11/5/2017 - Some where after 6:00 PM in Erie Pa - Looking out my kitchen window when I noticed the wind picking up, 2 seconds later I saw a stack of pallets take flight then vegetation, dirt and unknown debris black out the window, Said debris moving very,very fast about 6-8 inches in front of my nose, loud booms shaking the house, very bright flash and shattering flash - Somehow my body reacted quicker then my mind and I was on the floor holding my dogs harness and belly crawling across the floor - Again bright flashes and loud boom as the rockets were hitting the ground - I could see the bunker door just feet away - I was dragging something/body behind me - I reached the bunker door and started down the stairs - I was carrying the object as I was running down the stairs - As I reached the bottom I started having flashbacks of my house/basement, how did it get to Viet Nam - I reached the corner of the basement and my dog was trying to get out of my grip I held on and we both started talking to God
Turns out it was a F-1 Tornado - Ripped the electrical service off my house, threw a 30 ft? pine tree into my back porch, tore the chimney off the roof and ripped the siding off one end of the house - It also tore apart/down maybe twenty mature trees, most ended up in a large jumble (Think Puerto Rico) - Oh ya, my brand new garage ---- Not a scratch on it - The only thing different about it was grass and leaves sticking on it

The first property you see is mine, they flew over it several times
Team Rubicon is starting on my property ( https://teamrubiconusa.org/ ) tomorrow clearing out the mess left from the storm

Not a scratch on the outside of either me or my dog - The insides rattled could begin to describe it

 

Dick, glad to hear you are okay. That had to be some scary sh_t!

 

Wow. Glad you are ok, Dick. Tornados are powerful and unpredictable - your instincts likely saved you some harm. Remarkable.

 

Holy s**t!! I extend my positive vibes to you and the dog, I'm sooooooo glad you are ok after what must have been the scariest thing imaginable. I salute you sir.

 

Holy smokes! That is crazy. Looks like it was headed straight for your place too.. Glad your ok. And hope everything is fixable.

Oh and thank you for your service.
Sounds like a distressed caused flashback in the middle of all that. But in a real situation which I'm sure didnt help at all.

I remember my neighbor when i was in Jr high telling me story's about Vietnam and how they after he came home did alot of test and electric shock therapy. He was a real neat guy. If I make it back to south Dakota next summer will be visting with him again.

 

WOW! Glad it didn't get worse.

 

Wow Dick... you must be livin right... glad YOU weren't damaged..

 

Sorry to hear that it came right at you! Glad to hear that you and your dog survived, sounds like your body knew exactly what to do and did it! I hope you have lots of help to fix it all.

 

Is that up near 38th by the post office? Here in Westfield NY we had a lot of rain and road flooding. End of September whe had a small tornado do some damage at Portland. Took a block building down and shot the roof into the next property. Got several barns before it hit that block building. Probably a couple of miles from me.

 

It ran from just east of the airport between rt 20 and 32nd st - From where it started until the Millcreek Township Muni Bldg it was straight line winds, from there to just a couple hundred before my property it was a F0, then it became a F2 - I've heard different reports from up to 5 miles due East of damage
Got my Dog, elec, heat, food, water, and I have only had to escort 1 person from my property with my hand on my gun. I was kinda hoping to have 1 or 2 dirtbags hanging from a light pole by now

 

You must be living right, Dick! Hope you can get it fixed up before the snows come.

 

Glad you the pup and everything else is ok. That’s quite a happy veteran day !

 

Thanks for sharing and thank God you and your dog are shaken but not stirred. Sorry you returned to Vietnam for a few seconds I’m sure that is someplace best left not revisited. Hope you can get your property back in order quickly.

 

Glad to hear you are OK. I have experienced 3 in my days. A sound I will never forget.
Thanks for your service also.

 

Glad to hear you rode out the storm uninjured !

Never had to experience a tornado and hope I never do.