A Delayed Honeymoon − 1 July, 1954
My parents finally saved enough money for a honeymoon in Carolina Beach, NC after being married for just over a year. It was a final fling before they would pack up to Cheyenne, WY where my father was to report for duty in the Air Force.
Three months after their visit, the coastal tourist mecca would be leveled for all intents and purposes by Hurricane Hazel, a Category 4 monster which delivered $17 million dollars in damage to the area. The storm will never be forgotten by Carolinians of that generation. Whenever a big thunderstorm would pop up with winds that would make the big oaks in our yard begin to sway, my dad would always observe, "It's blowing like Hurricane Hazel out there."
