TEXAS CITY — It has been 62 years since a ship explosion set off a series of blasts that leveled much of Texas City and killed more than 600 people.
It became known as the Texas City Disaster, and until the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was the deadliest man-made disaster in the country.
Each year to commemorate the April 16, 1947 disaster, The Galveston County Daily News and the city of Texas City take a reunion photograph of the survivors of the incident.
Anyone who was living or working in Texas City when the explosion of the Grandcamp and High Flyer cargo ships happened are asked to pose for the photo that is published in The Daily News on the anniversary date.
This year’s photo will be taken at 1 p.m. on April 4 at the Texas City Museum. The photo shoot will be followed by a book release and signing of Allan Pevoto’s book “Heroes and Survivors: Personal experiences of the Texas City Disaster.”
Pevoto was a fourth-grader at Danforth Elementary School when the first cargo ship carrying ammonia nitrate exploded. The book includes his story as well as those of his classmates and his parents of that day and the aftermath as the city worked to rebuild.
Pevoto, a professor at St. Edward’s University in Austin, will have copies of his book available to sell and autograph in the museum after the photo is taken.
Also, The Daily News will be recording the personal stories of survivors to be posted online at galvnews.com and donated to the Texas City Museum.
The city will also mark the anniversary with its annual commemoration at Memorial Park on Loop 197 on April 16.
Mainland Editor T.J. Aulds can be reached at 409-683-5334 or tjaulds(at)galvnews.com.
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Inside
What: Texas City Disaster Survivor’s photo and book signing
When: 1 p.m. on April 4
Where: Texas City Museum, 409 6th Street North in Texas City
