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My Dad: Survived Hazel in 1954 in NC, Braving Irene now

By Donna Galanti

My dad, as a sailor, survived Hurricane Hazel in North Carolina in 1954. He’s back in North Carolina facing Irene now.

Hurricane Hazel hit NC hard in 1954

With Hurricane Irene bearing down on us, I recall the story my dad told me of the 2 days he braved Hurricane Hazel in North Carolina when he was in the U.S. Navy. In October 1954 Hazel hit land as one of the most disastrous hurricanes in U.S. history. Now nearly 60 years later my dad is living again in North Carolina, just south of Wilmington, on the coast. And I know he will brave this historic storm as well.

Category 4 Hurricane Hazel was one of most disastrous hurricanes in U.S. history

In 1954, my dad was a communications specialist at the Weeksville Naval Air Station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Weeksville, at the time, was a helicopter and blimp base. When my dad was stationed there, Weeksville was at its zenith with 2 blimp squadrons and an anti-submarine helicopter squadron calling it home. 10 blimps and 12 helicopters were based here. It also housed the largest wooden structure in the world, a blimp hangar that was as large as three football fields inside. It held this record distinction until an unseen spark from a welder’s torch started a fire in 1995 and it burned down.

Weeksville Naval Air Station Blimp Hanger where my dad was stationed during Hazel

But in 1954, when my dad was based at Weeksville, Category Four Hurricane Hazel landed. It brought 150 mph winds and a record 18 foot storm surge at Calabash, North Carolina. Hazel carved a path of destruction that left over 600 dead. Damages exceeded $350 million 1953 U.S. dollars. The storm surge from Hurricane Hazel ranged from 14 to 18 feet.

Hazel slammed the coast and flood waters raged from the nearby Albemarle Sound a good foot through the base. All married sailors were sent home. My dad, single, was left as the only communications employee on the base to operate all communications during the storm. He stayed at his post for 2 days days as the windows rattled and the water seeped in. He survived without power, 1 meal, and no sleep.

The building he was in was strapped down with steel cables so it wouldn’t be damaged. However, the storm was so fierce that it moved the world’s largest wooden structure – the blimp hangar – one foot off its foundation. “Man,” my dad said. “I don’t want to go through that again.”

My dad married my mom a few years after Hazel. He would be the sailor sent home now, not to stay in a hurricane

My dad would meet my mother a few years later, marry, and adopt a daughter – who would eventually also serve in the U.S. Navy as well (me!). You can read the letters between my dad and myself during my boot camp survival in my 1980s memoir “Letters from Boot Camp”.  As an “old salt of the sea” my dad gives a “new salt” advice on succeeding in the U.S. Navy.

So, from a “new salt” to an “old salt” I fervently hope my dad stays safe once again through this hurricane – as do all people along the Eastern seaboard this weekend. And remember our servicemen and women, many who must remain in harm’s way of the hurricane to do their duty.

Father and daughter squids

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Filed Under: Inspirational, Navy Tagged With: Blimp, boot camp, Category 4, Hazel, Hurricane, Irene, letters from boot camp, Navy, North Carolina, Weeksville

Comments

  1. jmcooper says

    August 26, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    Fantastic post, Donna. I love NC and I loved your story! Lot’s of prayers and well wishes to your dad for the next couple days!

  2. donnagalanti says

    August 26, 2011 at 4:18 pm

    Jess, thanks so much. Really appreciate it. My dad is the man!

  3. JD Cooper says

    August 26, 2011 at 4:51 pm

    Donna,
    I better send Don a quick email before services are down. No problems here in Aiken,SC, of course we are south of all of it. Great post!! Keepup the blog, I really enjoy it!
    Your Cuz, Jerry

  4. Joe Galanti says

    August 26, 2011 at 9:13 pm

    Love it! Love the pics too! God speed to your dad

  5. catherine williams says

    August 28, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    Donna I too survived hurricane Hazel as a young girl in Greenville NC. It left an impression on me that will always be with me. Irene a piece of cake.

  6. donnagalanti says

    August 28, 2011 at 6:55 pm

    Catherine – thanks for sharing! Appreciate the visit here too!

  7. Steve Chalker says

    November 15, 2011 at 2:41 pm

    Donna,
    Tell your Dad, I work in Dock 1, Dock 2 burned down in 1995. Dock 1 is back to being used for LTA, the company I work for builds tethered aerostats and blimp envelopes. Ask him if he has any pictures from the time he spent here, I would love to get copies and add them to my collection! Check out http://www.elizcity.com/weeksnas for my website. (sorry, I need to bring it up to date.)
    Steve Chalker sdchalker@gmail.com

    • donnagalanti says

      November 15, 2011 at 2:44 pm

      Hi Steve, thanks for the updated info! I will certainly pass this info on to my Dad and ask him if he has any photos. Appreciate it! I will keep you posted.

Trackbacks

  1. A to Z: U is for USS Battleship NC | says:
    April 24, 2012 at 7:01 am

    […] My dad was a Communications Specialist in the Navy back in the 1950s. You can read his account of being stranded in Hurricane Hazel […]

  2. A to Z: U is for USS Battleship NC says:
    February 9, 2015 at 9:12 am

    […] My dad was a Communications Specialist in the Navy back in the 1950s. You can read his account of being stranded in Hurricane Hazel […]

  3. USS Battleship North Carolina: Big Guns of Fun! - Donna Galanti - mystery, magic and mayhem for all ages says:
    February 9, 2015 at 9:45 am

    […] My dad was a Communications Specialist in the Navy back in the 1950s, and you can read his account of being stranded in Hurricane Hazel. […]

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