Armistice Day Strom - 11-11-40

[pintail07]

Good read....I'm sure this thread has been brought up before, but always neat to look back and see the days before weather channel and forecasts and radar


"The day the ducks came and men died"

The Armistice Day Storm of 1940 took 154 lives and caused 59 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes region.

In addition to the shipping deaths on Lake Michigan and Lake Erie, several waterfowl hunters in Minnesota and Wisconsin perished as well.

The day dawned mild with temps in the 60's. Duck hunters were lured out to the river in short sleeves expecting a bluebird day. Thousands of ducks had funneled into the Mississippi River valley that day seeking refuge ahead of a deadly storm only they seemed to know was coming. The hunters enjoyed a terrific shoot.

Temperatures suddenly and rapidly dropped. Hurricane force winds drove at first rain, then sleet, and then a blinding snow storm upon the unprepared hunters. They soon found themselves locked in a life and death struggle. Some survived by burning outboard motor fuel under overturned boats. Many died, frozen to death, stranded on the river's islands.

From one of my favorite duck hunting vignettes: Armistice Day Storm by Gordon MacQuarrie: There were long prayers by the Mississippi's banks Turesday, the day after Armistice, when the ducks came and men died.


Armistice Day Storm By Gordon MacQuarrie

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/displa ... lizzard-m/

[greenheadgrimreaper]

I always enjoy that story, thanks.

[Northlouisiananative]

Thanks for the post. Every year I think about this terrible day. Here is a good article I found a couple years ago. There is even an interview with one of the survivors.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/displa ... lizzard-m/