United States Department of Agriculture

Forest Service Northern Region

HISTORY OF SMOKEJUMPING I HISTORY OF SMOKEJUMPING

Prepared by:

Aviation & Fire Management Northern Region Missoula, Montana 59807

August1, 1980

R1-80- 22

5740 production; and cargo dropping, first employed on actual fires in Background History 1929, had become a practical means of supplying firefighters in the backcountry 5 or 6 years later. In order to present a complete record of smokejumping, it is necessary to touch The use of airplanes and parachutes briefly on a few pertinent facts for transporting firefighters was con- relating to earlier uses of aircraft by sidered by a few progressive-minded the Forest Service in its fire control foresters in the early days of the fire activities. patrol, but for a long time the idea was discarded as being too dangerous Shortly after the close of the first and wholly impractical. In 1934, T. V. World War, Chief Forester Henry S. Pearson of the Interriountain Region of Graves wrote the Chief of the Army Air the Forest Service (Region 4) with Corps, suggesting cooperation with the headquarters at Ogden, Utah, proposed Forest Service for fire detection in and initiated the first experiment in certain western States. This was the use of parachutes for transpor- followed by the organization of a fire tation of firefighters. A few patrol, which was initiated in demonstrations were made by a pro- California and later extended to fessional (J. B. Bruce), but the idea include Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and was abandoned as being too risky. Montana. A prominent figure in the Characteristic of the attitude of the early days of the' patrol was Colonel H. times, almost everyone considered it a H. (Hap) Arnold, at that time in harebrained scheme - parachutists being charge of the Western Department, and regarded (and with some justification) later to become World War II Commander as crackpots, publicity-loving of the U.S. Air Force. daredevils, or just plain crazy. Hence, the parachute as a practical Aerial fire control in Region 1 means of conveyance from plane to (Montana, Idaho, and eastern ground had very little chance of early Washington) dates from the early summer recognition. of 1925 when Forest Inspector Howard R. Flint, together with Lieutenants Nick Mamer and R. T. Freng of the Air Corps Yet, to anyone who might have looked Reserve, organized the Fire Patrol at closely into the matter, an array of Spokane. Lieutenant Freng remained convincing evidence of a steady growth only the one season, but during the in overcoming the hazards of parachute succeeding decade, the names of jumping would have been brought to Flint and Namer became inseparably light. The early observations of connected with the pioneering of Leonardo da Vinci and the many aerial activities in the Northern practical, if sometimes fatal, experi- Rocky Mountain Region.* During that ments dating from Revolutionary to period (1925-1935), aerial pho- pre-World War I times had, in a general tography expanded from a small way, settled the matter of function and experimental project to large-scale design. As early as 1916, Herbert L. Adams of Somerville, Massachusetts, procured patents on a parachute that * Flint became fatally ill while he claimed could be steered by manip- accompanying a National Geographic ulation of the shroudlines, and a few expedition down the Salmon River in years later John William Cawdery, an Idaho. He died October 14, 1935, at Englishman, invested one that could be Missoula, Montana, where he had been controlled by means of guidelines flown by the late pilot, Dick Johnson. attached to lateral flaps. Ivar Malmer Nick Mamer was killed March 14, 1938, of Stockholm, Sweden, Richard H. Hart while piloting a Northwest airliner of New Orleans, and Leslie Irvin, which crashed in the Bridger Mountains founder of the "Caterpillar Club," near Bozeman, Montana. added their bit to the steadily

1 increasing knowi1ge of behavior and decision was made to abandon the controllability, so that even before bombing tests, and on Godwin's the date of the first Forest Service recommendation, the unexpended balance sponsored demonstrations, it could be of experimental funds was authorized stated that parachutes were available for carrying on a parachute jumping that were reasonably safe from nialfunc- experiment. A contract was prepared tion and steerable to a limited degree. providing for parachutes, protective clothing, and the services of pro- In December 1935, the Aerial Fire fessional riggers and jumpers, the Control Experimental Project was set up Eagle Parachute Company of Lancaster, in the Washington Office of the Forest Pennsylvania, being the successful Service, the immediate plan being to bidder. The experiment was conducted continue experiments in the use of at Winthrop, Washington, on the Chelan water and chemical bombs which Flint National Forest during the period had initiated in Region 1 a few years October 5 to November 15, with Beach before his death. Until 1938, all Gill of the Eagle Company serving as Forest Service flying in the western consultant and collaborator - under Regions had been done by Army planes appointment of the Secretary of through cooperative arrangements or by Agriculture. A small group of pro- private contract fliers, but during fessional jumpers, with Frank M. Derry that year, a commercial-type, high-wing in charge, conducted a number of dummy 5-place Stinson was purchased by the tests and approximately 60 live jumps Forest Service and the bombing experi- were made, largely by employees of the ments were continued in the California contractor. Toward the end of the Region (Region 5). experiment, several Forest Service employees were allowed to jump into During the period 1936 to 1939, a great both open-field and timbered areas. deal was learned about cargo dropping There were no injuries of consequence. and several of the western Regions were engaged in making tests or employing this method of aerial supply with dif- ferent types of equipment and under widely varying conditions. But it began to be more and more apparent that suppressing fires by the use of water or chemicals from the air was imprac- ticable with the planes and equipment that were available at the time.

1939 The Birth of Smokejumping

At the beginning of the 1939 field season, the Aerial Experimental Project was transferred from California to the North Pacific Region (Region 6). David P. Codwin, Assistant Chief of Fire Control, was in charge, with Lage Wernstedt representing the Region and The 30 foot diameter Eagle parachute Harold King as Forest Service pilot. was the first canopy style used by the It was during this summer that the smokejumpers. Used until 1944.

2 The selected training outfit, con- $30,000, or nearly three times the cost sisting of Eagle 30-foot backpack and of the entire project. 27-foot emergency chest-pack canopies with quick-attachable harness, appeared The first actual fire jumps were made to be satisfactory, while a two-piece, on July 12 by Rufus Robinson of felt-padded suit, football helmet with Kooskia, Idaho, and Earl Cooley of wire-mesh face mask, athletic Hamilton, Montana, on Martin Creek in supporter, ankle braces, combined back the Nezperce National Forest. Of and abdominal brace, and heavy logger historic note also is the first suc- boots completed the attire of the cessful "rescue jump" made by jumper and provided protection from the Smokejumper Chester N. Derry 3 days hitherto unknown hazards of timber later, to an airplane crash in the jumping. The conclusions were that Bitterroot Forest. This last incident, smokejumpers could land safely in all together with the subsequent parachute kinds of green timber cover common to training of Dr. Leo P. Martin of the Chelan National Forest at altitudes Missoula as the first "jumping doctor," ranging from 2,000 to 6,800 feet. marks the initial milestone in rescue Successful jumps were also made in jumping - an activity that continues to mountain meadows, open ridgetops and on develop and expand along with steep, boulder-strewn slopes. smokejumping. Both Derry and Dr. Martin were later killed in airplane crashes.

An interesting sidelight - and one with far-reaching effects - pertains to the 1940 visit of four U.S. Army staff officers to the parachute training camp at First Practical Use of Missoula in June. One of these, Major William Cary Lee, later employed Forest Smokejumpers Service techniques and ideas in organizing the first paratroop training at Fort 'eoning, Georgia.* As a result of the experiments of the previous year, Regions 1 and 6 each organized a small squad of smokejumpers for the 1940 fire season. The latter Region developed its squad around a nucleus of Chelart iorp; ir:1s who had 1941 jumped during the experiments of the previous fall, while Region 1 selected Smokejumpers Used as "Shock a project leader and sent him to Winthrop to undergo initial spring Troops" on Bigger Fires training with Region 6. The technician who had been provided by the Eagle Company for the experiment of the pre- vious fall was retained to serve both By early spring of 1941, it had been Regions through the training season. decided that the smokejumper project would be transferred wholly to Region 1 and centered at Missoula for the coming Due to a light fire season within the Region 6 sphere of activity, their squad had little action during the *Major Lee subsequently commanded summer. On the other hand, Region 1 the 101st Airborne Division which he jumpers handled nine selected fires took to England and trained for the in a season of the highest lightning Normandy invasion. He became first fire occurrence on record. An anal- Chief of the Airborne Command and is ysis of the nine fires indicated a regarded as the unquestioned father of net overall saving of approximately U.S. airborne doctrine.

3 season. Success of the previous year's were able to hold it in check through activity only partially accounted for the heat of a bad "burning day" until this decision. Region 1 contains about the arrival of adequate ground forces. 8 million acres of roadless area, of which the Regional Headquarters at Through the season there were increas- Missoula is the geographic center and ing demands for material on the smoke- logical hub. Furthermore, the Johnson jumpers from feature writers and other Flying Service at Missoula could pro- interested sources of news dissemina- vide the planes, pilots, and mechanical tion. A representative of Scientific service which were extremely difficult, Films took color pictures of the smoke- if not impossible, to obtain elsewhere jumpers in training for a special at that time. In taking over the newsreel. Paramount Pictures, Inc., project, Region 1 also provided jumpers entered into a contract with the Forest on call for Regions 4 and 6, to the Service for the aerial and parachuting limits of availability. sequences of a forthcoming film to be adapted from a magazine story by Thelma Increased funds allowed an expansion to Strabel. This filming was completed a three-squad outfit totaling 26 men, during the month of September. including nearly all of the jumpers who had served in the previous year's squads.

An outstanding accomplishment of the year was the development of a static 1942 line, which was adapted to the Eagle backpack and used throughout the First Effects of the War on season. The use of this device, which Smokejumping eliminates the manually controlled ripcord, appeared to have a remarkable effect on the trainees in reducing the intensity of nervous reactions that Continuing in 1942 as a Region 1 generally precede the first few jumps. project, a further expansion led to a This, together with a more systematic four-squad unit, and only the impact of and intensive course of ground training war prevented greater development. As and careful selection of candidates, it was, age limits and experience resulted in a highly successful requirements had to be liberalized in session, with all trainees easily order to secure recruits, though physi- qualifying. cal standards were not lowered.

Intermittent showers well scattered The training season opened with only throughout most of Regions 1 and 4 five experienced jumpers on hand. A resulted in an extremely mild fire considerable number had entered mili- season, and had it not been for a tary service, while others were rather serious outbreak in the North occupied as instructors with the Pacific Region in late July, the value C.A.A., or at Army and Navy parachute of the smokejumping unit would not have rigger schools, and in essential war been so apparent as during the previous industry. Of the 33 recruits that year. As it turned out, the jumpers started training, only a\few were again handled or reinforced nine fires, experienced smokechasers and, to offset this time with an estimated saving in this deficiency, a greatly intensified excess of $30,000. Also for the first program of fire control training was time, an organized force was jumped to carried out. a threatening fire that had escaped from the initial attckers and had The equipment situation was almost as reached an area of 15 acres in critical as that regarding manpower, extremely bad fuels. While the jumpers but a few chutes not acceptable to the alone did not control this fire, they armed services were picked up at inter-

4 vals and converted. This necessitated The Derry slotted chute became standard experimentation, out of which came the smokejumper equipment in 1942 because outstanding development of the season, of its better maneuverability, slower the Derry slotted chute which is descent rate, less oscillation, and maneuverable, provides easy opening, a less opening shock than the flat-type slow rate of descent, and relatively chute. little oscillation. This made it possible to convert any standard flat- type chute by adding the slots and guidelines.

Considerable moisture during June and July held the fire season back, and even in August, comparatively few fires occurred which warranted the use of jumpers, although some valuable use was made of them on a few occasions. A local concentration of lightning fires In the remote area of the Bitterroot and Nezperce Forests in early September, however, more than paid for the entire season's cost of the project. By this time, a few more jump- ers had left to join the armed forces, but all of those remaining were con- centrated in the critical area, and for about a week men were jumped to fires as rapidly as chutes could be retrieved and repacked for service. The total score for 1942 credited to smokejumpers was 31 fires controlled alone and 4 more controlled with the aid of ground forces. The indicated savings in Suppression costs were approximately $66,000.

Parachute packing shed at Moose Creek Air Field, Bitterroot National Forest. 1940/43

5 The fire season of 1943 proved the exception to the rule backed by 30 1943 years of recorded history - that three consecutive "easy" seasons do not occur The Civilian Public Service Program in the Northern Region. However, the - First Training of Military usual fall break did not materialize and the Region experienced a severe Personnel drought in September and early October. Since most of the ground forces were composed of 16- and 17-year-old boys who returned to school or entered mili- By the spring of 1943, the manpower tary service by early September, the shortage had reached a critical stage and, despite the training program of smokejuinpers were practically the sole remaining group to carry this post- the previous year, again only five season fire load. As in the previous experienced jumpers, including the fall, a flurry of activity again instructor, were available. The most resulted in large savings in strenuous efforts at recruiting had suppression costs, the season's esti- resulted in the selection of four young mate for Region 1 being $75,000 for a men whose youth or minor physical total of 47 fires. defects had up to this time kept them out of the Army, but in the meantime, a number of inquiries had been received from individual 4-E (conscientious objector) draftees in public service camps who wished to secure noncombatant work involving exceptional physical risk. This paved the way for the parachute program of 1943, in which all C.P.S. camps were solicited for volunteers. By a careful sorting of 300 applications, 62 candidates were selected, a majority of whom were from the so-called "peace churches" (Mennonites, Brethren, and Friend%). Meanwhile, Regions 4 and 6 had entered the program, each sending fire control men to Missoula to be trained as squad leaders and riggers to overhead the C.P.S. squads that would be assigned to them later. About 70 new men were trained during the 1943 session and again there were no failures, although a few received injuries in training which prevented them from jumping on fires during the summer.

Training facilities were enlarged by the addition of an obstacle course, a plane mockup and a number of lesser improvements in both equipment and techniques. The War Department released a quantity of canopy material which amply provided for the season's needs, and shortages in other materials were overcome by improvisations and substitutions. Jump training tower at Ninemilesmoke- jumper headquarters, 1943-1953. An unusual feature of the season's Training of the new men was conducted activities was the parachute training in Region 1, as was most of the of rescue units from the military refresher training for the older men, services, involving about 25 individ- and training techniques were further uals of the U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian improved. An important new feature was Air Observer Schools, and U.S. Army Air the use of a public address system Forces. This "rescue training" began (field amplifier) by means of which the shortly after the close of the regular instructor on the ground could guide session and extended with few breaks and direct the trainee through his until December 10. About half of those first few jumps. trained were flight surgeons of the Second Army Air Force and the Second A further centralization of smokejumper and Third Arctic Rescue Squadrons. use in Region 1 led to a slightly dif- ferent arrangement of forces at the Closely connected with this activity various bases. It was found that most was the establishment of a Second Air effective use of jumpers could be Force Search and Rescue Section, with raised or lowered in size according to the Forest Service an active probability of use and was kept filled participant. This was initiated by from the nearby "feeder base" where 40 Captain Frank Wiley of the IJ.S. Air to 50 jumpers were kept continuously on Force. project work.

The fire season of 1944 was hardly up to normal in most of the area covered by the jumpers, but the occurrence of lightning fires was high and there were a few bad "spots'as well as periods of 1944 concentration. Smokejumper activity was greater than ever before and well Smokejumping No Longer an distributed over all three Regions. Experiment. Makes Actual as well Considerably more than a 100 fires were as Theoretical Savings handled by jumpers - about 75 percent from the Missoula base. Jumpers were used on larger fires than previously and in larger groups, and the isntances of substantial savings were correspond- Anticipating a continuing shortage of ingly greater. smoke jumper candidates, arrangements were made with Selective Service and There was no further training of mili- the National Service Board for reli- tary personel, but the expansion of gious objectors to keep as many of the rescue units and their success led to trained C.P.S. men as wished to remain greater demands for technical infor- through the winter and again be mation and special equipment, making it available as jumpers in 1944. This necessary to keep a larger force of resulted in the retention of about riggers employed during the winter 60 percent of the entire group, those season. retained being placed on a variety of winter projects within the three Regions. The C.P.S. program was Perhaps the most significant change in expanded in the spring to a total of Region 1 was the inclusion of parachute 110 men and, despite a proportionately jumpers in the regular organization. smaller number of volunteers from which Hitherto, the smokejumper unit had been to make selections, the results were organized as a special force - an again very satisfactory. Distribution adjunct to the ground firefighting of the units was essentially the same groups, financed from special experi- as in 1943, with increases in the mental funds. In 1944, for the first number of jumpers assigned to the three time, a number of National Forests Regions. reduced their ground forces, thus

7 becoming wholly dependent upon the week in September. The record for 1945 smokejumpers in certain large areas. shows that in the three Regions, smoke- The results seemed to justify the jumpers were used on 269 fires, with a action, which was a move toward greater total of 1,236 individual jumps. From economy as well as increased the four operating bases, the jumpers efficiency. covered fires in 23 National Forests located in the States of Montana, Another important feature of the 1944 Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and season was the first use of large mili- California. They also jumped to fires tary airplanes for smokejumping. in Yellowstone and Glacier National Region 6, through cooperation with the Parks, U.S. Indian lands, private U.S. Marine Corps, successfully timber association lands, and in one employed Navy DC-3's for actual fire instance, just over the International jumps in Washington and Oregon. In Boundary in Canada. Region 1, Ford tn-motors and Curtis Travelairs continued in use as the A far from complete cost analysis, workhorses of the parachute project. covering only two of the three Regions, indicates a net saving of $346,780 for the season; but in numerous cases it was apparent that the savings on a single fire might conceivably have equaled the entire figure. To a far 1945 greater degree than in any previous year, smokejumpers were used in large The "Continental Unit"- First groups to spearhead control action on the larger and more threatening fires - All-Out Air Control Project often with complete success.

Among the many events and occurrences of the year, the following are of As the last of the "war years," 1945 greatest importance: will have an important place in the history of smokejumping. Continued Death of Pilot Dick Johnson in an expansion of the C.P.S. program, plus airplane crash near Jackson, Wyoming, the return of a few war veterans, March 2. Dick was one of the ablest of increased the total number of smoke- mountain pilots and one of the first jumpers to 220, of which nearly 100 to fly the smokejumpers. were men with one or more previous seasons' experience. All of the First experimental "air control training of new men and most of the area" set up in Region 1.Two million refresher training was handled at the acres of roadless wilderness, including Ninemile base near Nissoula, and the parts of the Flathead, Lewis & Clark, final distribution resulted in a Lob, and Helena Forests, handled by substantial increase in the number of air detection and smokejumpers to the smokejumpers over the previous year in exclusion of most of the ground forces. all three Regions. Principal bases This became known as the "Continental were maintained at Missoula, Montana; Unit" because of its location adjacent McCall, Idaho; Twisp, Washington; and to and on both sides of the Continental Cave Junction, Oregon. Divide.

The training and equipping of 14 The fire season of 1945 was far more officers and enlisted men from various severe than at any time since 1940. In Alaskan and Canadian stations of the Region 1, burning conditions became Air Transport Command as parachutists. acute at times in some of the areas This was conducted at Missoula in March dependent upon smokejumper action, and and June. The purpose was to provide there was practically no letup in activ- additional personnel to jump with para- ity from July 11 through the first doctors on search and rescue missions.

8 First active participation of In summarizing the activities of 1945, smokejumper and Army paradoctors it may be said that, while smokejumping together in rescue missions. Two has been regarded as successful for a instances involving severely-injured number of years, this was the first smokejumpers were successful. A third season in which its importance was concerned a hunting accident in which fully demonstrated. Region1 had a the victim was brought out alive but force of 144 well-trained smokejumpers died within a week, and the fourth and the fire season was severe enough instance involved two Army fliers, both to give them a thorough test. It also of whom were found to have been killed became evident that smokejumping has in the crash. In two other cases, two major purposes: (1) As an economi- smoke jumpers parachuted unaccompanied cal substitute for the costly installa- by a paradoctor to aid and pack out tions and difficult training and injured men. The total number of supervision prohieiis of a widespread recorded rescue jumps for the year in back-country" sriokechaser Region 1 is 55. organization. (2) As a quick and effective means of placing skilled, Training of the 555th Battalion of hard-hitting crews on those fires that Negro paratroops in timber jumping and have escaped or threaten to escape the firefighting to combat Japanese balloon initial attackers. fires. This was conducted at Pendleton, Oregon, by parachute instructors from Missoula. Since the balloon menace did not materialize, the 300 paratroopers were used as auxiliary THE LAST MODEL of the Ford tn-motor suppression crews on large fires in planes used by the Northern Region for Regions 1, 4, 5, and 6. delivering smokejumpers and aerial cargo to forest fires. Built in Procurement of two UC-64 1929-30, this Ford Model 5-A-T carried Noorduyn-Norseman airplanes by loan eight smokejumpers and their equipment. from the Army and their use for This model was used out of the Missoula transporting smokejumpers in Region 6. Aerial Fire Depot up until 1967.

9 mitted by Region 1 shows a saving of $376,560 through the use of smokejum- 1946 pers on 202 fires. Reconversion - End of the C.P.S. A tragedy of the 1946 season was the death of Pilot Bill Yaggy In an Program and First Wholesale airplane crash near Dixie, Idaho, in Recruiting of Ex-Gi's February. Bill was a smokejumper him- self in 1941; afterward he became a pilot and flew jumpers on many training and firefighting missions.

With the end of the war, the C.P.S. program was rapidly liquidated and the three Regions engaged in smokejumping faced the necessity of developing a new organization around the small group of trained overhead that remained. In spite of this fact, however, there was no reduction in the size of the project, and a training program much larger than heretofore was organized and put into action.

While the overall number of jumpers remained about the same as in the pre- vious year, there was a further expan- sion In operational area. The National Park Service provided funds for a small group out of the Missoula contingent of First used in 1946, C-47 planes are jumpers to be available on call for still used for smokejumping, to fires in Yellowstone and Glacier transport both cargo and nonjumping National Parks and the California firefightlng crews. Region (Region 5) similarly financed a portion of the Cave Junction (Oregon) outfit. The latter group was for use on fires in the Siskiyou Mountains of northern California.

Of the Region 1 group of 164 jumpers, '1947 84 percent were ex-servicemen and about 40 percent of the total were college Expansion - Smokejumping students, of whom a little more than Extends to the Mexican Border and one-half were students of forestry. Numerous minor developments in both Into Canada training techniques and equipment kept pace with the expanded training program, and the addition of a C-47 to the contractor's fleet of airplanes made it possible to transport larger crews at Highlights of the 1947 season are more greater speed on several of the most important for their long-range signlf i- threatening fires. cance than for the immediate results obtained. The fire season was not as critical as In the previous year, but the There was little change in the size of occurrence was considerably greater, the project, but with 55 percent of the and more fires were actually jumped to 1946 organization available at the than in 1945. A cost analysis sub- beginning of the season, the job of

10 recruiting and training was not such a appointed National fire control chief, prodigious problem as it had been in in an airlines crash in the Virginia the previous year. As would be Mountains on June 13. More than any expected, the 1947 squads were more other individual, Dave was responsible effective and, despite the mildness of for the initiation of the "Parachute the season, there were numerous Project" and his continued interest and "critical" fires adequately handled. support contributed much to its success. There was a drop in the number of Smokejumpers from the Missoula base smokejumper fires over the previous participated in combined aerial attacks year, the total being 131 for the on two fires that were bombed from the Region 1 unit, and no cost analysis was air as a part of the Forest Service - made, as it was felt that previous U.S. Army cooperative fire bombing estimates had served their purpose and project. Smokejumpers also par- that no question existed as to the ecom- ticipated as ground crews during the omy of this method of firefighting. A fire bombing experiments in the total of 576 individual jumps were made Missoula area. to fires and an additional 37 jumps on rescue missions involving five separate Two groups of 10 men each from the cases, one of which was participated Air Rescue Service which operates under in by Dr. Amos Little. the Air Transport Command, U.S. Air Force, were trained as jumpers at Newsworthy facts of the 1947 record are Missoula during the fall. These groups as follows: were composed of medical and training officers and enlisted men, and they Regions 4 and 6 developed training were given the regular course of centers and conducted their own parachute instruction as modified to parachute training. Previously this meet the requirements of rescue had been carried on at one large jumping. central camp near Missoula.

A foreman and eight jumpers from Region 1, and a Noorduyn-Norseman plane with pilot from Region 6, were detailed to the Gila National Forest in southern New Mexico for the period May 25 to 1948 June 25. This was in response to a request from Region 3 (Arizona and New Smokejumping at Lowest Ebb - Mexico) for an experimental trial at smokejumping during the spring season Northwest Experiences Floods of lightning fires in the Gila Instead of Fires Wilderness Area.

The Provincial Forest Service of Saskatchewan, Canada, developed a smokejumper project after represent- Starting out with severe floods in atives had conferred with the Regional Montana, Idaho, and Washington, Office at Missoüla. Region 1 parachute moisture continued in abnormal quan- technicians gave advice and the actual tities throughout the usual fire training of smokejumpers was season. There was normal jumper activ- accomplished by a commercial firm ity for the squad assigned to New headed by a Canadian who had been Mexico and some of the Missoula jumpers trained as a rescue jumper at Missoula got workouts in southern Idaho later in during the war. the season but, in Region 1, 1948 was definitely a freak year. In order to Death of Dave Godwin, newly hold the unit at full strength,

11 Missoula jumpers were assigned to flood Gulch fire. Twelve smokejurnpers and a damage repair projects where they are District guard (himself a former credited with having accomplished a jumper) were fatally burned in a blowup considerable amount of important work. that occurred during the early evening It was also a good year for equipment of that fateful day. The jumpers had development, slack periods of tech- landed safely at 4 p.m. and were pro- nicians being utilized in testing and ceeding to attack the fire in the perfecting new devices for increasing routine manner that would ordinarily efficiency and safety. have been effective. The sudden blowup trapped 16 of whom only 3 escaped. Training of jumpers in the evacuation of The tragedy was in no way connected injured persons by means of a newly with the jumping activity, and would designed wheel stretcher that could be undoubtedly have occurred had a crew of dropped from an airplane was put to good ground-transported men been caught in a use during the fall. A lost hunter, in similar situation. serious condition from exposure, was transported 14 miles over rough terrain Experiments in picking up jumpers and at an average rate of 4 miles an hour. jumper equipment by helicopter were conducted as a part of the helicopter Word was received of the death, experiment carried on at Moose Creek June 25, of retired Major General Ranger Station in the Bitterroot William Cary Lee, early friend and sup- National Forest, but these tests were porter of the smokejumper project (see inconclusive and it was planned to con- 1940). tinue them another year.

1949 1950 Another Busy Season- First Another Light Season- Major Tragedy in Smokejumper Smokejumpers Become Movie History Actors

According to the record, 1949 was the With minor exceptions, Region 1 was second most active year since the soaking wet" all summer long and a inception of smokejumping, being flurry of action on Labor Day was all exceeded only by 1945 in total number that brought the season's smokejumper of jumps and by 1946 in number of fires activity above that of 1948. The on which first attack was initiated by Region 1 group handled 51 fires with a jumpers. total of 188 jumps, of which 44 were to one fire on the Salmon Forest in The season was exceptionally dry - Region 4, Idaho. approaching the critical in the south- western part of Region 1 and definitely As in 1948, jumpers were scattered critical in certain sections east of widely over the Region to obtain maxi- the Continental Divide and in Region 4. mum benefit to project work, only a small crew of 20 to 50 men being held on call in or near 1issou1a. News events of the season are over- shadowed by the tragic occurrence of August 5 on the Helena Forest's Mann During late summer Twentieth

12 Century-Fox began production at unprecedented use of Region 1jumpers Missoula on a motion picture featuring for fire overhead in other Regions.A the jumpers. Personnel from the smoke- total of six sector teams, each con- jumper project took part in training sisting of a sector boss and three and jump sequences, served as extras, foremen were loaned to Regions 3, 5, operated equipment, and helped build and 6. scenery. All of this was at the expense of the motion picture company. Selected and trained by Region 1,a five-man jumper crew was installed at Other events of the year are: West Yellowstone by the National Park Service. Other activities of the Continuation of the helicopter season include: experiments. Completion and release of the First use of aerial photographs for Twentieth Century-Fox smokejumper film, jumper spotting. "Red Skies of Montana."

Completion of the section on First use of a recently completed "Aerial Attack Forces" of the Region 1 subbase at Grangeville, Idaho. During Fire Suppression Plan. Indicates need a peak concentration of lightning fires for a force of 240 jumpers. on the Nezperce Forest, a squad of jump- ers operating out of this base handled Death of Jerry Verheist of the the situation effectively and saved Montana Aeronautics Commission in a many hours of "long-haul" travel. Northwest Airlines crash near Butte, Montana, November 7. A former Johnson Flying Service pilot, he had flown smokejumpers on many operational and training missions in the past. 1952 A Flurry of Fall Activity- Ground Broken for the New Missoula 4erial 1951 Fire Depot A Short, Busy Season- Yellowstone Park Establishes Jumper Unit The Region 1 fire season was almost the exact reverse of the previous year. Burning index was relatively low, and lightning occurrence light during July and August; consequently, there was The smokejumper season of 1951 in little jumper action. September and Region 1 started late, developed toa most of October, on the other hand, high peak, then dropped off almost were extremely dry, resulting in a rash completely - all within about a month. of fires that taxed the capacity of the The total score for the Region was 644 jumper crew which is always reduced at jumps to 176 fires, but 103 of these this time of year. Fire jumps for jumps and 23 fires were in Regions 3, Region 1 totaled 362, with an addi- 4, and 5 during slack periods in tional 95 in other western Regions by Montana and Idaho. For a few days in Region I jumpers. Despite the light late August, 61 Region 1 jumpers were season, jumpers were credited with a based at Cave Junction, Oregon, foruse net saving of 26,000 acres and $155,000 on California fires. There was also in firefighting costs.

13 food, firefighting tools, and other equipment to outfit and supply 5,000 firefighters.

During early spring, the Region 1 smoke- jumping base and fire warehousing were moved to the newly developed facilities 7 miles west of Missoula. On September 22, President Eisenhower dedicated the new base, this ceremony and the air show drawing a crowd esti- mated at more than 30,000.

Region 1 smokejumping was very light, second only to 1948 in this respect, with bu 174 jumps to 47 fires in the Region. Except for Region 3, all regions using smokejumpers had light fire seasons. The Region 3 crew, now operating from Silver City, New Mexico, was increased to 18 and made 105 jumps to 40 fires.

SMOKEJUMPER of 1954 (right) wore a etc. The larger backpack parachute is standard football helmet, with a pro- opened by static line from plane. The tective mesh mask. His current suit is chute harness has quick-release fire-resistant. Padding at all joints fittings. A rope can be passed under --around neck, ribs, knees, elbows, the seat and through "D" rings for use etc.--provides buoyancy that can keep should he land in a tree. The bag on him afloat in emergency water landings. jump Suit leg contains 100-foot nylon Hand-activated reserve parachute is letdown rope. Snug fitting leather attached in front. Below it hangs his gloves permit smokejumpers to untie personal gear bag: sox, underwear, knots. High-grade logging boots pro- toilet articles, coat, fruit, candy, tect feet and ankles.

14 Congressional legislation authorized a The aerial delivery of equipment and $700,000 Aerial Fire Depot at Missoula. supplies (paracargo) has in recent Work began in the early fall, with the years become almost entirely a job of major building contracts let during the the smokejumpers in Region 1. During succeeding winter. 1953 more than 200 tons of fire supplies, not including smokejumper News events of the season are: cargo, 30 tons of treated timber for lookout towers, and lesser amounts of First use of motorability tests to other material were delivered within measure physical ability and coor- the Region by airplane and parachute. dination of smokejumper candidates. Promises to be an important aid in Other features of the 1953 season eliminating misfits and poor accident include: (1) Schooling of a special- risks. service detachment of 12 jumpmasters in smokejumper techniques, equipment, and Death of R. T. Freng at Palo Alto, training, conducted at Missoula during California, on July 23. Freng, with May and June. (2) Construction of the Nick Mamer and Forester Howard Flint, Missoula Aerial Fire Depot continued on established the first Region 1 air schedule. patrol in 1925 (see Background History).

1954 1953 Missoula Aerial Fire Depot Busiest Season in History - All Activated Smokejumping Records Shattered

An extremely dry July, followed by an ailtime record for number of August lightning fires, gave the Region 1 smokejumpers their heaviest workout since the project started. For about 3 weeks beginning August 7, the demand for jumpers was consistently greater than the suply, and had the men been available, the record of 994 jumps to 236 fires in Region 1,plus 133 addi- tional jumps outside the Region, would have been greatly exceeded. In addi- tion to the above, 19 jumps were made in Rgion 1 by jumpers from Regions 4 and 6. President Dwight D. Eisenhower dedi- cates Aerial Fire Depot in Missoula, Other smokejumper units likewise September 22, 1954. Depot used for experienced a busy season and the housing, training, and dispatching all-Service jumping totals far exceeded smokejumpers; base for fire retardant any previous year. mixing; and warehouse.

15 in jump equipment.

The 11-3 harness which incorporates 1955 the Capewell release in lieu of the single-point release box, quick- adjustable leg strap fittings, and other features to improve comfort and safety.

A 32-foot backpack canopy (FS-5) to Another easy fire season in Region 1 let the heavier men down more easily. with oniy 303 jumps to 56 fires. The Region 3 crew (3 men from Region 4, 3 from Region 6, and 12 from Region 1) accumulated 123 jumps to 30 fires. These men, all experienced smokejumpers, normally report to Silver City about May 15 and return to their 1957 home Regions about July 15 in time for the peak of fire activity in the Northwest.

Region 4 has increased jumper strength to 80 men, based at McCall and Idaho Region 5 activated a smokejumper unit City, Idaho. These units had a busy of 26 men based at Redding, California, season and drew on the Missoula base for and Region 4 expanded their two units a total of 126 jumps. as a part of the stepped-up protection under the "Increased Manning Experiment." The various units reported a total of 339 Forest Service smokejumpers making 3,153 jumps for all purposes, topping the previous high of 1953 by 10 jumps. 1956 This record number appeared to result from frequent thunderstorms and fairly active seasons at all bases, rather than from unusually critical conditions in any area. The Region 3 crew had a record year, 227 fire jumps by the 18-man crew.

The Region 1 season developed slowly and did not peak up seriously at any time.

Region 6 jumpers had an exceptionally 1958 active season, averaging almost 11 total jumps per man. Regions 4, 5, and 6 combined drew on the Region 1 unit for 226 jumps on 53 fires. Region 3 employed a yearlong foreman In January and February the Missoula and increased their jumper crew to 24, Aerial Fire Depot hosted the first made up of an eight-man squad from All-Service Air Operations Conference. Region 4 and the balance from Region 1. This conference was followed by a While based at Silver City, these men smokejumper workshop at which the made 270 jumps to 96 fires.This jumper project leaders and technicians operation, mostly on the Gila National approved adoption of two major changes Forest, appears to be well established.

16 This is a Forest Service smokejumper gives the jumper an 8 mi/h forward descending toward a forest fire in speed. He can make a 3600 turn in Montana. Note steering Slots at back about 8 seconds by pulling down or one of parachute canopy. Air escaping from of the guidelines (see two dark-colored the slots and three lobes or tails shroud lines).

17 The other jumper units experienced exiting through a hole in the belly rather average-type seasons, but each because of the floats. Jump gear is one did have occasion to bring in out- patterned after the equipment developed side jumpers during peaks of activity. by the U.S. Forest Service smoke- This fact emphasizes the exceptional jumpers. mobility and wide range of the smoke- jumper - in both initial attack and reinforcement.

Officers of the Province of Saskatchewan's Department of Natural 1959 Resources report that they still main- tain and rely heavily upon the smoke- jumper unit initiated in 1947. This crew, now numbering 16, is trained and normally headquartered at Prince Albert The U.S. Bureau of Land Management Airport, moving to a base at Lac activated a 17-man srnokejutnper unit at LaRonge for critical perio1s. This is Fairbanks, Alaska, in May 1959. The a unique outfit. They take action upon men were all experienced smokejumpers, an average of 20 fires a year on which recruited from the various Forest jumping is unnecessary, usually landing Service units and given refresher on a nearby lake. But the unit is training at Missoula. Assuming con- trained to jump when necessary and tinuation of all units on the 1959 takes action upon an average of five scale, the roster of smokejumper crews jump fires a year. They use the will shape up about as follows for the Noorduyn-Norseman as a jump plane, summer of 1960:

Agency Base Number Remarks

Forest Service

Region 1 Missoula, Montana 129 Four financed by Glacier Park Grangeville, Idaho 16 Subbased from Missoula

Region 3 Silver City, New (24) Early season - Mexico detailed from other units

Region 4 McCall, Idaho 70 Idaho City, Idaho 20

Region 5 Redding, California 26

Region 6 Winthrop, Washington 40 Cave Junction, Oregon 30

Yellowstone Park West Yellowstone 5 Train at Missoula

Bureau of Land Fairbanks, Alaska 17 Train at Missoula Mgmt. U.S. Dept. of Interior

Saskatchewan Lac LaRonge 16 Headquarters at Prince Albert

Total 369

18 1960 1961

A career development program was A total of 150 FS-5A parachutes were adopted for forestry students who purchased as replacements for chutes desired field training. They were destroyed or seriously damaged on given refresher training and then fires. A higher percentage of person- assigned to a Forest subject to recall nel parachutes were damaged this year for emergency fire duty. The fire due to the severe fire season, and a season was difficult and these men were record was established with a total of called in for smokejumping along with 1,938 jumps; 1,446 were jumps made in men from other Regions. For years Region 1 and 492 were out of the Region 1 had loaned jumpers where crit- Region. The previous high was 1,131 ical fire conditions warranted and, for jumps in 1953. the first time, in 1960 it was necessary to call for help from other The fireproof orange-colored shirts Regions. were adopted by Region 1 as standard equipment for all smokejumpers and spe- This year all smokejumpers were cial 25-man inter-Regional crews. equipped with the newly approved and tested white nylon jump suits. Region 1 increased the smokejumper organization to 171 men. The television program, "You Asked For It, produced a short picture on A 25-man fire suppression crew was smokejumping, in which the highlights established and set up at Ninemile for were given on training and the actual inter-Regional use. This crew was well jumper attack with the Ford tn-motor. trained and was successful in firefighting. It was used in several One hundred 32-foot (FS-5) parachutes Regions. were purchased and later overhauled to meet the FS-5A specification.

Walt Disney produced a television picture, "A Fire Called Jeremiah," on smokejumping and firefighting at Missoula. The Johnson Flying Service furnished a C-46 aircraft for smoke- 1962 jumping and cargo dropping. The ship hauls 24 smokejumpers and their fire- fighting equipment.

Twenty smokejumpers were detailed in The Yellowstone National Park organiza- June to Fairbanks, Alaska, to supple- tion was increased from five to nine ment the Bureau of Land Management men. The additional jumpers were to 24-man jumper base on a recall basis cover parts of Regions 2 and 4. for Region 1, beginning July 1. A second inter-Regional, 25-man fire A crew of six smokejumpers jumped on suppression crew was established and the Crooked Creek fire with four of the based at Adams Ranger Station on the one-man flail trenchers and gave them a Nezperce Forest. thorough shakedown on a going fire.

19 The first jump on a forest fire in Eleven smokejumpers were detailed to Colorado was accomplished by two men other Regions, and 20 men to the Bureau from Missoula in September. of Land Management in Alaska.

Twenty smokejumpers were detailed to Henry J. Viche was named Air Operations Fairbanks, Alaska, to supplement the Officer. Bureau of Land Management 24-man jumper base.

L. H. (Locke) Stewart, Air Operations Officer for Region 1 for the past 12 years, died on December 8, 1962, from a cerebral hemorrhage. 1964

Heavy June rains caused extensive flood 1963 damage in the Lewis & Clark and Flathead National Forests.Rains con- tinued through August; below normal temperatures prevailed until October. Smokejumper activity was the lightest since 1954: 348 jumps on 68 fires. On August 4, the Region set a new The first jumper fire of the season was record for total jumps in 1 day: 105 on July 3; the last jumper fire was jumps to 34 fires. October 25.

On September 28, due to unseasonably warm and dry weather, a late fire The largest single action of the year season period developed. The number of involved 60 jumpers on the Parsnip jumpers remaining in the organization Mountain fire in the Kootenai National was not sufficient to handle the fire Forest. The effectiveness of smoke- requests. A call was made to colleges jumpers as a mobile, initial attack and universities in Montana, Idaho, and force was demonstrated August 9 when a Washington, requesting smokejumpers fire in the Gallatin National Forest return to Missoula to assist in the (250 air miles from Missoula) was fire situation. The men and the manned by 12 jumpers 2 hours and 15 schools were very cooperative. The minutes after the call was received at following morning 86 jumpers were the Aerial Fire Depot in Missoula. available at the Missoula base. From September 20 to October 4, smokejumpers Five jumpers were dropped on a fire in made 130 jumps to 24 fires. The last the Shoshone National Forest. This was jump of the 1963 season was on the second Region 2 fire manned by October 11. smokejumpers from the Missoula base.

The 1963 season saw the adoption of the Due to the light fire season, smoke- D-Bag" as a standard type parachute jumpers were used extensively as proj- deployment. Plastic water containers, ect crews for over 44,000 man-hours of battery-operated cargo locaters, and work on the various Districts. fiberboard containers were all new equipment Items adopted for use. Air Force personnel, connected with the X-15 Rocket Recovery program, attended A third inter-Regional 25-man fire a 2-week training session at the suppression crew was organized. It was Missoula base. The course was designed based at Trapper Creek, in the to qualify men to parachute in rough Bitterroot National Forest. terrain and timber on rescue missions.

20 Fifteen Federal Aviation Agency Management, Alaska, for the period District Safety Inspectors completed an May 29-July 28. Missoula-based jumpers 80-hour course in parachute rigging at were dispatched several times during the Missoula Aerial Fire Depot. the season to assist Region 6.

Smokejumpers from Region 1 and Region 4 Personnel trained two groups of Federal were detailed to Region 3, as in former Aviation Agency Inspectors for FAA years. A 20-man contingent was Senior Parachute Rigger certificates. assigned to the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska for 1 month. Personnel from the U.S. Air Force X-15 Rocket Recovery program were trained in the fundamentals of spotting, cargo dropping, parachute retrieving, and jumping into rough mountainous terrain.

The activity of the Grangeville subbase was near normal with 95 jumps to 35 1965 fires.

Heavy rains throughout the summer resulted in a very light fire season. The lowest number (322) of fire jumps 1966 since 1955 were made in Region 1. The most active period was July 2A-31, with 126 jumps to 40 fires. Only 666 acres were burned within the Region. This is the lowest burned acreage ever recorded in this Region. It was a long, steady fire season. Srnokejumpers made 1,564 jumps to 355 fires throughout the West, including Region 1 operated the Inter ancy base Alaska. at West Yellowstone. Previously, the base was operated by Yellowstone First action of the season was Nay 7 National Park. Eight smokejuinpers were and continued until October 4. The assigned to the base with headquarters Region had 185 smokejumpers. This in the Airport Terminal Building. Only included eight stationed at the West one fire was manned. In December, a Yellowstone (Nontana) Interagency base. contract was awarded for construction This small unit of smokejumpers made 91 of the center. Facilities will include jumps to 42 fires. In addition to fire loft-warehouse office, 16-man jumps, 34 fires were manned by 268 men dormitory, retardant plant, paved who reached the fires by ground access road, taxiway, and parking area. transportation. Smokejumpers performed Cooperating in financing the base are: an ailtime high 70,000 man-hours of U.S. Forest Service - Region 1; U.S. fire suppression worL. Forest Service - Region 2; U.S. Forest Service - Region 4; Yellowstone Out-of-Region details consisted of 12 National Park; Grand Teton National men to Region 3 for the period of Park; Bureau of Land Management; Bureau May 12 through July 15 and 20 men to of Indian Affairs; Bureau of Sport the Bureau of Land Management at Fisheries. Fairbanks, Alaska, May 28 to the last of July. Twelve jumpers were detailed to Region 3 for the period May Special spotting and timber jumping 15-August 1, A 20-man crew was technique training sessions were con- assigned to the Bureau of Land ducted at the Missoula Aerial Fire

21 Depot for U.S. Air Force rescue person- satellite base at Grangeville, Idaho, nel assigned to the X-15 Rocket made 257 jumps to 80 fires. Recovery program. The fourth class of Federal Aviation Agency personnel was As in the past, special training given 2 weeks of training in parachute sessions were conducted for the U.S. rigging. Air Force rescue personnel and parachute riggers of the Federal Producers of the "Lassie" television Aviation Agency. program used local facilities for many of the sets in a fire control episode. Chief Pilot Floyd 0. Bowman, who had worked in Region 1 for over 20 years, Vice President Humphrey, Senator Lee died in August after a short illness. Metcalf, and Representative Arnold Frank A. Borgeson was appointed as Olsen were given a personal tour of the replacement. smokejumper base.

Construction was started on operating facilities at the West Yellowstone Interagency base. 1968

1967 The late spring and heavy summer rains that began August 14 kept the Region's fire danger at a low level. Out-of-Region activity in Regions 3, 6, and Bureau of Land Management-Alaska The 1,687 jumps to 371 fires set a new accounted for 67 percent of the unit's record for the use of smokejumpers jumping activity. Records were within the Region's area of established with 57 smokejumpers at one responsibility. The demand for smoke- time in Region 3. A record of 107 jumpers was so great that personnel smokejumpers on assignment to from Regions 4, 5, and 6 were detailed BLF-Alaska was also established. to assist the Region. For the first time in history, smokejumpers from the Turbo-Porter and Twin Otter airplanes Bureau of Land Management base at were used by this unit for jumping for Fairbanks, Alaska, were used. the first time. The Region's total number of smoke- jumpers was increased to 188 in order Frank Deery, the original developer of to have a full complement of 13 smoke- smokejumping methods and parachute jumpers stationed in the new facilities equipment, inventor of the Deery slots at the Interagency Fire Control Center for steering parachutes, died at Big at West Yellowstone, Montana. The Fork, Montana, on August 2, 1968. largest class of new recruits (92) started training on June 5. Seventy- four completed the course. The palletized roller system was adopted as standard equipment for Records were established in the total DC-3--cargo-dropping missions. use of Region 1 jumpers throughout the West. They worked over 90,000man- hours on fire suppression, made 2,220 Turbine-powered helicopters became a jumps to 527 fires. The complement of part of the Region's contract air 17 smokejunipers stationedat the fleet.

22 The first fire jump in the Northern Region was June 6, in the Nezperce National Forest of Idaho. From July 15 1969 on, action was continuous, but no large fire busts occurred until the latter part of August. The last fire jump for the season was October 2 on the Kootenai.

The fire season was more severe than The Crangeville, Idaho, subbase was 1968, had some of the characteristics activated with 17 jumpers the first of the 1967 season, but there were few part of July. The West Yellowstone August and September thunderstorms on base, with 12 jumpers, was put in west side National Forests. There were operation in mid-June. few simultaneous lightning fire starts. This resulted in low smokejumper activ- As in previous years, 12 Northern ity in the Northern Region. Region jumpers were stationed at Silver City, New Mexico; and 25 jumpers were Out-of--Region activity was above stationed with the Bureau of Land average. Crews were again assigned to Management at Fairbanks, Alaska. Region 3 (Southwest) and the Bureau of Additional jumpers were dispatched from Land Management in Alaska. The Missoula to assist these bases during Flathead Indian Agency discontinued the bust periods. Financing of four smokejumpers, pre- viously recruited, trained, and sta- During the peak of Region 6's extreme tioned at the Missoula Aerial Fire fire emergency, 111 Northern Region DeDot for use by the Indian Agency. smokejumpers were on duty in Washington E. R. DeSilvia, Chief of the Division and Oregon. During this period, 397 of Fire Control; John E. Nash, equip- jumps were made to 137 fires in ment specialist; and Harry D. Shryock, Region 6. Seventy-eight jumpers were project clerk, completed long Forest dispatched as organized crews to the Service tours of duty and retired Safety Harbor Fire at Wenatchee. during the year. William R. (Bud) Northern Region smokejumpers accumu- Moore replaced DeSilvia as Chief of the lated 20,832 man-hours in Region 6 during this fire emergency. Division of Fire Control.

The Ford Tn-Motor and Travelair The 1970 total for all fire assignments was 1,354 jumps to 439 fires. Ground airplanes were retired from use. The action consisted of dispatching 324 Twin Otter, Beechcraft E-18's, B-17 jumeprs to 24 fires. One hundred Flying Fortress, and PB4Y2 air tankers thirty jumpers were dispatched as orga- became a formal part of the Region's nized crews to 7 fires in the Northern air fleet. The T-1O parachute was Region. On all fire assignments, tested, found satisfactory, and adopted smokejumpers logged 62,753 man-hours. for Service-wide use. The kitchen at the Aerial Fire Depot Missoula-based smokejumpers par- was changed from contract meals to ticipated in the filming of two "Wild Government-operated. Large numbers of Kingdom" television programs in western transient fire crews were fed daily Montana. during the going fire season. As many as 800 meals were served in 1 day.

Due to a cut in financing, the number of smokejumpers was cut from a total of 190 to 170 jumpers. Only 20 new smoke- 1970 jumpers were trained. This was an alitime low for new trainees.

23 Hank Viche retired as Northern Region Northern Region smokejumeprs made 1,094 Air Officer. Bob Robertson, Regional jumps to 302 fires on all fire assign- fire coordinator, was promoted to this ments and from all bases during the position. Chuck Kern was transferred 1971 season. This accounted for 38,659 from the Gallatin as the new fire man-hours on jumper-type fires. coordinator. Dwight Smith, smokejumper Smokejumpers from other Regions made an foreman, resigned to go into private additional 89 jumps while on detail to business. the Northern Region or to the Southwestern Region subbase at Silver Additional T-1O parachutes were put City, New Mexico. into service. The present 5A's may be phased out on a replacement program. Use of smokejumpers as organized ground The Northern Region will continue eval- crews accelerated--690 smokejumpers uation of the T-1O during the 1971 were dispatched to 63 fires, both in season. The "Fiench Cross" cargo chute was used on an experimental basis with and out of the Region, as ground-attack personnel for 22,413 man-hours on fire good results, and it was proposed to build additional chutes in the loft suppression work. The total man-hours during the winter months. charged to fire suppression was 62,072.

The jumper base in Region 5, at A temporary subbase was established at Redding, California, experienced a Lewistown, Montana, to aid the Bureau fatality during a fire jump. This was of Land Management during a rash of the first fatality in actual jumping in fires in that area. Smokejumpers were sniokejumping history. dispatched by parachute and as ground crews. A large volume of fire equip- The Washington office produced a ment and supplies was delivered by air. training film in Regions 1 and 6 This new, cooperative interagency f ire- entitled "Crew Boss." Len Krout, suppression venture proved supervisory fire technician from the satisfactory. Northern Region Parachute Project, was the star. Steve Clairmont and Bill Hicks served as crew bosses for the Northern At the Missoula Aerial Fire Depot, 1970 Region's first all-girl fire was a big year for visitors. suppression crew. The crew was used Approximately 5,000 visitors toured the primarily for mopup work on the Bull facilities. River fire in the Kaniksu National Forest. Another first occurred when the smoke- jumpers formed a union under the aus- An infrared "mini-scanner" was pices of the American Federation of installed on both Twin Beech aircraft Go'ernment Employees. Contract nego- at the Aerial Fire Depot. The scanner tiations were carried out in the was used in locating small fires not spring. Smokejumpers up to CS-10 were smoking enough for visual detection. eligible to join. Much interest was Two fires located by the scanner were portrayed in the movement. manned by smokejurnpers. A special wilderness fire pack of freeze-dried The smokejumpers, for the first time foods was designed to reduce the pack- since 1951, received time and a half out weight load in these roadless for overtime. areas.

The Forest Service's Washington Office designated the T-1O parachute--the official parachute for smokejumping. The present stock of FS-5A's will be 1971 phased out. Johnson Flying Service of Missoula,

24 Montana, purchased a Lockheed Electra. Reorganization of the Division of Fire It has 93 seats and cruises at 350 Management resulted in other changes in miles an hour. With the increased the Parachute Project. Richard Baldwin inter-Regional exchange of crews, this was transferred to the Aerial Fire aircraft should prove very useful. Depot as Complex Manager, with the Parachute Project, Air Operations, Fire Earl Cooley, who made the first fire Warehouse, and Regional Fire jump in July of 1940 with Rufus Coordinator under his jurisdiction. Robinson, transferred from the Len Krout was named Parachute Project parachute project superintendent posi- Superintendent. tion to the Division of Fire Control as an equipment specialist. Leonard Krout Northern Region smokejumpers made a was appointed acting superintendent total of 1,397 jumps on more than 400 until the position is filled. Harold fires in the five-State Region. Roberts, veteran smokejumper foreman, Missoula-based jumpers made 1,222 jumps transferred to the Kootenal National on 403 fires and worked a total of Forest as forest dispatcher. 39,244 fire suppression hours. Smokejumper Clifford Johnson drowned in Jumpers, assigned to the Missoula base the Bitterroot River while swimming from West Yellowstone and other bases during off-duty hours. Russell Kregar, in the Region, made an additional 39 smokejumper dormitory maintenance man, jumps. From the Grangeville, Idaho, retired in March. base, jumpers made 130 jumps on 63 fires, involving a total of 6,180 fire The King Aircraft wa transferred, with suppression hours. From West its infrared equipment, to the Northern Yellowstone, jumpers made 33 jumps on Region Aerial Fire Depot from the 13 fires. Northern Forest Fire Laboratory and was used in fire detecting in the western Ron Curtiss, Smokejumper Foreman, was United States. transferred to the Canoe Gulch Ranger Station, Kootenai National Forest, as Fire Control Officer. Larry Nelsen was promoted to Chief Foreman at the Aerial Fire Depot, with responsibility for training and loft operations. Larry Eisenman was promoted to Training 1972 Officer. Foreman Frank Sanders headed up the annual detail to Silver City, New Mexico, in Region 3 and took a jump detail to Region 5 (California) in the fall. The crew detailed to Region 3 Emphasis on reducing the size of the was in Silver City approximately Northern Region headquarters staff 3 months, and the assignment in resulted in the Grangeville, Idaho, California lasted 2 months. Northern base being placed under the administra- Region jumpers made 250 jumps in tion of the Nezperce National Forest Region 3, 82 jumps in Region 5, and 139 and the West Yellowstone, Montana, base jumps in Region 6 (Oregon and under the administration of the Washington).A total of 441 jumps were Gallatin National Forest. The made in Alaska, for the Bureau of Land Grangeville base was staffed with 17 Management, by backup crews from smokejumpers, and West Yellowstone had Missoula. The Northern Region assigned 13 jumpers. The Missoula Aerial Fire 75 smokejumpers to Fairbanks, Alaska. Depot base was reduced to 125 active Some of the jumpers were in Fairbanks smokejumpers. Neil Waistad, Foreman, as long as 38 days. and Phil Pittman, Squadleader, were transferred to Grangeville. Barry A total of 919 refresher and training Hicks, Foreman, and Bill Werhane, jumps were made from the Missoula base. Squadleader, were transferred to West Yellowstone.

25 The Missoula base added a DeHaviland Aerial Fire Depot Project Caribou plane under contract.With a Superintendent, served on a Regional I 20-jumper capacity and tailgate top overhead team on three campaign dropping ability, the DeHaviland fires, once as a fire boss. Caribou proved very satisfactory. Grangeville had a Twin Otter, and West Temporary subbases at Libby and Yellowstone a DC-3. Fixed-wing Kalispell were highly successful. More aircraft flew 9,669 hours, and helicop- temporary subbases are planned for the ters 1,533 hours in all activities. future. Grangeville-based jumpers made 119 jumps to 50 fires. Jumpers from the West Yellowstone base made 100 jumps to 39 fires. The Aerial Fire Depot was the hub of fire coordination and supply. The base operated 24 hours 1973 a day. The Regional Office Coordinating Organization was put into effect and many fire overhead and crews were recruited from outside the Region. Additional aircraft were called in to ferry crews, air freight, fire The Northern Region experienced one of overhead, and for use as air tankers. the driest seasons on record, with A total of 698,100 gallons of chemical 1,806 fires consuming approximately fire retardant was flown out of the 30,000 acres at a cost of approximately Missoula base for use on 139 fires. $16 million. The first jumper action Approximately 30,000 meals were served was May 16 on the Bitterroot National by the kitchen at the Aerial Fire Forest. The fire season grew in Depot. During the emergency period, intensity, reaching its peak in the kitchen operated on a 24-hour mid-August. It didn't subside until basis. early September. Missoula's 125 smoke- jumpers proved their merit through this Richard Baldwin, Aerial Fire Depot difficult period with an all-out Complex Manager, retired; Bob Robertson response, attested to by an unprece- was transferred to the position. Homer dented number of complimentary letters W. "Skip" Stratton, Fire Management from Forest Supervisors. Branch Chief in the Division of Fire Management, and former smokejumper Missoula-based smokejumpers made a retired. total of 1,386 jumps to 272 fires. Jumpers from outside the Region, including a contingent from the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska, made 111 of these jumps. The Aerial Fire Depot base in Missoula was out of jumpers on 1974 several occasions due to the heavy demand. Additional fires could have been manned had jumpers been available.

Missoula Aerial Fire Depot smokejumper Practice jumps totaled 878 at Missoula; activity began on June 19 and ended 19 new smokejumpers were trained at the October 31. It was a long season. Aerial Fire Depot. August was one of the slowest on record with only 33 fire jumps from the Ground activity included 729 jumpers Missoula base. dispatched to 47 fires as organized crews and overhead. This was an Northern Region jumpers made 303 jumps alltime record. Smokejumpers worked a to 105 fires from the Silver City, New total of 60,481 fire suppression hours Mexico, base in the Southwestern on all fire assinments. Len Krout, Region. The Southwestern Region grand

26 total was 346 jumps to 117 fires, the The Northern Region experienced one of most active season since 1961. The the slowest fire seasons of record in Northern Region jumpers assigned to 1975. The 577 fires consumed 592 Alaska for the Bureau of Land acres. Management had a normal season: 148 jumps to 81 fires. In addition, a crew Missoula smokejumpers made only 244 was sent back to Fairbanks, Alaska, in jumps to 88 fires throughout the West, early August for another 19 jumps to accumulating 7,288 man-hours on fire. 7 fires. In addition, 294 men were dispatched to 18 ground fires for 15,342 man-hours. The West Yellowstone, Montana, center Forty-six of the fire jumps were made experienced a record year. The from the Missoula base to nine fires Interagency Fire Control Center under the Northern Region protection. recorded 225 jumps to 44 fires. Of West Yellowstone, Montana, center these jumps, 132 were made by Missoula smokejumpers made 47 jumps to 16 fires. smokejumpers. Missoula sent a total of The Grangeville, Idaho, jumpers made 54 14 booster crews to the West jumps to 23 fires. The Northern Region Yellowstone center at critical peak crew, Silver City, New Mexico, made 68 periods. The Grangeville, Idaho, base jumps to 24 fires. A late crew made 100 jumps to 35 fires. dispatched there in August made an additional 45 jumps to 17 fires.

Missoula-based jumpers made a total of For the first time since 1959, the 1,306 jumps to 377 fires on all assign- Missoula Aerial Fire Depot did not fur- ments for an average of 11.3 fire jumps nish a smokejumper contingent to the per man. Ground activity involved 335 Bureau of Land Management in Alaska. men on 39 fires. The Northern Region This assignment was jointly filled by dropped the first fire line blasting Intermountain and California Region team on a going fire this season. jumpers. Donal "Bud" Clarke, smokejumper squadleader, lead the project on the Twenty jumpers from the Missoula base Outlaw Fire near Roundtop in the St. were stationed in McCloud, Calif., from Joe National Forest. The program was late August through October. They successful, and more fire line explo- sives action is expected in the future. functioned as an interregional fire crew. They made 43 jumps to 17 fires from the smokejumper base at Redding, Missoula jumpers manned a fire out of a California. From the subbase subbase in Vernal, Utah; a first. The established at Ashland, Montana, for Intermountain Region later manned the the Custer National Forest, no jump base for the remainder of the season. action was taken, but two fires were manned, one by helicopter and the other by ground vehicle. Herb Oertli, Chief Dispatcher, andAl Hammond, both oldtime smokejumpers, Because of the slow fire season, smoke- retired. William R. "Bud" Moore, jumpers accomplished approximately Director of Fire & Aviation Management 32,000 man-hours of project work for for the Northern Region, retiredin Northern Region National Forests. June and was replaced by Ed Heilman. A training cadre of smokejumper person- nel was established at the Missoula Aerial Fire Depot to provide training courses and expertise to the Region's Forests and cooperation in fire and 1975 aviation management. Earl Cooley, who made the first actual fire jump with Rufus Robinson in 1940,

27 retired from the Regional Office, Fire Aerial Fire Depot personnel, made a and Aviation Management, in June. major contribution to the National training effort in preparation of the Service, Plans, Basic and Intermediate Air Operations, and Air Service Officer Training package. 1976 The Regional Training Cadre, headed by Larry Eisenman, conducted 16 training courses (involving 507 participants) in fire behavior, sector boss, crew boss, basic air operations, helicopter manager, and Forest Air Officer. The Cadre also assisted in Guard School The Northern Region experienced another training and conducted individualized slow fire season: 818 fires burned helitack and helicopter management 2,526 acres. The season was well below courses so that Forest firemen could the Regional average of 1,225 fires put on high-quality courses on their burning 5,500 acres. units. Missoula-based smokejumpers made 518 Late in 1976, Larry Eisenman was jumps to 122 fires throughout the West. selected as the Region's Parachute Much of 16,000 man-hours of ground Project Superintendent. action was from the Bureau of Land Management helitack subbase in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Jumpers from the Grangeville, Idaho, base made 40 jumps to 16 fires. Interagency Fire Control Center 1977 jumpers, West Yellowstone, Montana, made 132 jumps to 24 fires and par- ticipated in 1 rescue mission. The crew based in Silver City, New Mexico, made 172 junps to 64 fires. The West experienced a severe drought The fire season began early. Twelve in 1977. Most of the severe fire activ- jumpers were dispatched April 24, as a ity was in Oregon and California. backup crew, to the smokejumper base at Missoula dispatched backup crews to Tn-Cities, Tennessee. Due to a rela- McCall, Idaho; Boise, Idaho; Redding, tively light Northern Region fire California; Cave Junction, Oregon; season, much of the fire activity was LaGrande, Oregon; Winthrop, Washington; out-of-Region. Por the first time in Redmond, Oregon; Fairbanks, Alaska; history, Northern Region smokejumper West Yellowstone, Montana; and ground crews were sent to Minnesota and Grangeville, Idaho.Missoula jumpers Michigan. established a subbase at Fresno, California. No fire action was taken; The last fire of the season was the crew later moved to Redding, November 12 in the Lob National California, for the severe fire period. Forest. Northern Reigon jumpers made a total of Len Krout, veteran smokejumper and the 1,236 fire jumps to 371 fires for Parachute Project Superintendent, 34,000 man-hours on all assignments. retired in August. Ground action was taken on 18 fires: 317 men; 10,000 man-hours. West Emphasis in training was directed to Yellowstone jumpers made 71 jumps to 19 "the man in the smoke." The Regional fires and participated in 6 rescue Traiwtri Cadre, composed of some of the operations. Grangeville jumpers made

28 106 jumps to 41 fires. Northern Region Depot conducted 35 training se,sions smokejumpers at Silver City, New with 914 students in attendance. Mexico, made 148 jumps to 50 fires. Fire activity was about average in the In conjunction with the Missoula Region. A total of 1,107 fires burned Equipment Development Center, Region 1 7,880 acres. Dry lightning storms were tested, evaluated, and approved the few; smokejumper action was slow. The Beech King Aircraft for smokejumper and first fire action was April 25; the paracargo use. last fire was manned September 13. Also, testing was done on the XP-5 The smokejumper training staff con- parachute. This new canopy, designed ducted 22 Fire and Aviation Management by smokejumeprs, reduces the rate of courses for 691 students. New firsts descent and increases maneuverability. this year included courses for the Hopefully, the XP-5 will lower the fre- Intermountain Region, Bureau of Land quency of smokejumper accidents. Management, Alaska, and the State of Minnesota. The training staff assisted with development of Sector Boss, Intermediate Air Operations, Camp Officer, Basic Business Management, and 1979 Ground Tanker Dispatcher courses.

Lowell Hanson was promoted to Training Officer, Bill Meadows to Air Operation Training Specialist, and Ron Pierce to Fire Training Specialist. Region 1 smokejumpers were very active in 1979. The Region had a total of Fire and Aviation Management 1,784 fires which burned 12,663 acres. established a new Business Management Missoula-based smokejumpers made 1,031 organization at the Aerial Fire Depot. jumps to 147 fires. West Yellowstone Bill Ward was named Administrative jumpers made 122 jumps to 38 fires. Officer. Grangeville jumpers had their most active season on record, making 282 jumps to 106 fires. The Silver City, New Mexico, crew made 87 jumps to 27 fires. Over 65,000 hours accrued in fire suppression activities.

1978 Development continued on the XP-5 parachute. It was tested 464 times (379 training and 85 fire). This parachute has proven to be an effective tool in reducing landing injuries through a reduced rate of descent. Region 1 experienced a very light fire Expanded use is planned for the 1980 year in 1978 with 688 fires burning a season. total of 1,707 acres. Missoula-based smokejumpers made 262 jumps to 52 The Aerial Fire Depot worked with the fires. West Yellowstone jumpers made Missoula Equipment Development Center 89 jumps to 22 fires, and Grangeville to evaluate a high-level paracargo jumpers made 80 jumps to 28 fires. The delivery system. This system shows Northern Region smokejumpers on detail promising results and should be opera- to Region 3 in Silver City, New Mexico, tional at least on a limited basis for made 130 jumps to 47 fires. A total of 1980. 28,500 hours accrued in all fire suppression activities. The training cadre at the Aerial Fire Depot trained 590 students in aviation The training cadre at the Aerial Fire and fire courses.

29 The following tabulation is based on recorded official jumps (training, fire, rescue) by the Forest Service smokejumpers throughout the United States.

Number Number Year of Jumpers of Jumps Cumulative

1940 12 99 99 1941 26 193 292 1942 42 331 623 1943 76 960 1,583 1944 129 1,246 2,829 1945 220 2,741 5,570 1946 232 2,276 7,846 1947 250 2,124 9,970 1948 267 1,662 11,632 1949 266 2,264 13,896 1950 250 1,465 15,361 1951 276 2,528 17,889 1952 267 2,060 19,949 1953 275 3,143 23,092 1954 284 1,956 25,048 1955 307 2,430 27,478 1956 290 2,816 30,294 1957 339 3,153 33,447 1958 345 3,475 36,922 1959 315 3,128 40,050 1960 321 3,779 43,829 1961 349 4,956 48,785 1962 350 3,582 52,367 1963 353 4,319 56,686 1964 351 3,283 59,969 1965 389 3,767 63,736 1966 396 5,966 69,702 1967 425 7,358 77,060 1968 427 5,785 82,845 1969 419 5,663 88,508 1970 446 6,188 94,696 1971 446 6,214 100,910 1972 403 6,419 107,329 1973 403 6,599 114,928 1974 420 7,248 122,176 1975 441 6,604 128,776 1976 438 6,619 135,395 1977 441 7,198 142,593 1978 415 4,704 147,297 1979 380 6,690 153,987

Year of most jumps 1967 Number of jumps 7,358

Year with most smokejumpers . 1970

Number of smokejumpers . . 446

30 Forest Service Aerial Fire Depot (1), 7 miles west of Missoula; Northern Forest Fire Laboratory (2) ;Smokejumper Dormitory (3); Visitor Center (4); Fire Depot warehouse (5); chemical fire retardant mixing plant (6); smoke jumper training area (7); airplane taxi strip connecting to Missoula County Airport to left of picture (8); highway to Missoula (9) ;Burlington Northern mainline tracks (10).