How my Uncle and his Uncle helped to save thier Scout Troop during the horrific Snow Storm of 1950 at Camp Guyasuta in Sharpsburg Pa

 As Told by my  Grandmother  and Mother  It was Weekend of November 24 1950. 

My uncle The late  John Hackwelder  Jr.  an Eagle Scout

Was getting ready to go camping with his Boy Scout Troop at BSA Camp Guyasuta they would meet In  Lincoln Larimer Neighborhood and hike the approx 2-3 miles to the camp down to Washington Blvd to Highland Park Bridge  

He got out his leather hiking boots  to put on and was ready to leave when my Grandmother insisted he take his 

pull over Rubber Buckle Boots with him.

Of course he protested no one else would be bringing theirs and besides it was only small amount of snow expected.

But she insisted and was worried his feet would get wet and he would get sick.  Because he and his uncle had both brought rubber boost with them  they ended up saving their troops lives that weekend .

Friday night was uneventful when the snow started falling but little did they know 27 inches of snow was coming to box and trap them in the camp that weekend

It was the biggest snowfall on record at the time to hit that weekend. it was so bad the national guard was activated and people where found frozen in homes and the street.

 Saturday morning The scout leaders where beside themselves seeing how much snow had already fallen and was still coming ,worried  on how they where going to get out of the camp with the troop. Hopefully some one would come rescue them but when ? They decided to take a chance and break out while they still could .

 Luckily because my Uncle and his Uncle brought their rubber boots they where able to borrow some brooms and shovels and started beating a pathway out of the camp to the main street  thru the deep snow as scouts behind with out  rubber boots helped keep path open they did this as they needed the whole 3 miles back to Larimer ave.  had they not been able to clear the path with the brooms they would of all had frozen feet walking in all that deep snow.

Everyone made it home safe before the streets where totally impassable with a story to tell.

Unfortunately My uncle and his Uncle never got the recognition they deserved saving those scouts because there was a group of  Jewish Scouts from Squirrel Hill got all the News's attention that weekend  because they decided to stay behind become trapped and had to  burn cabin furniture to keep warm and had to be rescued. 

I have been looking for and trying to verify this story because it did make the newspapers that weekend but I have not been able to find the article and of course . scout council has no records as usual.