Wichita Falls, Tx. Tornado. Apr. 1964

7 Killed As Twister Slams Wichita Falls

Wichita Falls, Tex – UPI – A killer tornado dipped down out of a clear sky yesterday and churned a 15-minute path of death and destruction through Sheppard Air Force Base and two residential areas.

It killed seven persons, injured 68 and caused an estimated $1.5 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.

THE DEAD were Albert MILLER, 75; Mrs. Dawson MINEAR; Mrs. Carl E. HOEFFGER, 58; Ernest CASWELL, 55; Mr. Rena CASWELL; Mrs. Hazel Rea COLLINS, 35, and a woman identified as Mrs. HARTAY.

Gov. John CONNALLY ordered 100 national Guardsmen to protect wrecked and damaged homes from looting.
At least 200 homes were destroyed.

At the air base, the funnel tore up an old Air Force hospital and a clinic, both empty at the time, and missed a new $5 million hospital.

AFTER THE twister passed through the base, it hit the El Fey trailer park nearby, destroying or damaging 20 trailers. The Lincoln Heights housing area also was hit.

A railroad boxcar was lifted about 100 yards and dumped on top of the ruins of a house. A car with two women in it was lifted up by the twister and dropped a block and a half away. The women were unharmed.

IN ST. LOUIS, a tornado-like wind, hail and rainstorm last night left one man presumed dead and at least $2.5 million in damages, authorities said.

The 80-to-100 mile per hour winds ripped off roof tops and crumbled building walls in south St. Louis.

Cold air which has plagued the northern two-thirds of the nation continued a slow march southward today, bringing snow flurries, strong winds and freezing rain.

Snow flurries swirled by strong winds impeded travel in the Northeast. A severe thunderstorm and an unconfirmed tornado ripped through an area near Graham, Tex., some 70 miles west of Fort Worth.

Tucson Daily Citizen, Tucson, AZ 4 Apr 1964

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Transcribed by Lori Hedges. Thank you, Lori!