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The First Jumps

The first actual fire jumps in the history of smokejumping were made by Rufus Robinson and Earl Cooley at Marten Creek in the Nez Perce Forest of Region 1 on July 12, 1940.

The first jumps in Region 6 took place that year on August 10 when Glenn Smith and Francis Lufkin parachuted to a blaze at Bridge Creek in the Chelan Forest of Washington.

The first smokejumper rescue mission took place on July 15, 1940 when Chet Derry parachuted to a downed Travel Air--NC 450N, the same one the Missoula jumpers had trained in at the Seeley Lake-Blanchard Flats area--southeast of Cub Point Lookout in the Nez Perce Forest and south of the Moose Creek Ranger Station. Bob Maricich, flying for the Johnson Flying Service was on a cargo drop when a wing clipped a tree. The plane cartwheeled, crashing into a shallow lake. He was killed and the cargo kicker, Del Claybaugh, was seriously injured.

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