Flashback Sunday

Folks older than me talk about "What were you doing the day JFK was shot." My generation talks about "What were you doing on April 3?"

On April 3, 1974, a Super Outbreak of tornadoes occurred, and produced 148 tornadoes within a 24 hour period. This is the largest number on record. During the height of activity, 15 tornadoes were on the ground simultameously. 315 persons were killed, 5484 were injured within the 13 states and Canada in which tornadoes occurred. The tornadoes travelled 2598 miles. Our southwest part of Jefferson County was spared, thankfully. But there were a lot of areas in Louisville and the surrounding counties that were destroyed. The fairgrounds, Cherokee Park, Crescent Hill and the Highlands were destroyed, as was the small city of Brandenburg, just west of here along the Ohio River.

When someone asks what I remember about that afternoon, I can tell them that I remember laying in the floor of the family room with my favorite big pillow watching the soap operas with Grandma, while the weathermen kept interrupting. I remember Dad and Grandpa nervously going outside every few minutes, checking the sky to see if they could see any funnel clouds. But to me, my most vivid memories are the day after the destruction.

In all of my 48+ years, I have never seen a sky as clear and blue as it was the day after the April 3 tornado outbreak. I can't remember if we were on spring break from school, or if they just cancelled school due to the destruction and devastation in the city, but Mom, Grandpa and I went up to Otto's Pharmacy and Gateway Grocery on Dixie Highway. Dad was up in Cherokee Park with the Boy Scout troop that he led, clearing the debris. I remember walking from the car to the drugstore looking up at the sky and thinking how clear and blue it was. Like I said, to this day, I've never seen a sky as clear and blue as that day.

Getting back to the afternoon of April 3, I don't remember being the least bit scared or freaked out. Sure, we have a basement, but we didn't go down there, even though the news people were telling people to take cover. I guess if Dad and Grandpa had run back in the house and said they saw a tornado, we'd all ran down there, but Mom, Grandma and I were in the family room. Maybe if we'd had Dopplar radar back then, the weatherazzi would have scared us but I can honestly say that we weren't afraid that afternoon.