The Last Nor'easter

Then on 14 and 15 January 1961, TT-4 was again caught in a storm that battered the tower with winds up to 85 miles per hour and waves up to 35 feet high thrashed its legs. At 7:15pm 15 January 1961 at night the Navy supply ship AKL-17 was only ten miles from Number Four when she picked up an SOS from the tower. The edifice was now tilting back and forth. Capt. Gordon T. Phelan, commanding officer in charge of the 13 Air Force personnel and the 14 civilians in the Texas Tower, is reported to have said that he thought the tower could hold out until dawn. As a lull in the storm was expected around two o'clock Monday morning, he was planning on evacuation of the men at that time.

Then Came The SOS Immediately upon receiving the SOS from Capt. Gordon T. Phelan On The Texas Tower #4 The Supply Ship AKL-17 Along With Aircraft Carrier Wasp keeping the structure on there radar screens proceeded as fast as the great storm would allow toward the tower.

Finally, TT-4 could stand no more. At about 1920 hours the night of 15 January, it is believed one of its three legs bent in half; but the tower remain Partially above water supported by the two remaining legs and the damaged leg. It is also believed Suddenly at one minute past eight that night the image of the tower vanished from the AKL-17's Radar when the remaining two legs also Bent and then cracked and the tower was never seen again. It is presumed that the tower collapsed at this moment.

The aircraft carrier Wasp was also in the vicinity, having been directed there by Navy officials that evening after Capt. Phelan had requested evacuation of the personnel on the tower. Men on duty in the Wasp's radar room at the time noted the vanishing of the image at about the same moment that it was reported from the AKL-17.