Shinnston Tornado 80th Anniversary — Clarksburg History Museum

Introduction by Beth Gain

Article featured from The Clarksburg Telegram June 24, 1944 - Download and read the original article here

Background Information
I’ve spent some time getting acquainted with the facts surrounding the tragic event of the Shinnston Tornado; Sunday, June 23, 2024 marks its 80th anniversary. Until this recent research, I wasn’t fully aware of the brutality of the storm. In Harrison county, it claimed 66 lives [this number is sometimes listed as 70] and altogether injured 430 more. In addition to razing hundreds of homes, the storm destroyed massive amounts of critical infrastructure including trolley tracks, power lines, and natural gas compressor stations.

When I realized that the storm hit during an already uncertain time, it brought many things into focus. The citizens of Shinnston, like everyone in the United States, had already been living under a heavy, dark cloud as the world waged war; many West Virginians had already been lost. Joy must have been felt at the news of the victory at Normandy just a few weeks earlier and for many families, things were looking up. They couldn’t have known tragedy would soon be right in their hometown.

Imagine the Setting
The storm hit just as dusk began to fall, only a few days after the longest day of the year, June 21st. Though the evening of the 23rd would see also see a late sunset, it wasn’t enough daylight to aid the critical rescue efforts that would follow the tornado’s aftermath. The article we are featuring mentions bravery from every citizen who could help. I wonder what they were thinking as they worked in the darkness, possibly fearing another violent storm that evening. Did they wonder if their work meant anything at all? Would they be safe while they tried to help? Were they injured themselves?

Communications for the survivors were limited but one report states telephone lines were up and running shortly after the storm since emergency measures were put into place due to emergency preparedness efforts because of the war. Roads were blocked with large debris making transportation a nightmare. Doctors and nurses at both St. Mary’s Hospital and Union Protestant Hospital in Clarksburg worked to save the injured. What was it like to move them north across a ravaged Route 19? Roads were probably more dangerous than usual with large trees dangling threatening limbs, upturned roots, and dirt giving way.

You’ll get a good feel for the setting as you read the following first hand account in the hours following the most famous storm in West Virginia history.

Headline from The Clarksburg Exponent, Saturday Morning, June 24, 1944, just hours after the now famous "Shinnston Tornado” hit.

SCORES KILLED IN CYCLONE

HUNDREDS ARE INJURED IN CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA AS TORNADO RIPS ACROSS STATE

The Clarksburg Exponent
June 24, 1944
Author Unknown

Central West Virginia counted more than half a hundred dead and several hundreds more injured and missing this morning after a sudden, terrific tornado ripped a path of destruction through the area last night.

The holocaust apparently wreaked the greatest havoc in the Pleasant Hill addition to Shinnston, virtually destroying the entire suburb before the “twister” lazily spiraled its way southeast into Taylor county.

Reports from Peora indicated that Prospect Valley was a scene of carnage as the twister crumpled houses like cardboard, strung trees across roads and fields, and tore farms from the fields. An unknown number of dead were reported in Prospect Valley, and ambulance drivers predicted the toll of dead would amount to scores. The tornado also left in its wake hundreds of uncounted thousands of dollars in property damage - scores of homes destroyed, crops ruined, the Hope Natural Gas company’s big compressor station near Bridgeport leveled, unestimated destruction of power and telephone facilities.

Perhaps the greatest disaster in Central West Virginia history, the tornado struck suddenly about 8:40 last night at Shinnston and came just as Salem was tallying the damage done by the worst storm that ever hit it yesterday morning. The stunning disaster electrified the Red Cross and other relief agencies throughout the region into action and summoned ambulances from all neighboring cities to help transport the injured to Clarksburg and Fairmont hospitals. Doctors and nurses by the score rushed to the scene at Shinnston with the ambulances, and victims were being brought to the hospitals by ambulance, truck, car and every possible vehicle that could be pressed into service.

The lack of power - which was down for hours here last night and could only be restored early this morning - hampered treatment of victims in the Clarksburg hospitals, but doctors worked feverishly but coolly and scores of volunteers - neighbors and organized groups - helped treat the patients. As the victims were brought in by the score, the lobbies and halls and corridors of St. Mary’s hospital were needed to accommodate the victims and beds were rushed to the institution from local hotels. Many of the deceased persons were horribly maimed, with arms and legs torn off by the twister or badly mangled under their collapsing homes.

An emergency hospital was established in the basement of the First Methodist church at Shinnston. The Red Cross was setting up administrative offices in the office of the Shinnston News; while in the American Legion home a number of cots were set up for the homeless who were not taken care of in private homes. Every Shinnston citizen rose to meet the emergency. The vacant Anderson building was opened up to take care of the overflow of bodies. Dick Thompson is in charge of the Clarksburg Red Cross disaster group working in Shinnston, and Dr. H. V. Thomas is in charge of the medical section of the Clarksburg Red Cross detachment.

As soon as the first frantic appeals for assistance were flashed to Clarksburg hospitals and The Exponent last night, all cooperated in helping dispatch all available ambulances and notifying all groups and agencies which could help.

Power Lines Out

The appeals were hardly more than received when the power went out and many telephone lines in the region were down, but on foot and in cars, messengers summoned everyone who could be of assistance. Funeral homes sent their ambulances; the Red Cross sprang into action; the fire department sped its emergency car to the scene; the VFW, in state convention here, rushed several carloads of its members to help organize work at the scene; the state, county and city police were working overtime; in fact, everyone who could did his bit.

As far as the Exponent could ascertain, the storm first hit in the Grangevill and Joetown sections, near Mannington, about 8 o’clock and continued across Marion and Harrison counties into Taylor and perhaps Barbour.

Rain and Hail Storm

At Mannington, rain and hail accompanied the wind storm, which was only about a quarter of a mile wide. Rain and hail, however, were common in that locale. Trees were uprooted; growing corn devastated; gardens ruined and all small streams filled to overflowing. The Grangeville and Joetown churches were blown flat and, as doctors and ambulances were at the disaster scene, nurse’s aides treated the patients in the physicians’ offices. Traveling on a straight line in a southeasterly direction, the tornado crossed into Harrison county. Although hail larger than hen eggs was noted about Hepzibah just before the windstorm, apparently there was no rain accompanying the twister in this county.

Path of Twister

The tornado passed through Wyatt and Peora, Prospect Valley, Bingamom’s run, Pleasant Hill in Shinnston, up Shinn’s Run to near Saltwell, then struck at McAlpin, crossed Route50 about five miles east of Bridgeport (where it destroyed the old Corder home and another house) and continued on apparently through Simpson, Taylor county. Farther than that, the storm could not be easily traced, as telephone lines were down and communications almost non-existent. At Pleasant Hill, houses and trees were blown all over the roads and rescuers were delayed in getting into the shattered houses. More than 50 houses in that suburb were leveled or nearly so. At least one house was blown into the river.

Road Crews Come In

Until daylight this morning, there could be no accurate definition of what happened, nor any but a rough estimate of the casualties and damage. State road crews were coming in to open the roads, which were blocked by debris and fallen trees throughout the section. Neither streetcars nor buses were operating between Clarksburg and Fairmont through Sinnston, as Shinnston was impassable for vehicles.

Injured Fill Hospitals

All evening long, Shinnston’s main street echoed to the wailing sirens as ambulances rushed the injured to Clarksburg and Fairmont hospitals. In Clarksburg, the sirens were going almost as constantly as the ambulances sped to one or the other of the hospitals. People gathered in small groups on porches, in lawns or on the sidewalks all over Clarksburg. Thousands rushed to their phones to try to find out what was going on and the telephone company was swamped, busy as it already was with the emergency calls. Many people from all over the East called to Clarksburg or nearby communities seeking word of the welfare of relatives or friends. Probably eighty survivors were being treated in Clarksburg hospitals early this morning, which half that many in hospitals in Fairmont.

Many Unaccounted For

Many more, uncounted and unestimated, were treated and released from the hospitals; many many more, also uncounted, were treated at the emergency quarters in the Shinnston church, in doctors’ offices and in homes in many towns throughout the region. Many others also likely were taken to hospitals in Taylor, Barbour, Randolph and Upshur counties. From Elkins came word that three persons were killed at Montrose and three at Meadowville. Fourteen were injured at Meadowville. Montrose is in Randolph county, Meadowville in Barbour. At Montrose, at least 25 were injured.

Many Injured Critically

Many of the injured in Clarksburg and Fairmont hospitals were described as in “critical” or “very critical” condition. Of the 40 formally admitted to Fairmont hospitals (in addition to the scores treated for minor injuries and dismissed) nine were listed in this category Many small babies were among the casualties. A group which came through Prospect Valley to Fairmont last night reported seeing eight bodies in a field, believed to be members of the Carline and Bean families. Two children were missing there.

List of Known Dead

Among the known dead were four at St. Mary’s hospital here in Clarksburg:
A boy, 6, son of Frank Rotondo of Shinnston

Tony Oliverio, about 62, of Shinnston

Rose Romano, about 22, of Shinnston

Jerry Basford, about 50, of Shinnston

Dead at the Union Protestant hospital was:

A 5 ½ old month baby, child of Mr. and Mrs. Dean Zarbough of Shinnston

Dead at the Harmer Funeral Home, Shinnston included:

Mrs. Jessie Mahan of Ehlen

John Marra, 10, of Shinnston

Mrs. Carl Bean and two daughters, Sis, 19, and Bid, 20, of Peora Hill

Two Carlin girls, about 17 and 18, names unknown

Mrs. Lola King, about 60, of Ehlen

Mrs. Jason Craig of Ehla

Mrs. Okey Miller of Elhan and her daughter, Katherine, 17

Roberta Edna Moor, 7, daughter of Herbert C. and Edna Konntz Moore of Oakdale

Mr. and Mrs. Carson Griffin of Oakdale

At the Tetrick Funeral Home in Shinnston:

Mrs. Ann Rutter, 50, of Robinson’s Run

Mrs. Edgar Righter of Salt Well

Tom West, 55

A girl, about 18, unidentified

An unidentified man

At the Riley funeral home in Shinnston are the bodies of Mrs. Paul Cox, 35, and her son, 2.
The seven year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Moore of Glade Fork, was killed.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Roberts of Glade Fork, was killed.
Sam Sculish and his mother of SImpson were killed.
Two unidentified children were dead in Simpson.
Three were reported dead in Montrose and three in Meadowville.

List of Known Injured

Among approximately 75 patients in the St. Mary’s hospital here are:

Mabel McFoy, Margaret Martinez, Mrs. John Marra, Robert Carder, Neil Eckard, Scott Mackey, Srintu Sotond, Mrs. B. N. Moore, Mrs. Steve Fooks and her teen-age daughters, Clara and Eva Jame Maria Burangon.

Injured, treated in an emergency hospital equipped in the basement of the First Methodist church in Shinnston, were:

Mrs. R.H. Kann, Dan Collins (later taken to a Clarksburg hospital), Mrs. Bradford Moore (later taken to an Elkins hospital), Lawrence Barnett, Tommy Collins, Mrs. Eugene Gill, E.B. Basford, Mrs. James Mike, about 80, Madeline Arnold, Doris Gregory, Georgia Brown, colored, Betty Jean Brown, colored.

Among those injured at the Union Protestant hospital here were:

Dan Zarbaugh, about 38

Mrs. Dean Zarbough, 35

Louis McEldowney

Two unidentified men were treated and dismissed

Three Ehlen children known to be in a Fairmont hospital are:

Mary Virginia Mahana, 6

Ralph Mahana, Jr. 4

Anna Lee Mahana, 10 months

Mrs. Mary Myers, 27

Mrs. Virginia Tetrick, 23

Mrs. Bonnie Hall, 37 of Mingo Junction, Ohio, who was visiting in Joetown

Earl Millborn of Winchester, Va., who was visiting in Joetown