Falls to downtown Portland, Oregon - that first long distance energy route powered 55 street lights.
Had it not been for the creativity and determination of the inventors in the mid to late 1800's I probably would not be sitting here typing this all out for you - nor would I be able to inform you of one other significant June 3rd event - one that owes their own appreciation to those creative minds of the inventors of over a century ago..
This next June 3 event occurred in 1976- our country's bicentennial year - and ironically the hat is tipped to a group of British men better known as Queen. Yes, ladies and gentlemen June 3rd is the anniversary of the all time favorite ...first head banging song....going Gold - Bohemian Rhapsody!!
And thank you Queen for having an official You Tube channel and allowing for imbedding this video with out the worry of copyright infringement!
