Jim died May 9, 2007 in Boise. He is the third legendary backcountry pilot to die within the past four months with the passing of Ken Roth and Ed Thorsrud. Jim started flying in 1937 in Idaho and flew C-46s over the “Hump” to Western China and Burma in WWII. In 1947 he was flying timber-spraying operations back in Idaho and went full time with the Forest Service in 1957. Jim retired in 1978 as Director, R-4 Air Operations at BIFC.