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On April 3rd, 1974 people in Xenia saw black smoke rising, like a wall, and then the wall started turning in.It was an F-5 tornado. There were twisters all through Ohio and in other states- 148 were confirmed that day throughout the United States and Canada.The tornado that struck Xenia killed 32 people and injured over 1000. Two National Guardsmen also died fighting a fire. Hundreds of homes were shredded into bits and downtown was demolished.As part of an oral history project, staffers from the Greene County Public Library interviewed people who were in Xenia that day. And those voices make up our series.

Remembering the Xenia Tornado: Janine and Brian Montgomery (Part 2)

Tamar Kreke

Yesterday, we heard from Janine and Brian Montgomery of Xenia. They were in the downtown Pizza Hut when the F5 tornado hurtled through on April 3rd, 1974. When it was over, there was no roof on the Pizza Hut and Brian says he started to look for his wife Janine in the jumble.

 

Brian and Janine Montgomery were interviewed by Tamar Kreke of the Green Public Country Library. Community Voices producer Alan Staiger created our series. For more on the Greene County Public Library's Voices of Greene County series, click here.

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