TWIST OF FATE

After reading Patrick Goldstein’s “Twister” article (“Bring On the Debris,” May 12), I decided I must tell you my story.

It was early July 1945, and I was stationed in Liberal, Kan., awaiting my discharge from the Army Air Force. We were hit by a tornado about midnight. It hailed first. The noise on the tin roof of our Quonset hut was deafening. I hit the floor and pulled my mattress on top of me just before the window near my bunk came flying through. I was terrified. It scared me as much as any combat experience I had. I had survived the war but thought I was going to be killed in Liberal, Kan.

The next morning I surveyed the damage. It looked like we were hit by an atom bomb. There were some injuries but no fatalities. I noticed our first sergeant rummaging through the debris muttering to himself. I asked him what he was looking for. He said he was looking for his foot locker. He had his teeth in it.

FREDERICK D. MULLEN

Upland