Buried alive- and lived.
Oct 9, 2022 23:20:15 #
My father was a brakeman with the Alaska Railroad and on one trip, about a mile south of Curry, Alaska, the train was stopped by an avalanche blocking the track. My father and two others planned on walking to the hotel at Curry alerting folks to send a snowplow to clear the tracks. Instead, all three were caught in a second avalanche. A short time later a fourth person, Joe Axe, headed to the hotel also and discovered the first three had not arrived and were buried in the snow. Emergency measures were taken, help arrived with shovels and enthusiasm. The Anchorage paper was pressed to finish the day's news and decided all three must have perished and the appropriate obituaries were published. Instead, all three survived... which is good 'cause my father's name was misspelled.
As a side note, my mother was a WAC at Ladd Field, Fairbanks during WWII and one weekend several folks went to Banff, Canada for R&R. One member of the group decided not go, so my mother went instead. Unfortunately, that weekend, the barracks burned and a body was found in the charred debris; it was assumed to be my mother and the necessary notices were sent. So, both of my parents have journalistic proof they died before I was born...
These photos were on display for a number of years- and may still be- at the Denali Park Main office. I was surprised to see them there, having grown up looking at them and hearing the stories...
As a side note, my mother was a WAC at Ladd Field, Fairbanks during WWII and one weekend several folks went to Banff, Canada for R&R. One member of the group decided not go, so my mother went instead. Unfortunately, that weekend, the barracks burned and a body was found in the charred debris; it was assumed to be my mother and the necessary notices were sent. So, both of my parents have journalistic proof they died before I was born...
These photos were on display for a number of years- and may still be- at the Denali Park Main office. I was surprised to see them there, having grown up looking at them and hearing the stories...
Train after being cleared from avalanche
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Tops of railroad cars poking out where rescuers had searched
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Rescuers at work
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Diggin' away
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Chilly Two Hours
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Oct 9, 2022 23:32:01 #
Wow!!! Very cool photos and newspaper stories of the event!!
Glad your parents managed to come back to life. Can you imagine the red tape and governmental idiocy you would have to go through today to prove you weren't dead!?!
Thanks for sharing!!
Dodie
Glad your parents managed to come back to life. Can you imagine the red tape and governmental idiocy you would have to go through today to prove you weren't dead!?!
Thanks for sharing!!
Dodie
Oct 9, 2022 23:33:32 #
Oct 10, 2022 00:12:15 #
Oct 10, 2022 00:13:50 #
Oct 10, 2022 06:18:15 #
Oct 10, 2022 07:48:17 #
Oct 10, 2022 07:56:15 #
Oct 10, 2022 09:58:04 #
luvmypets wrote:
Wow!!! Very cool photos and newspaper stories of the event!!
Glad your parents managed to come back to life. Can you imagine the red tape and governmental idiocy you would have to go through today to prove you weren't dead!?!
Thanks for sharing!!
Dodie
Glad your parents managed to come back to life. Can you imagine the red tape and governmental idiocy you would have to go through today to prove you weren't dead!?!
Thanks for sharing!!
Dodie
Worse than that, Dodie! Because he lied about his age to join the Navy, he has multiple discrepancies i.e., place and date of birth... none of that mattered until records were computerized and cross-checks between data bases became possible. Yup, he had some 'splainin' to do...
Oct 10, 2022 09:58:43 #
Sergey wrote:
Wow! What a story! Thank you for sharing
My pleasure, Sergey! Thanks for having a look!!
Oct 10, 2022 10:35:30 #
NMGal wrote:
Another WOW! Most interesting story. Something to tell your grandchildren.
So far, I know of no one else whose birth certificate is years older than both their parent's obituaries- and the obits themselves are years apart. Thanks for looking Barbara- and commenting, too!
Oct 10, 2022 10:37:19 #
dancers wrote:
when was this??? amazing story!
January of 1949 - my mother's "demise" was in June of 1944
Oct 10, 2022 10:38:49 #
Manglesphoto wrote:
WOW!!
Glad to get your attention Frank!! Thanks for looking!
Oct 10, 2022 10:39:32 #
Oct 10, 2022 10:40:16 #
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