Texas City Disaster Support

Photo taken April 17, 1947. The explosion in Texas City on April 17, 1947, was the State of Texas’ greatest catastrophe at that time. Practically all of the automotive equipment owned by the Texas City Police Department was destroyed. Dallas sent a detail of 30 officers, and Chief Hansson sent eight two-way radio-equipped squad cars, with W.H. Hutton, foreman of the Dallas Police garage to maintain the motor vehicle equipment. Rings of officers were put in blockades around the city to prevent looting. Texas Rangers and highway patrol officers, and details from Houston, San Antonio, and Fort Worth also came to assist.