Remembering The Plainfield Tornado On Its 30th Anniversary

PLAINFIELD, IL — "God was good to us that day," said Al Litwiller, who, along with his family, witnessed the terrifying F-5 tornado that ripped through Plainfield, Joliet and Crest Hill on Aug. 28, 1990, killing 29 people and razing homes, schools and businesses.

On its 30th anniversary Friday, Litwiller told Patch about the horrors he saw while living behind St. Mary Immaculate on Frederick Street. On that fateful day, he and his wife were working, their 14-year-old daughter was in bed with a severe migraine, and their 10-year-old son was playing basketball in the driveway.

"When our son saw the tornado, he ran in the house, alerted our daughter, and they both ran to the basement for shelter," Litwiller said. "Several months earlier, before he passed away, their grandfather had built a snack bar in the basement. He told the kids he was building it so good that it would even stand up to a tornado. They hid behind the snack bar."

The family's home sustained $80,000 in damage but the structure remained, but most of the other houses "around us were gone," he said.

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"My daughter went to each of the surrounding houses to bring our neighbors back to our house for shelter and clothing. Our son gave away all of our clothing to everyone who needed it. Everyone stayed in our property until police and ambulance arrived. One neighbor needed 70 stitches on his back from the storm," Litwiller said.

Today, his children are adults, living in different states, but the terrors of the tornado is now an inherent part of their lives.

"Even 30 years, later whenever either one has a bad storm they call each other to make sure they are doing OK," he said.

The tornado had struck without warning — no sirens to announce its approach. President George Bush and Illinois Governor James Thompson declared the communities of Plainfield, Crest Hill and parts of Joliet as federal and state disaster areas. Over 180 members of the Illinois National Guard were called out to help with rescue and cleanup efforts.

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According to the Joliet Weather Center, it all started with a supercell that formed in southern Wisconsin. As it moved into far northern Illinois, a brief small tornado touched down in Pecatonica, just outside of Rockford. The massive storm then proceeded southeastward and gained intensity over DeKalb County as it headed just south of Aurora.

The supercell then produced an enormous rain-wrapped tornado, touching down first in Oswego and moving through Plainfield, Crest Hill and Joliet. The monster tornado traveled a total of 16.4 miles from Oswego to Joliet before lifting.

The late Dr. Theodore Fujita, creator of the F scale, said this tornado was one of the strongest he had ever surveyed. It remains the strongest August-tornado to ever strike the country and one of the strongest ever in general, the weather center said in a social media post.

The Joliet Weather Center wrote in a Facebook post:

"August 28, 1990 was a grim reminder that no matter what time of the year it is, tornadoes are still possible at any time and any place in the United States. Homes, schools and churches have been rebuilt, communities have grown, but for those that were here on that fateful day some 30 years ago, we will never forget. Like many others, I certainly remember that day like it was yesterday, for it will forever be etched into my head and heart."

When asked about their experiences, here's what some Patch readers had to say on Facebook:

• Bill K: I was a pilot for Midway Airlines when the tornado hit. I was flying in from Minneapolis the next day and I saw the huge destructive path that the tornado made. I notified the passengers that I would bank the plane a little bit more than normal, so they could see the damage it caused. It was a sight to see. The power of a tornado is incredible. They thanked me and my co-pilot for the view after landing at Midway Airport. Two of the passengers lived in Plainfield, and they saw it on the news the night before.
• Kathy Laufer Massa: I am part of the class of 1966. I was living in Davenport, IA, at the time. The first I knew of the storm was a message on my answering machine (remember those?) from my parents informing me that they were ok. By then they were living in Joliet off Black Road, near where an apartment building blew apart. I watched the news coverage the rest of the night. Those kids in the locker room hall were SO lucky.

• Bobby Sotir: I still have the VHS tape. I actually watched it several months ago. I was only 3 years old and was at the Joliet mall shopping with my mom when the power went out. It jumped the mall area.
• Katie Did: I was at providence high school in new Lenox when it hit. Jumped over us but still terrifying. I will never forget the deep blue, pink, and purple clouds with lightening IN them ROLLING in so fast ... never saw it before or since. God bless the victims.
• John Crissup: I was trying to get home from Hoffman Estates to see how we fared. IL State police had a roadblock at 59 & 75th St detouring traffic. They kept looking at my address and telling me I needed to detour. When I asked them where the detour would bring me out, they said South of Plainfield (the detour was 75th St to 355). I tried to explain I didn’t need to get south of town, I needed to get to ground zero. I finally turned onto 75th, then headed down Book Rd. As most will remember, at 111th, Book turned into a gravel road, and then at 127, Book turned into a mud road through a farm field. I emerged onto 127th with my wheel wells packed with mud, with mud flying everywhere. I pulled into the next roadblock by the Plainfield PD at 143rd and 59. I’m sure I was quite a sight with the car covered in mud, mud flying out of my wheel wells, etc.

What are your recollections from that day three decades ago? Share your memories and experiences in the comments below.

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