1964 ALASKA EARTHQUAKE FATALITIES
By Coleen Mielke
2023
Two kinds of tsunami waves destroyed
many coastal communities in Alaska
that day.
Waves generated by massive tectonic plate
movements on the ocean
floor created gigantic waves
that traveled at tremendous speeds over great distances.
People as far away as
Oregon and California lost their lives due
to tsunami's generated in Alaska on 3/27/1964
The second type of wave was a localized
tsunami wave, which was the result
of
underwater landslides and sediment
slumps (near the shore) in the bays and harbors of Alaska.
Those waves came ashore almost immediately
and were responsible
for the majority of lives lost in Alaska. Powerful
aftershocks plagued
Alaska for more than three weeks after "The
Big One".
THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO DIED ARE
AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
This
memorial plaque, honoring those lost on Kodiak Island,
was donated by
Koniag Inc. They used
my research to compile their list of names.
Alexandroff,
Chief Simeon "Simmie" |
1937-1964 |
Kaguyak,
AK |
Last seen holding on to overturned skiff - body never found. Husband of Rena Melovedoff. Mother: Sasha Alexandroff. Kaguyak is on Kodiak Island. |
Anderson, Eddie | Kodiak, AK | Reported missing/ Never found | |
Anderson, Rudy | Kodiak, AK | Reported
missing/ Never found |
|
Anderson, Mary | Kodiak, AK | Body recovered
from sunken boat near the the King
Crab Cannery dock at Kodiak (3 days after tsunami) |
|
Arrigoni,
Adolph John |
1898-1964 |
Crescent
City, California |
Native of
Italy. Drowned
in his home in Crescent City,
California. Father of Josephine Jurichich. |
Baby |
1964-1964 |
Tyonek,
AK |
Baby born
pre-maturely (morning
after earthquake) radio out of commission
due to earthquake and they could not call
the doctor. If you know the surname of this family, please let me know. |
Baker, Clayton James | 1918-1964 b. Montana |
Anchorage, AK | Handicapped as a child by Polio. Died at his home in Turnagain Heights. Son of William Baker and Ruth Agnes Briggs Baker. Buried in Montana |
Barnes, David George | 1934-1964 born: South Dakota |
Whittier, AK | Son of George
and Catherine (Rice) Barnes. Father of Vicki, Micki and Ricki who also perished; Bodies never found - Memorial Stone in Custer Cemetery, S.Dakota Partner of Lewis Michelson who also perished,along with his 3 children: Teresa Lee, Randy and Keith Michelson. |
Barnes,
Micki Lee Barnes, Ricki Dean Barnes, Vicki Lurree |
1959-1964 1960-1964 1958 1964 |
Whittier, AK Whittier, AK Whittier, AK |
Child of
David George Barnes,
body never found
Child of David George Barnes, body never found Child of David George Barnes, body never found |
Bledsoe, Clarence Paul | 1920-1964 b. Wash. |
Kodiak AK | WWII Veteran.
Son of Howard
F. and Vera (DeWeese) Bledsoe, Husband of
Hazel Louise Braddock. Buried in Seattle |
Blendheim, Alfred | 1903-1964 b. Norway |
Port Ashton, AK |
Drowned
while trying to secure his skiff on Evans Island (Prince
William Sound). |
Boddy, Dan Percy | 1916-1964 b. Michigan |
Valdez, AK | Was a truck
driver from Fairbanks,
waiting on the dock to load freight
from the MV Chena. Son of Edward
Boddy and Mary Tait. Husband of Irene, father of Michael,
Sylvia and Nancy. |
Brossow, Alfred "Fred" | 1920-1964 b. Wisc. |
Seward, AK | Body never
found - Pfc. 60th Arm. Bn. 9th Armoured Div.
AK World War II (received Bronze Star). Son of John Charles and
Lillian (McKay) Brossow. Some sources say he
was on a boat called the Vicky Lynn. Parents:
John Charles and Lillian (McKay) Brossow. Father of Duane Robert Brossow.
|
Brown, Freddy Oliver | 1919-1964 b. Kansas |
Valdez, AK | Son of William
and Rose Anna (Menard) Brown. husband of Mary Ellen Hopkins Brown.
Worked for the State of AK. Buried in Valdez |
Bushor, Jack "Jackie" Leroy Jr. | 1956-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Son of Arlene L. (Boyer)(Bushor) Wallace and Jack Bushor Sr. Step-son of Airman Gordon Wallace. Body found at Kalsin Bay. Buried in Pennsylvania. |
Beyer, Charles W. Sr. | Cordova, AK | Eyak Lake area, found dead of heart attack after his house was washed off of its foundation. | |
Carriker, Lowell Duane Rev. | 1930-1964 b. Missouri |
Valdez, AK | Pastor of
of Assembly of God Church,
body never found. Husband
of Bonnie. Son of Virgil Carriker
and Ruby Gertrude Kaschmieder; children: Jan
7 and Leland 3. |
Chimovisky,
Alex |
1902-1964
b. Nuchek |
Port Nellie
Juan, AK |
Lived with
son, Emmanuel, who
was caretaker at Port Nellie Juan. Alex was
son of the Chief of Old Nuchek. Port Nellie
Juan is on Prince William Sound. *Often included with
the Chenega victims* |
Chimovisky,
Anna |
1898-1964
b.Chenega |
Port Nellie
Juan, AK |
Wife of
Alex Chimovisky; staying with son, Emmanuel, at Port Nellie
Juan on Prince William Sound. *Often included
with the Chenega victims* |
Chimovisky,
Emmanuel |
1928-1964
b.Chenega |
Port Nellie
Juan, AK |
Caretaker
for closed cannery
buildings at Port Nellie Juan
on Prince William Sound. *Often included with the Chenega
victims* |
Clawson,
Agatha Winifred "Gay" |
1912-1964 b.Indiana |
Crescent City, California | Co-owner
of the Long Branch Tavern near
Crescent City, California. Wife of William
Clawson. Drowned when boat overturned while trying
to escape tsunami. Maiden name Reynolds. |
Clawson,
William Eben |
1910-1964 b.Californi |
Crescent City, California |
Co-owner
of the Long Branch Tavern near
Crescent City, California. Husband of Agatha
Winifred Clawson. Drowned on his 54th birthday
when his boat overturned while trying to escape
the tsunami |
Cunningham, Dennis (Rutledge) |
Age 15 | Valdez, AK | Was standing
on the docks when
the tsunami hit. Son of Sharon
Lawrence. |
Curry, Maurice Newton | 1893-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Seventy year old Maurice Curry was
walking with 12 year old Richard Vosgien, when they were hit by a tsunami
wave and both drowned. Maurice and his 3rd wife, Helen Schrup, lived at
Kalsin Bay. |
Damon, Frances (Goodrich) | 1926-1964 b.California |
Whittier, AK | Lived in
Soldotna: arrived in
Whittier 1½ hours before tsunami,
body never Found. Father: Clarence Eugene
Goodrich. Mother:Anna Fosset. Mother of: Lawrence Eugene Damon. Her parents donated 160 acres for the Damon Memorial (in Soldotna) in honor of their daughter Frances and grandson Lawrence. |
Damon, Lawrence Eugene | 1948-1964 b. Nevada |
Whittier, AK | Lived in
Soldotna: arrived in
Whittier 1½ hours before tsunami,
body never Found; son of Lawrence Eugene
Damon and Frances Goodrich Damon |
Day, Leonard | in his 50's? |
Whittier, AK | Winter caretaker for lumber company. One week before retiring to Oregon. Body never found (husband of Alberta) |
Day, Alberta | In her 50's? |
Whittier, AK | Wife of Leonard Day, body never found |
Deis, Mary
Eva Dirksen, Isaac T. |
1913-1964 1929-1964 b. Indonesia |
Seaside,
Oregon Bolinas Bay, California |
Died of heart attack when wave struck her home; she is buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery Portland, Oregon: Daughter of Anton and Rosalia Deis Was fishing in Bolinas Channel when a tidal wave surge swept him off of a reef and his hip waders filled with water and he drowned. Husband of Bobbie Louise (Knight)Dirksen. |
Edwards, Earl Floyd | 1907-1964 |
Crescent City, California | Employed by Timber Transport. Husband of Juanita Edwards. Drowned when boat overturned. |
Edwards, Juanita Pearl | 1921-1964 |
Crescent City, California | Wife of Earl Edwards. Worked at the Long Branch Tavern. Drowned when boat overturned. |
Elbe, Emil Ludwig | 1911-1964 b. Kansas |
Seward, AK | Railroad conductor; died of heart attack while running from tsunami. Sgt. U.S. Marine Corp WWII. Buried at the American Legion Cemetery in Seward. Parents: Charles and Caroline (Thowe) Elbe. |
Eleshansky,
Sally Eleshansky Sr., Steve
|
1916-1964
1921-1964
Infant |
Chenega,
AK Chenega, AK
|
Wife of
Mickey Eleshansky Maiden
name Selanoff Found dead on
the beach at Knight Island by her husband, 2 days
after tsunami. Father of Steve Eleshansky Jr. Father of Ronda Eleshansky Husband of Dorothy Selanoff. He was holding baby daughter (Ronda) and trying to run up the mountain to safety, but the tsunami got to them before they could get high enough. Daughter of Steve & Dorothy "Tiny" Eleshansky |
Erb, Frank Henry | Point Nowell, AK | Only person
at fish camp, disappeared
and presumed drowned. Point Nowell is
on Knight Island Passage. |
|
Evanoff, Jack | 1892-1964 | Chenega, AK | Brother
of Willie Evanoff and husband of Nellie Evanoff. Buried in Cordova. |
Evanoff, Nellie | 1906-1964
b. Kniklik |
Chenega, AK | Wife of
Jack Evanoff. Buried at Cordova. |
Evanoff, Sally | 1912-1964 | Chenega, AK | Wife of Willy
Evanoff daughter
of Anna Vlasoff |
Evanoff,
William |
1898-1964 | Chenega, AK | Village Chief in
1948 Brother of Jack Evanoff and husband of Sally Evanoff |
Fenner, Mabel
M. |
Kodiak, AK | Died of heart attack 3/29/1964. |
Fields, Joan V. | Age 25 | Crescent City, California | Fiancé of
Gary Clawson
7/26/1938--3/28/1964 Drowned when boat overturned. |
Finke, Lester Floyd | 1914-1964 b. Iowa |
Seward, AK | Swept off
of a dock, Body
never found Son of Fredrick and Anna Katharina Finke. Three children. |
Granger, Douglas Arthur | 1912-1964 b. Wash. |
Valdez, AK | Son of Arthur
Hotchkiss Granger and
Cora Janette McMillan. Husband of Glenna Jane Day, father
of Terry and Oma Jean. Step-father of Becky. Ex-husband
of Lucille Ann "Callie" Holmes. Brother-in-law of
Robert Percy Harrison who also died that day. |
Gregorieff, Paul | Age 50 |
Valdez, AK | Longshoreman,
by shifting freight on
"Chena" Husband of Mary (Vlasoff)
Gregorieff. Son of Larry and Natalia Nellie
Gregorieff |
Growden, James Wilson Sr. | Age 28 |
Valdez, AK | Teacher & coach
at Valdez High School. Husband of Ellucia Hodge.Father
of David Lee, James Wilson and Rhonda Lynn Growden. Son of
William Nelson and Gwendolyn (Fisher) Growden. Born
in Ruby, AK and raised in Fairbanks. He died one day before his
29th birthday. |
Growden, David Lee | Age 4 |
Valdez, AK | Son of James Growden Sr. |
Growden, James Wilson Jr. | Age 2 |
Valdez, AK | Son of James Growden Sr. |
Harrais, Margaret Keenan | Age
92 |
Valdez, AK | She died
3 weeks after the
earthquake, of pneumonia, due to water
in her lungs from the wave that washed her house
away. Came to AK in 1914 as a teacher.
Widow of Martin Harrais. |
Herrington Jr., Donald | Seward, AK | Crew member of the oil tanker AK Standard. Was last seen hanging onto a barrel in the water. Never found. | |
Harrison, Robert Percy | 1913-1964 b. Canada |
Valdez, AK | Longshoreman
unloading the freighter
Chena on dock at Valdez. Son of
William James Percival Harrison and Pearl Etta Nahrgang.Husband
of Fay Day. Father of Bonnette, Steve, Andrea and Cyndie.
Brother-in-law of Doug Granger who also died that
day. |
Hatch,
Jesse Lee |
1926-1964 |
Seward, AK | Had been
out seal hunting
with Frank Walunga in a 14' wooden skiff;
the 2 men were last seen 12 minutes after
earthquake by Dr. Starr and Bob Hayes
who said hunters refused aide. Bodies never
found. Son of Peter Ken and Annie (Swanson) Hatch. Husband
of Charlotte Lorraine Walker. Was named after Jesse Lee Children's
Home in Seward (where his parents met). WWI
veteran. |
Henderson, Harry Alden | 1915-1964 |
Anderson
Bay, AK |
Fisherman from Valdez. Harry, his boat and his fishing cabin were swept out into the ocean by the tsunami, never found. Anderson Bay is near Valdez. |
Hillsberry, Lavella | 1928-1964 |
Crescent City, California | Native of Blackfoot Idaho. She died when she tried to warn friend; she was found amongst the debris in Elk Creek, California |
Jackson, Arvilla | child |
Chenega, AK | Daughter of Dora (Ribaloff) Jackson |
Jackson, Cindy | child |
Chenega, AK | Daughter of Dora (Ribaloff) Jackson |
Jackson, Danny | child |
Chenega, AK | Son of Dora (Ribaloff) Jackson |
Jackson, Dora | 29 | Chenega, AK | Mother of Cindy, Danny and Arvella. Daughter of Sam and Anna Ribaloff |
Johnson, Sam | Valdez, AK | ||
Jones, William "Bill" | 1916-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Lived in
Seward, but
was on boat called Sunrise near Kodiak. The tsunami
rolled the boat and Bill's body was never found.
Husband of Frances Sarah Shea and father of: Vonnie, Claudianne,
Debra, Tara, Dennis and David. Bill was son of George W. Jones
and Marian Humble. |
Joslyn, Chester George | 1912-1964 |
Valdez, AK | Longshoreman
at the Valdez Dock.
Son of Clark and Cora (Stubbins) Joslyn. |
Joy, Billy Eugene | 1941-1964 |
Point Whitshed, AK | Washed out to sea; was using a clam shack on the beach, three miles south of Cordova. |
Kleparek, Gary Lynn | 1945-1964 |
Ft. Richardson, AK |
Died in surgery after head injury from falling concrete at the Ft. Richardson Skyline Service Club. He was a Pfc. in Co. B, 33rd Signal Bn., Fort Richardson Army Base. Son of Mrs. Naomi G. Swanson of Ohio. |
Knight, Leora Ellen | 1907-1964 b.North Dakota |
Anchorage, AK | Leora Ellen (nee Oliver) Knight, wife of Virgil Eugene Knight and mother of Carol Knight. During earthquake, the ground opened in front of her house and she fell in and was crushed as it closed back up. Her husband, who also fell in the crack, lost his leg. Daughter of Maurice Herbert Oliver and Ellen Maud Hulbert. |
Knutesen Jr., Stanley | 1950-1964 | Valdez, AK | Son of Stanley
Knuteson Sr and Enola Mary(Shumaker) Swept off
of dock in Valdez. |
Kompkoff, Daria | 1912-1964
b. Tatitlek |
Chenega, AK | Wife of
Willie Kompkoff Maiden name Levshakoff |
Kompkoff, Willie | 1898-1964 | Chenega, AK | Husband of Daria Kompkoff |
Kompkoff, Julia Ann | 9 |
Chenega, AK | Daughter of Nick & Mary (Ribaloff) Kompkoff |
Kompkoff, Norma Jean | 3 | Chenega, AK | Daughter of Nick & Mary (Ribaloff) Kompkoff |
Kompkoff, Richard | 1939-1964 |
Chenega, AK | Drowned
by third tsunami wave while trying to help
the Vlasoff family. *He was the son of Willie and Daria Kompkoff |
Kompkoff, Joanne | 3½ years
old |
Chenega, AK | Daughter
of Joe and Avis
Kompkoff of Chenega.
Her body was found on Knight Island two weeks after tsunami. Buried at Cordova. |
Kraiger, Howard H. | 1903-1964 b. Michigan |
Valdez, AK | Crushed by shifting
freight on the "SS Chena". Son
of Elmer and Lenora Kraiger, husband
of Jennie Eva Thorstenson. Buried at Cordova. |
Kulstad, Georgia
"Pat" |
1918 |
Valdez, AK | Wife of Robert Kulstad, night watchman for the Valdez dock, mother of Roger Kulstad (they lived in a trailer on the dock). |
Larsen, John "Sutt" | 1931-1964 b.Kodiak |
Afognak, AK | He was the Skipper of a boat called the Spruce Cape when it broke apart. Son of Louie and Olga (Naumoff) Larsen. Other crew on the boat that died were Harry Nielsen, Eli Wasilie and Ted Panamarioff. Larson's body found at Spruce Cape. |
Layton, Virgil Connoly | 1913-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Died 3/29/1964
doing salvage
work at Kodiak harbor
with the vessel Hekla. Husband of Stella
Moniz Layton. Father of Madeline Magnusson |
McKenzie, Louis Charles | age 8 | Newport, Oregon | McKenzie
family was from Washington
but they were camping at Beverly Beach State Park, Oregon Parents: Monte and Rita Kay McKenzie |
McKenzie, Robert Russell | age 7 | Newport, Oregon | McKenzie
family was from Washington
but they were camping at Beverly Beach State Park, Oregon Parents: Monte and Rita Kay McKenzie |
McKenzie, Richard Andrew | age 6 | Newport, Oregon | McKenzie
family was from Washington
but they were camping at Beverly Beach State Park, Oregon Parents: Monte and Rita Kay McKenzie |
McKenzie, Tamara Nannete | age 3 | Newport, Oregon | McKenzie
family was from Washington
but they were camping at Beverly Beach State Park, Oregon Parents: Monte and Rita Kay McKenzie |
MacGruder, Oran Gilbert | 1890-1964 |
Crescent City, California | Former stage coach operator.He was caught in the flood and died of heart attack. Husband of Ann MacPherson (Ralph) MacGruder. |
Manson, James William "Jay" | b. 1893
Quarff, Scotland |
Old Harbor,AK
|
Husband
of Nellie Peterson (married 1938 Unalaska). Lived on Sitkalidak Island in Old Harbor area. Lived alone with his dog. Was seen in a row boat between tsunami waves, but never found after that. |
Martines, Joseph S. | Age 35 |
Anchorage,AK | Died in
the Aurora Hotel (Anchorage) when a chimney fell
on him. He was from Mexico and came to AK every summer to work.
He had a wife and 4 children in Mexico
City. Buried in Anchorage. |
McClure, Donald Sgt. | Age 36 | Crescent City, California | Eel fishing
on Klamath River
with best friend Sgt. Stuart Harrington
when tsunami hit and pushed them
two miles up river. McClure rescued Harrington
by getting him onto a log; when 2nd wave
it and McClure drowned. His body was found
a month later, 20 miles from where the Klamath River
empties into the ocean. Body found by a fisherman
on the drag-boat "Sally". Husband of Hisako
McClure, father of Dorris, Shirley and Jackie. |
McCoy, Ross Alvin | 1918-1964 b.Kansas |
Valdez, AK | Body never
found. Son of
Fred McCoy and Mary Ethel Shannon. Husband
of Jean Avis Barrie Ross |
Mead, Perry Avery III | Age 12 | Anchorage, AK | Child of Dr. Perry Avery Mead Jr. & wife Wanda (Merrell) Mead. Body never found. |
Mead, Merrell Perry | Age 2 | Anchorage, AK | Child of Dr. Perry Avery Mead Jr. and wife Wanda (Merrell) Mead. Body never found. |
Michelson, Lewis | Age 35 | Whittier, AK | Father of Teresa
Lee, Randy and Keith Michelson who
also perished. Partner of David
Barnes who also perished with his 3 children
Micki, Ricki and Vicki. Lewis Michelson died on his birthday: 3/27/1964. |
Michelson, Teresa Lee | Age 6 | Whittier, AK | Child of Lewis Michelson (never found) |
Michelson, Randy | Age 5 | Whittier, AK | Child of Lewis Michelson (never found) |
Michelson, Keith | Age 2 | Whittier, AK | Child of Lewis Michelson (never found) |
Moe, Victor Edwin | 1922-1964 b.AK |
Seward, AK | Was at Seward
small boat harbor
when tsunami hit. Buried in the Seward City Cemetery Son of Fritcof Hakanson and Marva Wolkoff |
Mueller, Donald | Age 38 | Valdez, AK | Died on Valdez dock (never found) Son of Victor H. Mueller and Blanche Bertha Rohlf. |
Nielsen, Harry | 1936-1964 b.Afognak |
Afognak, AK | Was a crew
man on a boat called
The Spruce Cape, when it broke apart.
Other men on the boat were John "Sutt" Larsen,
Eli Wasilie and Ted Panamarioff. Harry Nielsen's
body never found, he was the son of Nelse Nielsen
and Enola von Scheele Nielsen. |
O'Leary, Donald Morse | 1935-1964 b. Circle, AK |
Valdez, AK | Life long
resident of Fairbanks,
son of Maurice O'Leary and Elsie Catherine (Rasmussen).
Husband of Roberta "Bertie" Persinger O'Leary. |
Osmonovich, Mike | 1918-1964 b. Nevada |
Seward, AK | Pvt. U.S.
Army WWII. Drowned in tsunami, never found. Son of Nickola
and Mary (Gayer) Osmonovich/ Croatian |
Panamarioff, Theodore "Ted" | 1900-1964 b. Kodiak |
Afognak, AK | Was from
the village of Ouzinkie.
Was on a boat called the Spruce Cape
when it broke apart. Husband of Ada
Lena (Carlsen) Panamarioff, son of Timothy
Panamarioff. Other crew that died on the
boat were John "Sutt" Larsen, Eli Wasilie
and Harry Nielsen. Panamarioff's body never found. |
Parks, James | 1901-1964 |
Crescent City, California | Drowned
when a wave floated his trailer off of its foundation
and it overturned on Front Street in Crescent
City, California. He was a shoe repairman. |
Pettikoff,
Sammy
|
? 1941-1964 |
Shuyak Strait,
AK
Cape St. Elias, AK |
Disappeared
on boat right after earthquake,
assumed drowned in
tidal wave. Coast guardsman with broken leg, drowned while other Coast Guard friends tried to rescue him. Cape St. Elias is on Kayak Island |
Reft, Albert Andrew | 1920-1964 b. Karluk |
Kodiak, AK | He died trying to save a friends boat at the docks, his body was ever found. Son of John Reft of Estonia and Katie (Bishard) Reft. Survived by wife Tina (Katelnikoff) Reft. Father of 10 children. |
Robinson, Richard Jay | 1936-1964 b. Idaho |
Valdez, AK | Son of Rex Johnson Robinson & Ruth Stoddard Robinson and husband of Sharon Robinson. Branch President of the Valdez LDS Church. He was unloading freight from a ship when tsunami hit; his body was never found. Three children: Lynne, Richard Jr. and Gregory. |
Rustigan,
Mary Louise
"Bobbie" |
Age 44 | Anchorage, AK | Wife of Baxter Rustigan, mother of Rusty, Bonnie and Robert. Killed by the falling concrete facade of the new J.C. Penny Bldg. in Anchorage. Buried in Anchorage. |
Schmidt, William Elmer "Dutch" | 1898-1964 b.Wisconsin |
Valdez, AK | Son of John
and Caroline (Ritter) Schmidt. Ex-husband of
Lula Belle Day. Father of Oma Lea, Roger William,
Wayne Edmund and Mary Jane Schmidt. Longshoreman
swept to sea after first wave.
Husband of Dorotha Thelma Whelan. |
Schultz, Eugene Albert | 1927-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Music teacher in Kodiak. Died in tsunami at Chiniak Bay. Husband of Rose Marie. Son of Leo and Frieda (Laging) Schultz. World War II Veteran. Grave Stone in Spring Valley, Minnesota. |
Schultz, Rose Marie | 1938-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Died in tsunami at Chiniak Bay. Wife of Eugene Schultz, maiden name Cavaness |
Selanoff, Jeanne | child | Chenega, AK | Daughter of Charlie & Kathy Selanoff; sister of Karen Selanoff |
Selanoff, William (Billy) | child | Chenega, AK | Was walking
on the beach when
the tsunami hit. Son of Charlie & Kathy Selanoff; brother of Karen Selanoff |
Selanoff, Thomas Paul | baby/twin | Chenega, AK | Son of Paul Selanoff and Junie Elashansky |
Selanoff, Robert Jr. | baby/twin | Chenega, AK | Son of Paul Selanoff and Junie Elashansky |
Simmons, Robert Martin | 1921-1964 |
Seward, AK | Out fishing on his boat, body never found. Son of Olive Lay Simmons & Lester Benjamin Simmons Husband of Louise Ellanna (Oukuk), Brother of Barbara |
Simmons, Louise Ellanna (Oukuk) | 1938-1964 |
Seward, AK | Maiden name
Oukuk. Born on King
Island. Body never found, wife of Robert
Martin Simmons. |
Spadaro, Frank | Age 73 | Seward, AK | Retired
railroad yard foreman. Was at the Seward small
boat harbor when tsunami hit, body never found. |
Stapp, Sr. Sterlin Ovel | 1924-1964 b.Arkansas |
Valdez, AK | Swept off
of Valdez dock, never
found. Son of Virgil Roland Stapp and Ada Elizabeth Williamson |
Stuart, Debra Lynn | 1954-1964 |
Valdez, AK | Daughter of Earl (Smokey) and Sammie Marie Stuart |
Stuart, Earl Lincoln "Smokey" | 1931-1964 b.California |
Valdez, AK | Son of Dallas
Berton &
Dorothy Pearl (Bond) Stuart Husband of Sammie Marie (Matheson)Stuart and father of Janice, Debra and Larry Stuart. |
Stuart, Janice L. | 1955-1964 | Valdez, AK | Daughter of Earl (Smokey) and Sammie Marie (Matheson) Stuart |
Stuart, Larry Paul | 1951-1964 |
Valdez, AK | Son of Earl(Smokey) and Sammie Marie (Matheson) Stuart |
Stuart, Sammie Marie | 1934-1964 |
Valdez, AK | Wife of Earl "Smokey" Stuart. Mother of Janice, Debra and Larry Suart |
Styer, Lee Marlin | 1945-1964 |
Anchorage, AK | Ran out of the J.C. Penny store to check on his brand new car, when part of the store collapsed and fell on him (buried in Ohio). He was the only son of Leroy and Alice (Hayden) Styer. |
Tabasco, George T. "Joe" | About 50? |
Valdez, AK | Swept off
of Valdez dock during
tsunami. Former mechanic at Chilkoot
Barracks for Company F, 7th Infantry. |
The people of Chenega were earthquake savvy,
so when the earth started
shaking that day, they turned off their oil stoves
and headed for higher ground.
Parents told their older children to run
up the mountain which was directly
behind the village. Adults with babies and
pre-schoolers, tried to carry them up the mountain,
but were quickly hit by tsunami waves which pulled
the children out their arms, never to be found again.
Twelve of the 23 Chenega fatalities were children.
The records actually show 26 Chenega deaths due
to the earthquake. Twenty three died IN Chenega and 3 others
(the Chimovisky family) died at Port Nellie Juan
(19½ miles from Chenega) where they were
working as cannery caretakers.
Chenega's survivors were taken
to Tatitlek, Cordova or Anchorage
and never moved back to Old Chenega. Twenty years
after the earthquake, Chenega was re-established
(at a new location) on Evans Island.
VALDEZ
(37 dead)
Twenty eight adults and children were
on the Valdez dock watching the
"M.V.CHENA" unload it's freight when the earthquake
struck. The crew was happily throwing candy and oranges to
the children on the dock.
The earthquake quickly turned the glacial
sediment along the waterfront, into "liquid mud" and
a huge 4,000' x 600' section of it slid out into
Port Valdez, displacing the water and collapsing the dock, warehouse,
packing plant, cannery and bar; it also threw everyone
from the dock down onto the muddy ocean floor. Almost instantly,
a 30' wave of mud and water rushed back into the waterfront,
burying everyone and everything.
The next 30' wave reached the business
district of Valdez and heavily
damaged 40% of the businesses. The Union
Oil tanks ruptured and caught fire and the water,
sewer and phones were crippled. The entire town
was damaged beyond repair in less than 10 minutes!!
Three years later, the town of Valdez was moved to a
safer location, 4 miles away.
Four more men lost their lives, indirectly
due to the earthquake, when they crashed their plane on
take-off 4/25/1964. They were Alaska National Guard members
who were in Valdez delivering humanitarian aid to the devestated
town of Valdez. Their deaths brought the total number of lives
lost in Valdez to 37.
SEWARD
(12 dead)
Both kinds of tsunami
waves hit the town of Seward. Less than
a minute after the earth started shaking,
a 3,500' section of the waterfront (at the
south end of town) slid into the bay, creating a
30' localized tsunami. The underwater land slide
carried away the cannery, the boat dock, the Army dock,
part of the railroad dock and the Standard Oil dock. To
give you an idea of how massive this land slide was: a 200
ton wharf crane, at the railroad dock was swallowed up
by the underwater slump and NEVER found again.
Subsequent waves spread burning oil
(from the Standard Oil
Company tanks) toward the loaded railroad tank
cars and the Texaco tank farm, which then exploded,
spreading fire all over the town of Seward.
Waves destroyed the small boat harbor and shuffled (for the lack of a better word) the 125 boats moored there; some boats were pushed far inland, onto dry ground. Railroad tracks were stripped off of their rails and tank cars were tumbled like pickup sticks. Remarkably, only 13 people died in Seward.
Parts of Anchorage, the largest
city in Alaska, saw substantial damage;
not from tsunami waves, like other parts
of central Alaska, but from 4½ MINUTES of ground movement which turned
the Cook Inlet clay and sediment (that Anchorage
is built on) into a liquid which caused large landsides,
like the one that destroyed three blocks of Fourth
Avenue. Another problem area was over behind the old
Alaska Native Hospital, where a section of the bluff (650'
wide x 12' deep) fractured and moved north, taking out
a fuel storage tank and lowering part of the hospital
parking lot by 25'. The south wing of the Government Hill
Elementary School dropped 30' and the east wing of the school
split lengthwise and collapsed. The front of the new five
story J.C.Penny building collapsed as did the new six story
Four Seasons apartment building on L Street; the 60' tall
air traffic control tower at International Airport also
collapsed.
Major ground movement destroyed 75+ Anchorage homes and
killed 4 people in the exclusive Turnagain Heights area
(off of Northern Lights Blvd.) where many prominent families
lived on a high bluff overlooking the Inlet. When
the shaking started, the entire 8,600' x 1,200'
bluff slid nearly 1,000', breaking homes in half and burying
others. Today that area is called Earthquake Park.
WHITTIER (13
dead)
The
devastation in Whittier happened
at lightening speed during the 1964 earthquake.
Even before the earth stopped shaking, three
40' localized tsunami waves
came ashore (90 seconds apart),
killing 13 of Whittler's 70 residents and
depositing two ton boulders on shore. The waves
demolished the railroad depot, the Columbia
Lumber Company and tipped over the Union Oil
tank farm which then exploded and sent burning oil
out into the Bay and filling the town with black
smoke.
KODIAK ISLAND
(22 dead)
Tsunami waves came ashore at the city of Kodiak about every 55 minutes for almost 10 hours. The first 30' waves were the largest, but the smaller ones were none the less deadly. The waves pushed 50 and 100 ton crab boats over the harbor breakwater and deposited them 2 to 3 blocks into town. Downtown, buildings were pushed off of their foundations and relocated from one block to the next. Forty percent of Kodiak's business district and thirty percent of its fishing industry facilities were demolished. The small boat harbor was destroyed, as were 158 homes. Thirteen people were killed in the town of Kodiak, 3 in Kaguyak village, 3 in Afognak village, 1 in Old Harbor and 1 in Kalsin Bay.