Anniversary of 1943 "Surprise" Hurricane

[GalvestonDuck]

NOUS44 KHGX 280139 CCA
PNSHOU

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO DATE OF HURRICANE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
828 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2004

TODAY...JULY 27TH IS THE 61ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1943 SURPRISE
HURRICANE.

WITH THE COUNTRY IN THE THROES OF WORLD WAR II AND THE FEAR OF U-
BOATS OPERATING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO WEATHER REPORTS FROM SHIPS
IN THE GULF WERE SILENCED. THIS LED TO VERY LITTLE WARNING THAT A
HURRICANE WAS BEARING DOWN ON BOLIVAR.

THE HURRICANE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEGUN SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS ON
THE 26TH AND MOVED NEARLY DUE WEST EVENTUALLY PASSING OVER THE BOLIVAR
PENINSULA DURING TUESDAY AFTERNOON ON THE 27TH. THE STORM WAS COMPACT
BUT STILL PACKING POTENT WINDS. THE HIGHEST GUSTS REPORTED WERE 132
MPH AT ELLINGTON FIELD...104 IN TEXAS CITY WITH THE HIGHEST SUSTAINED
WINDS OF 85 MPH AT THE HOUSTON AIRPORT. THE GALVESTON AIRPORT REPORTED
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 74 MPH. THE EYE PASSED OVER THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA
AND THEN MOVED NORTHWEST ACROSS THE BAY UP THE SHIP CHANNEL INTO
HOUSTON. WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE OCCURRED ALONG THE PATH OF THE
HURRICANE FROM BOLIVAR...TO WHAT IS NOW BAYTOWN AND ON THROUGH
HOUSTON. THE LOWEST PRESSURE OF 28.78 INCHES OF MERCURY WAS REPORTED
AT ELLINGTON FIELD. VERY HEAVY RAINS ACCOMPANIED THE STORM WITH
REPORTS OF OVER 17 INCHES AT LA PORTE AND ALSO PORT ARTHUR. ON
WEDNESDAY THE 28TH THE STORM HAD DIMINISHED TO A WEAK TROPICAL STORM
NEAR NAVASOTA. THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE HURRICANE ALSO HAD THE IMPACT
OF SLOWING OR STOPPING WAR PRODUCTION IN AROUND THE GALVESTON AND
BEAUMONT AREAS.

ON LAND 5 PERSONS DIED AND AT SEA TWO SHIPS SANK WITH 14 PEOPLE
LOSING THEIR LIVES.

ON A SIDE NOTE...THIS HURRICANE WAS ALSO THE FIRST TO BE INTENTIONALLY
FLOWN INTO...THIS BY AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT FROM THE UNITED STATES ARMY
AIR CORP OUT OF BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION. THE PILOT...COLONEL JOSEPH P.
DUCKWORTH WAS TRYING TO PROVE TO HIS BRITISH STUDENTS THAT HIS
AIRCRAFT THE AT-6 TEXAN TRAINER AND HIS INSTRUMENT TRAINING TECHNIQUE
WERE TOP NOTCH...NOT TO MENTION HE HAD A BET OF A HIGHBALL RIDING ON
THE FLIGHT. HE FOUND THE EYE AND DESCRIBED HIS FLIGHT AS NO WORSE THAN
FLYING INTO A GOOD THUNDERSTORM OVER HIS HIGHBALL