Hindenburg Disaster - 1937 - Herb Morrison reports

Herbert Morrison (May 14, 1905 January 10, 1989) was an American radio reporter best known for his vivid description of the Hindenburg disaster - a catastrophic explosion and fire that destroyed the Hindenburg zeppelin on May 6, 1937.

Hindenburg burst into flames above Lakehurst Naval Air Station on that day. This disaster ended the era of commercial passenger service in rigid, lighter-than-air crafts.
Of the 36 passengers and 61 crew on board, 13 passengers and 22 crew died. One member of the ground crew was also killed, making a total of 36 lives lost in the disaster.

These were Herbert Morrisons words as he witnessed the event:
It's practically standing still now. They've dropped ropes out of the nose of the ship; and (uh) they've been taken ahold of down on the field by a number of men. It's starting to rain again; it's—the rain had (uh) slacked up a little bit. The back motors of the ship are just holding it (uh) just enough to keep it from— It's burst into flames! It burst into flames, and it's falling, it's crashing! Watch it! Watch it! Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Get this, Charlie; get this, Charlie! It's fire—and it's crashing! It's crashing terrible! Oh, my! Get out of the way, please! It's burning and bursting into flames; and the—and it's falling on the mooring-mast. And all the folks agree that [may be "all the folks between"] this is terrible; this is the worst of the worst [may be "work of the worst"] catastrophes in the world. [indecipherable, sometimes interpreted as "Oh my Jesus!"] its flames... Crashing, oh! Four- or five-hundred feet into the sky and it—it's a terrific crash, ladies and gentlemen. It's smoke, and it's flames now [may be the "frame's down"]; and the frame is crashing to the ground, not quite to the mooring-mast. ["All the humanity" or "Oh, the humanity"] and all the passengers streaming [may be "screaming"] around here. I told you; it—I can't even talk to people ["Their friends are out there" or "Their friends are on there"]. Ah! It's—it—it's a—ah! I—I can't talk, ladies and gentlemen. Honest: it's just laying there [may be "it's just laid there"], mass of smoking wreckage. Ah! And everybody can hardly breathe and talk and [indecipherable; may be "the screaming"]. Lady, I—I—I'm sorry. Honest: I—I can hardly breathe. I—I'm going to step inside, where I cannot see it [may be "for I dare not see it"]. Charlie, that's terrible. Ah, ah;—I can't. Listen, folks; I—I'm gonna have to stop for a minute because [indecipherable] I've lost my voice. This is the worst thing I've ever witnessed.

For some interesting links on the subject, including a survivor talking about the experience:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cce_1178391209&p=1
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/vohind.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_129_Hindenburg

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• hindenburg
• morrison
• disaster
• herbert
• air
• ship
• zepplin

[Electricblue707]

The spark would have jumped from the skin onto the metal framework. At the same time, its also possible that hydrogen, either released during landing, or perhaps built up due to a leak (which some claim could be the reason the ship was stern-heavy and had to drop so much water prior to attempting a landing), was in turn ignited by the spark.

[VandaVisions]

Electricblue, Thanks so much for adding these great comments about that disaster. I remember as a little girl being shocked to see this for the first time and I just wanted to upload it on my channel.

[Electricblue707]

Its amazing even today they are not completely sure what caused the disaster. I have read up on this recently.

[VandaVisions]

Electricblue707, That's true. It's a mystery.

It was a time of political tension so it makes you wonder.

[Psychedalien]

Poor people, and the radion reporter is so real emotional.

[VandaVisions]

Psychedalien, I'm sure that had to be the worst thing he had ever seen.

[NJDominicana246]

aww poor guy

[HansDailyVideo]

holy crist! the guy in fact express with words all that meens to be terrifed, oh the humanity!

[ToneCapone321]

Pawn stars made me check this out...

[PaTcHiZzEl7397]

I'm doing a research project on this right now. It was proved in 1997 by a team of NASA researchers that an electric spark ignited the fabric of the Hindenburg. It burst into flames because there was a waterproof coating made of nitrate and aluminum powder. These are used in making gunpowder and rocket fuel. Added with the hydrogen, the Hindenburg was a flying powderkeg waiting to go off.

[121mdog]

@titanicgirl10108 what if that was you, yea you would care

[Ts022698]

I still am wondering why they are filming this, The Hindeburg was a Passenger Ship. They filmed a passenger ship "landing". Anyone else wonder that?

[CameronOlivia227]

Gay...

[dinnerandashow]

A bird crashed into it.

[aussieivan]

Oh, the Humanity!

[OJcatolac01]

@TheSteampunkdude Sorry I haven't found a video of it. Im not sure if it's true or not, but Pendragon book 3 says it was hit by a rocket, so your right about the rumor.