PORTLAND, Ore. — Forty one years ago, at 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted. It was the most devastating volcanic eruption in U.S history. Within seconds, a plume of black smoke and ash filled the sky. That ash eventually covered many parts of Oregon, Washington and beyond.
It's a day many people who lived in this area at the time will never forget. The KGW Sunrise team asked people to tell them what they remembered most about May 18, 1980. Here are some of their responses:
Shelley Allen: "I was 15 years old. My brothers and I were fishing in Silverton and we heard the eruption. I'll never forget the sound as it echoed through the Canyon."
Linda Cohn: "I remember looking north from SW Portland and I saw in disbelief an immense amount of dark smoke billowing into the sky. At that time, they thought the ash would be headed our way, but instead the wind blew the smoke and ash to the east. I remember seeing on the news photos of Spokane, Washington and it was noon and it was as if it was 10 o'clock at night. I also remember Channel 8 newscaster Kim Gilbert announcing that Harry Truman had died. Such devastation and destruction and something I will never forget."
Bobbie Jessup: "Our son was logging in the red zone, which wasn't 'legal' at the time. If the mountain had gone any other day that week, we would've lost him! Praise God it was a Sunday!!"
The Sunrise team also dedicated Sunrise Extra, KGW's digital-only morning news show, to the anniversary of the eruption.
