LETTER: A tribute to those who died on Texas Tower 4

I venture to say that almost all, if not all, of your readers, never heard of the Texas Towers (long range radar platforms similar to the Texas oil rigs).

The Air Force Texas Tower No. 4 was a long range radar station situated 70 miles off the east coast of New Jersey anchored to a shoal in 185 foot deep water. It was a triangular structure set on three legs.

In August, 1960, I was part of a Radar Evaluation Team that worked out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah. We were doing an evaluation of their radars.

“Old Shaky No. 4” as it was called, lived up to that name because of it’s tendency to shake, rattle and roll in moderate and heavy seas. Just before we arrived, a team of divers had put a series of braces to steady the tower. However, during our evaluation, it continued to live up to its nickname.

After we left, in September 1960, Hurricane Donna went up the East Coast and passed directly over Tower 4. It was pounded with over 40 foot waves and winds in excess of 140 knots for over 24 hours.

When the storm passed, divers went down and found the braces were severely damaged, and some were missing. This led to the events that concluded with Tower 4 capsizing with 28 souls on board. They perished on Jan. 15,1961.

On Friday will be the 55th anniversary of this tragedy. I salute those brave and almost forgotten heroes. —Tony Adrignola, Rollins, retired Air Force technical sergeant