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Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935—A Tragic Tale of Miscalculation and Loss
Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935—A Tragic Tale of Miscalculation and Loss
The story begins in 1934, during the depths of the Great Depression, when the Roosevelt Administration sought to provide relief to jobless World War I veterans by sending them to the remote Florida Keys. These veterans, many suffering from what we now recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were tasked with building a highway from Miami to Key West. However, this well-intentioned effort to assist the veterans would soon turn into a catastrophic tragedy.
The story begins in 1934, during the depths of the Great Depression, when the Roosevelt Administration sought to provide relief to jobless World War I veterans by sending them to the remote Florida Keys. These veterans, many suffering from what we now recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were tasked with building a highway from Miami to Key West. However, this well-intentioned effort to assist the veterans would soon turn into a catastrophic tragedy.
Drye meticulously details how the supervisors in charge of the veterans failed to understand the severity of the hurricane threat in the Florida Keys. In late August 1935, what began as a small, seemingly insignificant tropical storm in the Bahamas rapidly intensified into one of the most powerful hurricanes on record as it entered the Straits of Florida. The U.S. Weather Bureau, with its limited forecasting technology at the time, could only approximate the hurricane’s position, leading to a dangerous underestimation of the storm’s strength and trajectory.
Drye meticulously details how the supervisors in charge of the veterans failed to understand the severity of the hurricane threat in the Florida Keys. In late August 1935, what began as a small, seemingly insignificant tropical storm in the Bahamas rapidly intensified into one of the most powerful hurricanes on record as it entered the Straits of Florida. The U.S. Weather Bureau, with its limited forecasting technology at the time, could only approximate the hurricane’s position, leading to a dangerous underestimation of the storm’s strength and trajectory.
By the time the hurricane made landfall in the Upper Florida Keys on September 2, 1935, it had become a Category 5 monster, with winds so powerful that they obliterated nearly everything in its path. Tragically, the supervisors waited too long to call for an evacuation train from Miami to move the veterans out of danger. When the train finally arrived in Islamorada, it was met by the full fury of the storm, and the storm surge swept away all but the locomotive. The flimsy work camps housing the veterans offered little protection, resulting in the deaths of around 260 of the 400 veterans stationed there.
By the time the hurricane made landfall in the Upper Florida Keys on September 2, 1935, it had become a Category 5 monster, with winds so powerful that they obliterated nearly everything in its path. Tragically, the supervisors waited too long to call for an evacuation train from Miami to move the veterans out of danger. When the train finally arrived in Islamorada, it was met by the full fury of the storm, and the storm surge swept away all but the locomotive. The flimsy work camps housing the veterans offered little protection, resulting in the deaths of around 260 of the 400 veterans stationed there.
Storm of the Century is not just a recounting of the hurricane’s destructive power but also a poignant exploration of the human cost of bureaucratic mismanagement and the devastating consequences of underestimating nature’s wrath. Drye brings to light newly discovered photographs and stories of the heroes who emerged during this calamity, providing a personal and emotional connection to the events of that fateful day.
Storm of the Century is not just a recounting of the hurricane’s destructive power but also a poignant exploration of the human cost of bureaucratic mismanagement and the devastating consequences of underestimating nature’s wrath. Drye brings to light newly discovered photographs and stories of the heroes who emerged during this calamity, providing a personal and emotional connection to the events of that fateful day.
Drye’s narrative is gripping and evocative, making Storm of the Century a must-read for those interested in the history of natural disasters, the impact of the Great Depression, and the human stories behind one of the most intense hurricanes ever to strike the U.S.
Drye’s narrative is gripping and evocative, making Storm of the Century a must-read for those interested in the history of natural disasters, the impact of the Great Depression, and the human stories behind one of the most intense hurricanes ever to strike the U.S.
In conclusion, Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 is a compelling and sobering account of a tragedy that should never have happened. Willie Drye’s careful research and vivid storytelling ensure that the memories of those who perished in this disaster are not forgotten, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of preparedness in the face of nature’s most formidable forces.
In conclusion, Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 is a compelling and sobering account of a tragedy that should never have happened. Willie Drye’s careful research and vivid storytelling ensure that the memories of those who perished in this disaster are not forgotten, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of preparedness in the face of nature’s most formidable forces.
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