Show Sterling Woman Relives Earthquake Editors Editor's note The following following follow follow- ing was written by Dona S. S Peterson and tells the story of the Alaskan earthquake as seen by a former fonner resident resident resi resi- dent of Sterling Ada Funk Fannin wife of Harold Fannin Fan Fan- Fannin nin a member of the United States Air Force stationed at Anchorage Alaska The Fannins with their three children have been visiting Mrs Fannins Fannin's mother Mrs Emily Funk of Sterling It began deep underground about ut miles mlles southeast of Anchorage scientists say tt it started below the gently moving moving move ing waters of Prince William Sound Immense pressures and accumulated strain built up in timeless centuries moved the earths earth's crust with sudden force releasing in an instant megatons of energy That awesome power 2000 that of the biggest manmade manmade man man- made nuclear explosion explosion- cracked across the southern face of Alaska with smashing impact It was Good Friday March Much 27 1964 about pm p.m. It was an incredible hour for us In jagged rips the snow covered cov cov- covered ered land of Alaska gave to the world the history of one of the mightiest earthquakes The life of Alaska was alter alter- ed In the terrifying force of mighty ocean waves in one mighty heave the earths earth's crust was completely tilted the Kenat Peninsula thrust the Kenat Peninsula were While Kodiak Island slumped thrust upward a full eight feet while Kodiak Island slumped five feet into the sea The shock wave set Anchorage suburb suburb suburb sub sub- urb of Turn Again by the sea Into awesome terrifying mo mo- tion In thunderous cracking jolts that mass of frozen land broke find slid peeling downward downward downward down down- ward and outward in a weird and incredible tumble While it is a story of devastation and destruction its it's a heart heart- warming story of magnificent spirit and determination There are a thousand stories of individual sorrow and loss Its It's a thousand stories of individual individual in in- courage and heroism and refusal to be counted out This story can never be completely told It is still being being be be- ing written as Alaska fights back certain it will make a 1 recovery planning anew to rebuild as our mayor said Better than before The loss was estimated at million This quake struck a gigantic blow to the economy economy econ econ- omy of the state lashing at atthe atthe the heart of the great fishing industry The death toll was sorrowfully sorrowfully sorrow sorrow- fully high yet thankfully low considering what might have been Three weeks later the missing and presumed dead stood at Huge terrifying terrifying terrifying terri terri- waves spawned by the quake killed 11 others in Crescent Crescent Cres Cres- cent City California It also took the lives of four children who were camped on the beach at Newport Oregon The greatest toll was at Valdez Valdez Val Val- dez 30 men women and children children chil chil- dren on the dock as a steamship steamship steam steam- ship freighter Chena was unloading plunged to their deaths as massive waves wiped away the pier Chenega counted count count- ed 25 dead or missing Kodiak badly battered by the waves listed 19 dead or missing Other totals recorded were 11 at Whittier and 13 at Seward which just the day before had been proclaimed a new All American City Anchorage lost n of nine ne including including ing three who were trapped in inthe inthe inthe the churning ground Five were crushed as the ground fell about them in the Buckling Buckling Buck Buck- ling City area One died in inthe inthe inthe the control tower at the airport airport airport air air- port as it crumbled and fell felI It was not even dusk on this early spring evening died The when these people shoppers were hurrying to get what they needed in the last half hour before the stores closed Time lost its meaning as huge sections of Fourth Avenue buckled and fell The J J. C. C Penney story 5 building rocked swayed and slumped forward shearing away its walls wails Seismographs around the world jumped off the track The quake touched the edge of the Richter scale a readIng reading reading read read- ing of 8 87 7 as mighty as can be recorded Rev Joseph Lynch of the Fordham University University University Uni Uni- in New York said It was not only larger than the San Francisco Franc co earthquake in fact half as large again At Eklutna power plant Dave Draze was on duty He said there was a loud booming booming booming boom boom- ing noise going on on I thought an atom bomb had been dropped dropped dropped drop drop- ped triggering a land slide which was covering the plant James Ray at the FAA Communication Control Center Center Center Cen Cen- ter atop the story eight-story Hill Building in downtown Anchorage Anchorage Anchor Anchor- age said he was pitched craz craz- crazily ily lly from wall to wall like a ast st steel e ball in a a pin phi ball ma ma- chine Devastation was enormous but much survived And there was much to do Throughout all stricken areas officials and volunteers rallied to assist as as- But for relatives and friends on the outside with no way to help and no way to communicate the aftermath aftermath after after- math became a frantic period o of anxiety and deep concern That night settled on us without power heat or com com- This was a city of silence The night was not still the job of searching had togo to togo togo go on for sustaining ining life for cleaning up rebuilding had begun Civil Defense w workers became valiant performers rs We rec received ived aid id from every source utility crews poli police e and Inti firemen gathered t th the Vio Sal Cal Army y was quickly quickly Y on the scene Doctors mustered together at the Providence Hospital and the Alaska Native Native Na Na- tive Hospital as Presbyterian Hospital was evacuated because because be be- cause of p power failure The TheAir TheAir TheAir Air Force Hospital was left empty due to heavy damage The YMCA became a public shelter and the Red Cross sent disaster teams in The Civil Air Patrol and the Air Force began emergency air air- lifts Military supplies were were made available to civilian are areas as Generators took over the power load while workmen toiled to replace facilities Ham radio operators worked through the night relaying official official of of- and unofficial messages Army men were assigned round the clock duty guarding guarding guarding guard guard- ing the devastated areas providing providing pro pro- viding medical supplies assisting assisting assist assist- ing engineers in removing the slides and clearing debris from the roads and railroad tracks to enable travel Easter was spent in hard hats and helmets in a mighty cleanup task Mayor George Sharrock was on duty constantly constantly con con- expressing the confidence confidence dence of the city as it looks ahead I UI haven't found anyone any anyone any any- ny one who isn't going to rebuild It'll be better than before Hundreds of h homes mes were shattered a an n d destroyed Homes fell away as the earth off Trees tumbled cars fell into huge yawning pits mothers mothers' sheltered th their ir children in churning homes Others were led to safety Merchandise Merchandise Merchandise Mer Mer- chandise from stores was sent flying through the air Government Government Gov Gov- Hill School was split wide open West High was turned into a shambles A large new apt bull building ding collapsed Anchorages Anchorage's highest buildings some 14 stories high were twisted and made habitable The quake struck just as many offices were closing closing closing clos clos- ing for the day The grinding force of the wrenching earth tore streets and lawns apart A thousand personal tragedies unfolded with the opening earth Without panic stunned people paused as they became aware of the event which was taking place Alaska's biggest city looked as if jf it had been clawed by the hands of a mon mono ster Some of the cracks were 20 feet wide Some only a few inches Pavements and yards were zig like streaks of lightning I j Residents not only doubled up but tripled up Buckets had to be used to get drinking water water wa wa- wa ter from mobile Army Anny tanks The city's four radio stations remained on emergency basis broadcasting reports of individual indi indi- individual vidual families inviting the homeless to share houses with those who still had sleeping space Typical was John McGraw Mc Mc- McGraw McGraw Graw of Federal 2299 13 still has room for three people He has water food and heat But bring your own blankets if you can All over the town people were comparing notes and making the grim discovery discovery ery that few of them had insurance insurance insurance in in- on their homes and business houses protecting them against earthquakes In Irl Anchorage alone the damage estimation was a quarter of a million dollars The town of Turn Again a a section of and ranch homes hugging the shore of Cook Inlet was the hardest hit of the residential areas Entire houses were buried in deep new ground fractures Homes trees telephone telephone tele tele- phone poles leaned dizzily in all directions It was Easter morning Some residents trickled trickled trick trick- led back to their demolished homes saving what could be saved clothing furniture C and radios They salvaged very little Two days later residents were told to boil drinking water water water wa wa- ter treated with liquid household household household house house- hold bleach before it was used Bleaches differ but one teaspoon of Clorox was advised advised advised ad ad- to five gallons of water City officials recommended to those who could to try their sewer and to use it if it was working It was strange but in spite of the severe damage and loss calmness prevailed Power failure caused the Anchorage Daily Times and the Anchorage Daily News to miss their regular Saturday editions The News building was damaged as a rear wall collapsed Then when printing did proceed it was only on onan onan onan an emergency basis Buckets of Snow were carried into the Times office and melted to provide water to wash picture prints and negatives The military military military mili mili- tary provided extensive aid to the city Both Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson suffered suf suf- suffered some damage damage but but compared compared compared com com- pared to other parts of the city they were virtually spared Troops were placed at atthe atthe atthe the city's command They provided provided pro pro- vided patrol units to damaged areas Stiff guard sealed off the downtown areas to only authorized emergency work work- ers Businesses throughout the entire area contributed needed needed need need- ed equipment and supplies Emergency shelters were set setup setup setup up as temporary homes for many families who suffered extensive losses We are so grateful for the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for their quick response Elmendorf handled commercial commercial commercial commer commer- cial air traffic until Anchorage Anchor Anchor- age International Airport was reopened for j jet t traffic The International Terminal was left iI in shambles the central tower collapsed In Anchorage International Airport Chris Von Imhof of Scandinavian Airlines System j jumped u urn m p e d through window glass to get out of his office Just uJust as I landed outside I saw a few yards away the air tower beginning beginning be be- ginning to crumble This man with deep cu cuts on his chest chestand chestand chestand and arms assisted another CC airport employee by crawling beneath the wreckage of the tower to free a cook and a waitress who were trapped in in- side Part of the damage report report re re- re- re port sounded like this Fire Island runway badly cracked The Nikiski Oil Dock and two wings completely disappeared Wildwood water tower sed Kenai some damage cant can't tell how much from the air Two large low frame buildings buildings build build- ings destroyed at Soldotna Conditions in Homer under control State dock still standing standing stand stand- ing the main leg of the break water is c completely de de- de- de Bridge at the Cooper Landing has collapsed sed Civil Defense officials ordered ordered or or- dered the military to blow blowup blowup blowup up the Kenai bridge since wa water Water wa Wa- ter has caused damage behind it Several slides on Anchorage Anchor Anchor- age side made the road not passable from Turn Again arm of Thompson Pass to Bird Creek All bridges down Army crew attempting to push a temporary road through from Rabbit Creek to Girwood where downed bi bridges and heavy slides have closed high high- way People at Girwood report they have food till Monday One Arcade area sank 30 feet below street numberless cars overturned plus crushed apartment houses The town of N Neosho Missouri Missouri Missouri Mis Mis- sent 1000 to assist Seward Seward Sew Sew- ard Alaska which was hit very hard The government of Japan Japan Ja Ja- Ja pan donated as a token of sympathy The Fannin family left for their Alaska home Sunday They are close friends and associates of Mr and Mrs Dean Buchanan of Manti who also saw this disaster strike |