Remembering the 1975 tornado that slammed Omaha (6 miles hospital & school direct hits 3 dead video)

[Omaha Steve]

Last edited Fri May 1, 2015, 10:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Feature story coming Sunday.

My best friend Ed at the times dad was the superintendent of 911 at that time and on duty. His sisters husband was on duty in a patrol car. The tornado was a short distance from his (Ed's sister) pregnant mother. Debbie was unharmed. It was covered in the paper. They divorced years later.

Marta's mom, Marta, little Stevie, and I were huddled in the basement of her mom's house 20 blocks from the tail end.

Mom and dad's house was miles away but in the path of the continuing storm. The storm tracked directly over their house. There was all kinds of debris from mail (post office 12 miles away was flattened) to appliance pieces etc.

OS



BOB DUNN

Bob Dunn took this photo of the tornado from Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack.

http://www.omaha.com/weather/remembering-the-tornado-that-slammed-omaha/article_43b74d7c-f00f-11e4-8324-b3897489b375.html

POSTED: FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 9:35 AM
By Nancy Gaarder / World-Herald staff writer

After combat duty in Vietnam, police officer David Campbell wasn’t too worried on that afternoon in May 1975 when he radioed 911 that he would chase the Omaha tornado.

Communication and forecasting was primitive by today’s standards, so an eyewitness account from someone like Campbell would be life-saving.

The 23-year-old figured he was far enough away that he could parallel the storm by driving north on 72nd Street.

“It seemed like it was going to be a good idea.”

FULL story at link. Audio/video: http://studio.omaha.com/?ndn.trackingGroup=91341&ndn.siteSection=omahawh_nws_loc_sty_pp&ndn.videoId=28996618&freewheel=91341&sitesection=omahawh_nws_loc_sty_pp&vid=28996618



THE WORLD-HERALD

Omaha police officer David Campbell's cruiser was pummeled by debris thrown by the tornado he tracked up 72nd Street. Campbell's heroic radio reports proved pivotal in getting Omahans to take shelter.