123 DEAD AS TORNADO HITS PENNSYLVANIA, WEST VA.

PROPERTY DAMAGE TOTALS SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS.

By John B. Delaney
United Press Correspondent.
Pittsburgh, June 24. -- A torndo which carved a tenuous swath of destruction through Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia today left 123 known dead, hundreds homeless and property damage totaling several million dollars. The number of injured was estimated at close to 1,000, with many victims in critical condition. The death toll was expected to rise.
Striking at dusk last evening, the storm, described as a "cond-shaped cloud," twisted its way through ten counties in the two states, traveling with tremendous speed and leaving a trail of death, shattered buildings, uprooted trees and other wreckage in its wake.
Whole districts were virtually devastated by the power of the storm, which struck with such speed and concentrated fury that buildings appeared to explode when the twister materialized. Some victims were propelled helter-skelter from their homes.
In rural areas, cows, chickens, pigs and other livestock were scattered over the landscape. Railroad cars were lifted into the air and deposited on their sides. Some communities reported as many as 40 to 50 houses demolished, with hundreds of others damaged.
The storm appeared to be at its worst when it hit Shinnston, W. Va., where 50 were known dead and at least 100 injured. The next worst hit district, apparently, was the McKeesport, Pa., area, southeast of Pittsburgh, where 13 were known dead and some 200 injured.
ZONA HAUGHT, a Red Cross worker at Shinnston, said:
"The tornado demolished houses like they were cardboard. Roofs were taken off houses just like pieces of paper."

Pittsburgh, June 24. -- Dazed survivors near here were slowly recollecting today their impressions of the tornado.
EDWARD F. PEPFEH, 39, of Elizabethtown, Pa., a maintenance man at the Irvin works of Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corp, said:
"I was home working in the garage when it happened. I looked out of the garage and saw the 'twister' coming. I called my wife because I knew she had never seen anything like it."
"I didn't have any idea of the danger involved. It passed over the garage and before I knew it one wall had collapsed and was pinning me to the ground. I thought I had two broken legs but they seemed to be all right."
MRS. EDITH McCAULIFFE, of Dravosburg, who was rescued along with her seven children when their home collapsed, was playing cards when the tornado struck.
"We were in the house playing cards when suddenly the house seemed to fold like paper on top of us," she said. "We ran into the basement and firemen rescued us from there."
From her hospital bed, MRS. CLARA BAXTER, 27, of Dravosburg, two of whose children were found dead, tearfully recalled the devastating scene.
"My husband, HAROLD, was home on furlough. The wind was blowing hard and I called by four children to come into the house. The wind pulled the screen door loose and I ran to turn down the gas flame. No sooner had I gotten to the stove when the walls of the house collapsed on me and three of my children and two of my sister-in-law's children. Iwas buried under the house for almost a half hour."

The Daily News Huntingdon Pennsylvania 1944-06-24

The Following Lists Are From The Shinnston News West Virginia June 29, 1944.
The dead in the Shinnston community include the following:
JOHN BARNETT.
ROBERT DALE BASFORD.
DELORIS CARDER.
BLAINE CARDER, JR.
JOHNNIE CAVALIER.
NEIL ECKHARD.
CHARLES TERRY LINDSEY.
MILDRED YOST METZ.
MRS. TONY OLIVERIO.
FRANK ROTUNDO.
LORETTA SHARP.
WILLIAM RAY STARK.
WILLIAM RAY STARK, JR.
MRS. CALVIN YOST.
KENNETH YOST.
MRS. EDGAR E. RIGHTER, Saltwell.
MARY SHINN, 50, of Shinn's Run, a teacher in the Wyatt School. She is thought to have died of shock.
CALVIN YOST, Lucas Mill.
CAROL LINDSEY 19, Ehlen.
THOMAS WEST, 55, Robinson's Run.
TONY OLIVERIO, Pleasant Hill, died in Clarksburg hospital.
SANTO ROTUNDO, boy, Pleasant Hill.
CHARLES WARREN LINDSEY, 5, and JERRY ROBERT LINDSEY, 6, of Ehlen.
DENZIL KINCAID, 22, of Shinnston and Pine Grove.
MRS. JASON CRAIG, Ehlen.
ROBERTA E. MOORE, 7, Oakdale.
Baby of ROY BARNETTE, 6 days of age and unnamed.
MRS. ROBERT CARDER.
MRS. AMOS LINDSEY.
MR. and MRS. CARSON GRIFFIN, of Oakdale.
MRS. JESSIE MAHANA, Ehlen.
ANNA LEE MAHANA, 10 months old daughter of MRS. JESSIE MAHANA.
MRS. CARL BEAN, Peora Hill, and ROSE BEAN, 19, daughter, and HALLIE BEAN, 21, daughter.
MRS. HARVEY LUNDELL mother of 13 children, visiting at Lucas Mill, and One Child.
MARGARET GUTIERREZ, 12, daughter of MR. and MRS. ANGEL GUTIERREZ, of Erie, who was visiting in storm area.
CHARLES WILLIAM DAVID CARLIN, 52, pit boss at Katherine Coal Co. mine No. 4, of Peora Hill, and his wife, MRS. KATHERINE CARLIN.
MRS. BEATRICE HANLIN, 25, daughter of MR. and MRS. CARLIN.
KENNETH MEREDITH CARLIN, 16, son of MR. and MRS. CARLIN.
ROBERT LEE CARLIN, son of MR. and MRS. CARLIN.
MRS. PAUL COX, Shinn's Run, and two children, ALLEN BURL COX, 3 and PAUL COX, JR., 15 months old.
MRS. LEOTA KING, Ehlen.
JOHN THOMAS TEMPLE, 50.
DELORES ARNOLD, 15.
MRS. PEARL SHARP, 45, Ehlen.
MRS. ANN RUTTER, 50, Robinson's Run.
LOUIS MARRA, died at Clarksburg Hospital.
JERRY BASFORD, 70, died at Clarksburg Hospital.
ROSE OLIVERIO, 22, daughter of TONY OLIVERIO.
MRS. GEORGE O'CONNOR, 50, died in Clarksburg Hospital.
MRS. OKEY (BERNICE) MILLER.
CATHERINE MILLER, 17, daughter of MRS. OKEY MILLER.
FRED ROBERTS and MRS. ROBERTS.
SONORA ROBERTS, 19, daughter of MR. and MRS. FRED ROBERTS.
WILLILAM RAY STARR, died in Fairmont Hospital.
JACK GARRETT, 85, of near Oakdale.
EARL MILBOURN, 60, a typewriter repairman from Winchester, Va., injured at Joetown.
JOHN BARRETT, 59, Pine Grove.
BARBARA LEE ZARBAUGH, 5 months old.
MRS. FRANK VERDIGAN.

The Injured
The injured, taken to St. Mary's Hospital, included:
AUSTIN ANDERSON, 6; GERAL BASSART; RALPH BLAIR, 15; NANCY ANN BROWN, 3 1/2 years; MRS. MARIE BARON, 63; MRS. MARK CUNNINGHAM; ROBERT CARTER, 35; CORA COURTNEY, 60; MILDRED FOOKS; CLARA FOOKS, 13; MARY GILLIS, 16; DONALD GREGORY, 3; PEGGY GREGORY; Infant GREGORY; CHARLES HALL; MRS. LILLIAN HALL; Infant HALL, 3 months old; SHIRLEY HALL; CHARLES JEFFRIES; DARRELL LINDSEY; MRS. ANGELINE LORIA; DOYLE LOUDIN; MRS. VIRGINIA LOUDIN; RAY LOUDIN, 13; MRS. BRADFORD N. MOORE; MRS. MABEL McFAY; JOHN MARRA; MRS. ANGELINE MARONI; MRS. JOHN MARRA; Infant MARRA; Infand DONALD MAY; MARGARET MARTINEZ; MARY V. MAHANEY, 7; SCOTT MACKEY, SR., 33; EDITH MACKEY, 37; SCOTT MACKEY, JR., 2 1/2; CHARLES DARRELL MACKEY, infant; PATTY MACKEY, 4; GEORGE O'CONNOR, 14; ANTIONETTE OLIVERIO, 21; ANNA OLIVERIO, 21; EULANDA PILLO, 12; ALMA RIDGE, 6; MARY ROTUNDA, 10; SANTO ROTUNDA, 65; LEE SPRING, 65; MRS. HELEN SUTULA; MARY STEFHOVICH, 8; FRANK VERDIGAN, 49; ELSIE RAY BOWERS; MARCIE, 4, last name unknown; ERCIE MOORE; ANGELINE NERO.

At Union Protestant Hospital:
JEAN GREGORY, 16; JAMES RICHARD LINDSEY; ROSA LEE BARNETT; LAWRENCE BARNETT; MRS. DEAN ZARBAUGH; LOUIS McELDOWNEY.

At Fairmont General Hospital:
Eight critically injured include:
MRS. LIZZIE JOHN BARNETT, 61; RAYMOND BALLARD, 8, probably of Shinnston; MRS. FRANCES (FRANK) ROTUNDA; GLADYS LAMP, 38; MARY GARRETT (MRS. JACK), 69, of Oakdale; SARAH MALONE, 72; MARY LOU STARY, 4; LESLIE MILLS, 60, of Joetown.
Twenty-nine also at Fairmont General Hospital not listed as critical:
CLARENCE BARNETT, 20; RAY BARNETT, 27, serious after an operation. WILLIAM and ANNA BARTA, 53 and 49, both serious.
WAYONDA BRAGG, 14, only fair.
FAY BRAGG, 38, only fair.
CAROLYN SUE CUNNINGHAM, 3, fair.
MORT CUNNINGHAM, 54, fair.
BESSIE FETTY, 42, fair.
BONNIE HALL, 33, Mingo Junction, Ohio, who was visiting at Joetown, fair.
DALE HALL, 9, son of above, fair.
LARRY ALLEN HELDRETH, 43, fair.
LILLIAN MALONE, 45, fair.
MILTON MALONE, fair.
MARTHA MILLS, 36, Indian Run, fair.
PEARL MILLS, 36, Indian Run, fair.
TOM MILLS, 65, Indian Run, fair.
MARY MYERS, 27, serious.
MARY PRICE, 26, fair.
MAXINE RILEY, 15, fair.
ROTUNDA, baby boy, serious.
FRANK ROTUNDA, serious.
EARL STARK, JR., 9, fair.
VIRGINIA STARK, 8, fair.
LUCILLE STARK, 2, fair.
ANNA MAY STARK, 27, mother of the three, fair.
LUCH STARK, 67, fair.
LESTER TETRICK, 23, fair.
VIRGINIA (MRS. LESTER) TETRICK, fair.
Their son, DAVID, 18 months, fair.
At Fairmont Emergency:
MRS. BESSIE MOORE, R. D. 2, Mannington.
CHARLES R. MOORE, 5, son of the above.
MRS. FREDA COLLINS, 29.
TOMMY COLLINS, 6, son of above.
DONA JANE FARRELL, 22.
__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!