[CW] Perhaps OT: History: Hams Help Out - Perth Amboy, NJ - 1950

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

I just searched for my friend George Miller, K2FD on the Internet and
I learned something about him and his friend whom I also met and
considered a friend, Julius Kardos, W2VO.

They both were excellent men of Morse, K2FD was a fellow radio officer
like myself, and later went into the local Perth Amboy fire
department, retiring as Chief.

Amateur radio has a great and proud history, scientifically as well as
socially, I tend to agree with Thomas Raddall who thought that Morse
operators became aware of "something out there" and became to sense
the presence of the distant operator sending to them in Morse.
Perhaps it is a delusion, but in my mind, I think it may be the cause
of many of the wonderful things that amateur radio operators have done
for the world.

The story copied makes for interesting reading and mentions amateur
radio operators who helped out.  I know at least some of that
communication was on Morse because of the excellence of the operators
who always said it was faster to send a message in Morse than over
radiotelephony.

Anyway, I guess I am a romantic still even at my age, but I am
grateful for the interesting find as he made me remember how very much
I thought of George and Julie.

73

DR

1950 Explosion at South Amboy
May 19, 1950

South Amboy
Middlesex County
New Jersey, USA

At approximately 6:30 PM, May 19th, 1950, an explosion occurred which
destroyed the 4 barges, damaged 14 other vessels (many of which were
total losses) and damaged nearby homes and businesses in South Amboy.
The shock of the explosion was so bad, that its effects were felt all
the way over in Perth Amboy, NJ. THE MISSING -- and probably dead --
included Walter Sullivan, David White, William Healing. Members of the
Civil Defense Amateur Radio Emergency Service, took their homebrew
high frequency portable transmitter and converted war surplus
receiver. There were many broken windows in town, shattered glass and
debris everywhere. At a school building radio communication was set up
on the top floor, about two blocks from the location of the explosion.
There was much confusion. Many were still in a state of shock and
others had injuries, mostly from flying glass. Officials were
overloaded with requests for detail information from the National Red
Cross, military and government officials wanting more details. How
many dead? How many injured? What do you need? Can we be of help?
Radio amateurs out of the area were very helpful relaying messages.
Several days later the count was 31 dead and over 300 injured. The Red
Cross and the Salvation Army were very much in evidence helping the
people. Salvation Army Brigadier Henry Dries (retired) recalls how
they provided shelter for a detachment of military explosive
specialists who were searching the area for unexploded munitions.
Across the river in Perth Amboy, Bill Hass, W2GMY; George Miller,
K2FD; and Julius Kardos, W2VO, were using emergency communications.
They were particularly hard hit. Miller saw a large 500-pound anchor
that was blown one and a half miles and landed on the street near the
high school. The explosion occurred when over 420 tons of military
explosives blew up under mysterious circumstances, killing 31
dockworkers and injuring over 300 others. The dock workers were
transferring military explosives and dynamite from the rail cars to a
barge at the "powder pier." The pier was destroyed and never rebuilt,
and munitions through the port ended after the explosion.