1964 ALASKA EARTHQUAKE FATALITIES
By Coleen
Mielke
2020
Two kinds of tsunami waves destroyed
many coastal communities that day. There were waves
generated by massive tectonic
movements in the ocean floor;
those waves traveled great distances
at tremendous speeds. The second
type of wave was a localized tsunami wave,
which was the result
of underwater landslides and sediment
slumps near the shore in bays and harbors.
The localized waves came
ashore almost immediately and were responsible for the
majority
of lives lost in Alaska. People as far away as Oregon and California
lost their
lives due to tsunami's generated by the 3/27/1964 Alaska earthquake.
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 in Kodiak, 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 |
Akhiok, AK |
Baby died
right after earthquake
but before tsunami arrived, probably from
exposure. Akhiok is on south end of Kodiak Island. |
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 |
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 | Port Ashton, AK |
Drowned
while trying to secure his skiff at Crab Bay 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. Son of John Charles and Lillian (McKay) Brossow. Some
sources say he was on a boat called the Vicky
Lynn. Father of Duane Robert Brossow. Husband of Elsie
Lentz Brossow. |
Brown, Freddy O. | 1919-1964 |
Valdez, AK | Born in
Kansas, husband of Mary Ellen Hopkins Brown; father of Donis.
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. |
Byers, Charles W. Sr. | Age 84 | 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 who was caretaker at
Port Nellie Juan. Alex was son of the Chief of
Old Nuchek. Port Nellie Juan 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 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 incorrectly 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 | 1894-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Walking
on Beach Road in Kalsin Bay with 12 year old Richard
Vosgien when hit by tsunami wave, they both drowned.
Third wife: Helen Schrup. |
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 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 L. | 1911-1964 |
Seward, AK | Railroad conductor; died of heart attack while running from tsunami. Buried at the American Legion Cemetery in Seward. Wife: Hazel Ruth (Wingo) Elbe Parents: Gottlieb and Caroline (Thowe) Elbe. |
Eleshansky,
Sally Eleshansky Sr., Steve Eleshansky, Ronda |
1916-1964
1921-1964
Infant |
Chenega, AK 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 Jr., and Ronda Eleshansky Husband of Dorothy Selanoff. Was holding baby daughter and trying to run up the mountain, 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 | 1896-1964 | Chenega, AK | Brother of Willie Evanoff |
Evanoff, Nellie | 1906-1964
b. Kniklik |
Chenega, AK | Wife of Jack Evanoff |
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. Was local magistrate for over 25 years. |
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; hunters
refused aide. Bodies never found. Son of Peter and Annie Swanson Hatch. Husband
of Charlotte Lorraine Walker. Was named
after Jesse Lee Children's Home in Seward where his parents
met. |
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
fishing near Kodiak on boat called Sunrise.
The tsunami rolled the boat and Bill was the
only one killed on the crew. Husband of Frances Sarah Shea,
they had 6 children. 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, Bill | 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 (Selanoff) Kompkoff |
Kompkoff, Norma Jean | 3 | Chenega, AK | Daughter of Nick & Mary (Selanoff) 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 | Chenega, AK | Daughter
of Joe and Avis
Kompkoff, Body found on Knight Island two weeks after tsunami |
Kraiger, Howard H. | 1903-1964 b. Michigan |
Valdez, AK | Crushed
by shifting freight on "Chena".
Son of Elmer and Lenora Kraiger, husband
of Jennie Eva Thorstenson |
Kulstad, Georgia "Pat" | 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: Stella Moniz Layton,
Daughter: 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 |
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 M. | 1935-1964 |
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 | 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 | 1919-1964 b. Kodiak |
Kodiak, AK | He died trying to save a friends boat at the docks. Neither he nor the boat 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 |
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 (Yupik)Born on King
Island. Body never found, wife of Robert
Martin Simmons. Maiden name Oukuk (Yupik). Body never found. |
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. |
Taylor, William George | 1918-1964 b. Oregon |
Anchorage, AK | Died in
Anchorage International Airport Tower.Son of George Washington
Taylor and Elizabeth (Keedy) Taylor |
Totemoff,
Phillip Jr. Thompson, Ralph E. |
child |
Chenega, AK Valdez, AK |
Son of Shirley;
Grandson of Willie Kompkoff Third mate on the SS Chena, had a heart attack during the earthquake, died next morning |
VanBuskirk, Jack Theodore | 1926-1964 b. Wash. |
Valdez, AK | Son of Ralph
& Frances
Elba Onalee (Harris) Van Buskirk Husband of Betty A. Stinnett and father of Esther and Mark. |
Vlasoff, Anna | b.1898 d.1964 |
Chenega, AK | Mother of Sally Evanoff, body found on beach, washed out of her house when first tsunami wave hit. Buried in Cordova. |
Vosgien, Richard Paul | 1951-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Walking
on Beach Road in Kalsin Bay with 12 year old Maurice
Curry. Both boys killed by tsunami. Son of Art and Bessie
Berdina Harris Vosgien. |
Wallace, Arlene L. |
1938-1964 |
Kalsin Bay, AK |
Arlene L. Boyer (Bushor)(Wallace) drowned along with her son Jack Bushor, at Kalsin Bay on Kodiak Island. They were trying to get back to Naval Station . Wife of Airman Gordon Wallace. Buried in Pennsylvania with son. |
Walunga, Frank | 1919-1964 b.Russia |
Seward, AK | Had been out seal hunting with Jesse Lee Hatch in a 14' wooden skiff; last seen 12 minutes after earthquake by Dr. Starr and Bob Hayes, but hunters refused aide. Bodies never found. |
Ware, Geriann Dee | 1963-1964 | Whittier, AK | Daughter of Jerry and Judy Ware.Second tsunami wave crushed the family trailer and pulled mother and baby apart. Baby found alive in snowbank, but later died. |
Wasilie, Eli | 1938-1964 |
Kodiak, AK | Born in Karluk,
son of Willie Pete and Vera Wasilie. Was a crewman
on a boat called The Spruce Cape, when it broke
apart. Other men on the boat were the skipper,
John "Sutt" Larsen, Harry Nielsen and Ted Panamarioff.
Eli Wasilie was from Larson Bay, his body was never found. |
Wheeler, Phillip | 1915-1964 |
Valdez, AK | (assumed)
Son of George A. Wheeler and Edith A. Peak |
Wisdom, Alva Marvin | 1910-1964 b. Oregon |
Seward, AK | Swept away by a wave as he was clearing tsunami debris that blocked an escape route from the city to higher ground. Husband of Helen Edra (Barger) Wisdom Buried in the Pioneers Cemetery - Seward |
Williams, Milton Thomas "Bud" | 1921-1964 b.Wyoming |
Valdez, AK | Husband
of Lois Lee (Gilliam) Williams also known as "Maggie
Pearl". |
Wright, Bonita Ione | 1962-1964 |
Crescent City, California | Daughter
of William Eugene and Kathern
Ilene (Merz) Wright. Drowned while she,
her baby brother and mother tried
to flee their home near South Beach, Crescent
City, California. Age 2 |
Wright, William Eugene | 1963-1964 | Crescent City, California | Son of William
Eugene and Kathern Ilene (Merz) Wright. Was
pulled from his mothers arms by the water
as they tried to flee their home near
South Beach, Crescent City, California .
Age 10 months |
Wyatt, Donald | Age 31 | Kaguyak, AK | From Los Angeles. He was a geologist. He & his wife, Joyce were camped 2 miles from Kaguyak Village. His body was found floating in the lake (he was buried in Kodiak). Kaguyak is on Kodiak Island. |
Zeedar,
Inakenty
"Nick" |
Age 49 |
Kaguyak, AK | "Nick" Zeedar, Simmie Alexandroff, Victor Melovedoff & Max Shelikoff tried to get a large skiff that they wanted to use to transfer the women and children to safety. Nick & Simmie were lost. Nick's body was found on the beach, covered by a broken section of the roof. Kaguyak is on Kodiak Island |
Zook, Gerald Lee Hibner "Jerry " | Age 27 |
Valdez, AK | Born in Wrangall, AK, son of Nettie Prescott and Lyle Hibner, step-son of Bill Zook. Was to be married week after earthquake. Died on the Valdez dock, body never found. |
Thomas Carroll Thomas Norris James Rowe Kenneth Ayers |
Four
Alaska National Guard members, died when their airplane crashed right
after take off in a heavy snow storm and immediately sank into Port Valdez.
They had been in Valdez delivering humanitarian aide to the earthquake
devestated town. Brigadier General Thomas Carroll (Adjutant General) 1918-1964 Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Norris (pilot) 1919-1964 Major James Rowe (co-pilot) 1925-1964 T. Sergeant Kenneth Ayers (flight engineer) 1936-1964 |
||
My earthquake pages took me 10+ years to put
together. Please do not re-print or re-publish in
ANY form without my written permission. |
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. Those with babies and pre-schoolers,
tried to carry them up the mountain, but were hit by tsunami
waves which pulled younger children out of the arms of their
parents, never to be found again. Twenty three* people drowned
at Chenega; twelve of them were children.
NOTE: In total, twenty six Chenega residents died due to
the earthquake, 23 of them 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 53 survivors were taken
to Tatitlek, Cordova or Anchorage
and never moved back to Old Chenega. Twenty years after
the earthquake, the village of NEW CHENEGA
was established 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 (as was custom)
had been throwing candy and oranges to the children on the dock.
The earthquake quickly turned the glacieal
sediment along the waterfront, into liquid mud and a 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 on the dock
down onto the muddy ocean floor. Almost instantly, a 30' wave
of mud and water rushed back into the waterfront, burying 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 whole
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 AK, saw substantial damage; not from
tsunami waves, like other parts of central AK, but from
4½
MINUTES
of ground movement which turned the clay and sediment (that
the Inlet side of Anchorage is built on) into a liquid
that caused large landsides, like the one that destroyed
three blocks of Fourth Avenue (see above photo).
Another problem area was over behind the old A.N.S. 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+ homes and killed 4 people in the Turnagain Heights area (off of Northern Lights Blvd.) where many prominent Anchorage 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.