Jackson Jambalaya

On the second front page, note the small article to the right of the photo.

Wondering if the Larry Swales in the story, store clerk, is the Chancery Clerk out in Rankin today? (If I've aged you incorrectly, Larry, I apologize).

Yes, that's the same Larry Swales. He and his best friend the late Larry Temple were both there. Larry Temple had a job in the super market (if memory serves) and had a huge sliver of glass, about as big as a scimitar, that pierced one thigh through and through. Gives me the willies just to think about it.

I was with the Associated Press and wrote the story that was distributed nationally and used as the lead in the C-L on March 5. An interesting note: when I arrived at Candlestick Park An ambulance driver who I knew as a Ku Klux Klansman I covered a lot of the civil rights turmoil that was happening at the time) called me over and asked me to record the names of the dead as he stacked them in vehicles. The carnage was unbelievable. The next day (Saturday) my wife of six months, who was from Carthage and a MSCW journalism graduate, and I traced the storm through the rural areas on back roads. We saw hay that had impaled fence posts and dead cattle dropped as if they were grazing. We talked to a mother who had her baby ripped from her arms. The infant was found unharmed -- not even a scratch -- in the branches of a tree. And people were out helping friends and even strangers. The amazing thing was the calmness of the professionals such as law enforcement and rescue personnel. There was urgency, but no panic.

I purchased a property in 2003 and another in 2005. Even though they were located probably 15 miles apart (in a straight line), in piecing together information on them in the following years, I discovered the buildings on each of them had been flattened by that tornado. Seeing as how it was on the ground for TWO HUNDRED THREE miles, I suppose many people could have had that same experience!

What is a scimitar?

A scimitar is half a tar. Duh.

" What is a scimitar? "

A scimitar is a large curved medieval sword that originated in the Arab world.
A very wicked weapon for sure !

Not really effective in combat, but It was an extremely efficient for beheading . . . with one swing to the neck.

A scimitar is a type of sword or staff weapon commonly seen in the Disney Aladdin animated film. They are also part of the Wahhabi Shriners crest and closely associated with Islam and the Middle East. It is a curved blade, more narrow at the hilt, that curves up like a half moon and ends with one or two broad points.

Excellent for beheading.

The "Candlestick Park " tornado was one of the worst natural disasters to ever impact Jackson.

Although I was a small child from North Jackson, I do remember the sky.

As is always described, at first the wind stopped and everything went silent.
No birds chirping, no dogs barking , such as that.

I do remember the sky turning a vomit green/yellow color, followed by almost 'Pitch Black" hue.
While we never had wind or rain, we did hear the roar.

Dad was at work, and Mom was trying to appear unconcerned (for the kid's benefit) but I could tell that she was scared to death.

Anyway, we did not know until the next day how bad it had been.

Watched from about 400 yards as it want across our property

My mother and I stood on our front porch and watched the WLBT channel 3 transmission tower fall over from 15 miles away. The sky was indeed a strange green color, and I recall jumping in the air and letting the wind blow me back airborne for several feet, like I was flying.

I lived in South Jackson at the time (age 6), near Appleridge. I remember the sky as described and the sound. We attended Woodville Heights Baptist which was wiped out just before Candlestick.

The book "A World Turned Over" by Lorian Hemingway. Is a good read on this event.

Shame there wasn't more live coverage then like the 2011 Tornado. Still remember the WLBT interview...The Tornado took my Hamburger.

https://youtu.be/LkTCWR-tn6w

Not to make lite...In the 90s, at 3:30 AM a Tornado hit my mother's house that had just been built 18 months prior. Killed my grandmother and almost killed my mother. They were sleeping in the same bedroom, seperate beds. One never knows what tomorrow brings.

Thanks for post.