Way Back When: Today In History
1945 – FDR dies, storms kill 71
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was serving his fourth term in office, died of a cerebral hemorrhage while sitting in front of a fireplace in his “little White House” at Warm Springs, Ga. His death was reported on newspaper and radio station news almost simultaneously with an outbreak of tornadoes that hit seven Oklahoma communities, killing 71 and injuring 690. Roosevelt, 63, had started his fourth term in office three months earlier. Vice President Harry S. Truman was sworn in about 2 1/2 hours later. The storms caused at least 47 deaths in Antlers, 12 in Muskogee, two in Oklahoma City, four in Sallisaw, three in Hulbert, two in Red Oak and one in Boggy. There were reports the storm also hit other communities, but none was confirmed.
Subscription Required
An online service is needed to view this article in its entirety. You need an online service to view this article in its entirety.
Need an online subscription?
Choose an online service.
- 1 Digital Subscription$16.99 for 31 days$95.94 for 183 days$179.88 for 365 daysUnlimited access to tulsaworld.com.
- 2 7-Day Print + Digital$21.00 for 31 days$63.00 for 92 days$126.00 for 183 days$252.00 for 365 days7-day per week print delivery (Monday – Sunday) + unlimited access to our digital products
- 3 Weekender + Digital$16.50 for 31 days$49.50 for 92 days$99.00 for 183 days$198.00 for 365 daysWeekender print delivery (Thursday – Sunday) + unlimited access to our digital products
- 4 Monday-Friday + Digital$14.00 for 31 days$42.00 for 92 days$84.00 for 183 days$168.00 for 365 daysMonday – Friday or Monday – Saturday or Tuesday – Saturday print delivery + unlimited access to our digital products
- 5 Sunday Only + Digital$14.00 for 31 days$42.00 for 92 days$84.00 for 183 days$168.00 for 365 daysSunday only print delivery + unlimited access to our digital products
- 6 Mail Delivery – Oklahoma$27.00 for 31 days$81.00 for 92 days$162.00 for 183 days$324.00 for 365 days$23.00 for 31 days$69.00 for 92 days$138.00 for 183 days$276.00 for 365 days$22.00 for 31 days$66.00 for 92 days$132.00 for 183 days$264.00 for 365 daysMail delivery of print edition within Oklahoma + unlimited access to our digital products
- 7 Mail Delivery – Kansas$31.00 for 31 days$93.00 for 92 days$186.00 for 183 days$372.00 for 365 days$26.00 for 31 days$78.00 for 92 days$156.00 for 183 days$312.00 for 365 days$25.00 for 31 days$75.00 for 92 days$150.00 for 183 days$300.00 for 365 daysMail delivery of print edition within Oklahoma + unlimited access to our digital products
- 8 Mail Delivery – U.S. except OK and KS$33.50 for 31 days$100.50 for 92 days$201.00 for 183 days$402.00 for 365 days$28.50 for 31 days$85.50 for 92 days$171.00 for 183 days$342.00 for 365 days$27.50 for 31 days$82.50 for 92 days$165.00 for 183 days$330.00 for 365 daysMail delivery of print edition to any U.S. State except Oklahoma and Kansas + unlimited access to our digital products
Current print subscribers
You must login to view the full content on this page.
1992 – Rare quake his Germany
A rare and powerful earthquake caused the death of a 79-year-old woman from a heart attack and injured more than 45 in Germany and the Netherlands. The quake’s magnitude readings varied from 5.4 at the U.S. Seismological Center in Boulder to 6.3 at Germany’s Seismological Center. The official reading was set at 5.8, the strongest in the region in more than 200 years. The epicenter of the quake, which struck at 3:20 a.m., was near the Dutch town of Roermond, according to the Royal Dutch Weather Institute. The temblor was felt hundreds of miles away in Brussels, throughout much of Germany and in parts of France.
2009 – Kidnapped captain rescued
Navy snipers killed three Somali pirates and captured a fourth to rescue freighter Capt. Richard Phillips, who had been taken hostage by pirates five days earlier. Phillips, a Vermont native, had been held on a tiny lifeboat that had begun drifting the previous day toward Somalia’s anarchic, gun-plagued shores. The 53-year-old captain had thwarted the pirates’ attempt to take over his 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama that was carrying food aid for people in Somalia, Rwanda and Uganda. The pirates had preyed on international shipping and were holding more than a dozen ships with about 230 sailors. “The heroes are the Seals, those who have brought me home,” Phillips said after his rescue.