On April 5, 1972, a F3 tornado struck at 12:51 PM, leaving death and devastation in its nine-mile path across the east side of Vancouver to the Brush Prairie area. A Waremart grocery store lay in rubble. A bowling alley was damaged. Peter S. Odgen Elementary School was demolished. Students and faculty from Fort Vancouver High School had watched the elementary school collapse and without a second thought, they ran to help the children. They lifted the debris off the children and performed some first aid.Damage was estimated at over five million, six people dead, and about 300 injured, which included approximately 70 school children. The tornado was the most devastating tornado in Oregon-Washington's recorded weather history, dating back to 1871. This was the deadliest tornado in the U.S. in 1972!
This monument was dedicated to the heroic performance of the students and faculty of Fort Vancouver High School during and after the tornado. Presented by Vancouver Jaycees and Peter S. Ogden P.T.A. The Oregonian Photo.
For more information on the tornado -- http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/paststorms/tornado.php.
Instructions for logging waymark: A photograph is required of you (or your GPS receiver, if you are waymarking solo) and the historic plaque.