Smokejumpers.com :. Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Each quarter we publish a few featured articles from Smokejumper Magazine. To receive all the great articles and content, delivered right to your door, click here.

January 2008

Profile: Russian Smokejumper Ivan Alexandrovich Novik
by Bruce Ford (Missoula '75)
He entered the army as a paratrooper at sixteen, as he was big for his age and had documents saying he was older.

July 2007

Who Are Those Guys?
by Troop Emonds (Cave Junction '66)
Troop, Jerry and The Pirates vs. Chinese Slave Traders

January 2007

Prisoner In Laos: A Story Of Survival-Part II
by Phisit Intharathat (Associate Life Member)
Arriving at an intersection of several trails, I checked to make sure it was clear and started to run across the clearing. Halfway across I heard someone yelling, "Yute, Yute!" I turned my head and met the cold steel gaze of an M-1 rifle, pointed at my face."

October 2006

Prisoner In Laos: A Story Of Survival-Part I
by Phisit Intharathat (Associate Life Member)
I climbed out first, followed by the others. The guard was still snoring loudly. I moved to the outside fence, pulled in wide enough to squeeze through and signaled for my friends to follow.

July 2006

Russian Smokejumpers: The Pre-War Years
by Bruce Ford (Missoula ’70)
At its height, AFPS was the largest aerial fire service in the world, employing thousands of smokejumpers and rappellers and hundreds of aircraft. Its history parallels and often anticipates developments in the West.

April 2006

He Started the Smokejumper Program in McCall
by Leo Cromwell (Idaho City '66)
An Interview With Stewart S. "Lloyd" Johnson (McCall '43)

January 2006

Fire and Ice: U.S. Jumpers Tour Russian Bases, Warm to Russian Hospitality
by Bruce Ford (MSO-75)
Queuing up to the door of an airplane is all in a day's work for a smokejumper. But it's January and minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit outside. The jumpers in front of you are 14- and 15-year-old boys and girls, many on their first jump. The 17-year-olds already have several jumps under their belts and sit nonchalantly waiting their turns. That's because this is Russia, and being tough is all part of growing up.

July 2005

To The Moon!
by Jill Léger (Associate Editor)
Former Jumper Made History Aboard Apollo 14

April 2005

Smokejumpers to the Ravens (Part Two)
by Gene Hamner (Missoula ’67)
The pilots spoke of colleagues who had vanished into the highly classified operation codenamed the 'Steve Canyon Program.' Insiders who worked with them knew these pilots as the Ravens.

January 2005

Smokejumpers to the Ravens (Part One)
by Gene Hamner (Missoula ’67)
As the war dragged on, so the myth grew. Apparently, there was another war even nastier than the one in Vietnam. The men who chose to fight in it were handpicked volunteers, and anyone accepted for a tour seemed to disappear as if from the face of the earth.

October 2004

Shep Johnson: A More Than Interesting Life
by Chuck Sheley (Cave Junction ’59)
"I was wounded February 14, 1971, at General Vang Pao's secret base, known as Long Tieng, or Lima Site 20A. I always felt it was a Valentine’s gift from Ho Chi Minh."

July 2004

Smokejumper Awarded Medal of Honor
by Chuck Sheley (CJ '59)
Lt. Sisler realized that two of his [men] had been wounded and left behind. Racing back alone into the jungle, Sisler picked up one man and was running with him when the NVA launched a second assault, headed directly for him.

April 2004

I Wish I Could Have Met Willi
by Chuck Sheley (Cave Junction '59)
Tackling the West Ridge was an enormous undertaking. Dodging avalanches and contending with 100-mph winds, the climbers set up camp at a biologically brutalizing 27,250 feet.

January 2004

An Interview With A Pioneer Smokejumper
by James Budenholzer (Missoula '73)
A member of the first smokejumper force in 1940, Jim "Smokey" Alexander is a true pioneer. Alexander recently sat down with James Budenholzer (Missoula ’73) to share his recollections of that first season—and what it was like to make history.

October 2003

The Story Behind The Picture
by John Culbertson (Fairbanks ’69)
I was kind of wild then and often had one wheel spinning loose in the sand. I guess I was telling myself to get serious. Somebody took a picture while all that was in my head, capturing what, for me, was an important moment in time.

July 2003

Jerry Daniels (Missoula 58-60) Remembered
by Fred Donner (Missoula ’59)
The enemy was at the gates and thousands of Hmong expected to leave, a repeat of Vietnam the month before. By every account, Jerry was the glue that held things together until the final bitter moments when he and Vang Pao had to pull the plug...On the last airplane out of Sky, Hog broke out a case of Olympia - a true blue smokejumper.

April 2003

Ration of Luck
by Don Courtney (Missoula ’56)
Reprinted with permission from “Air & Space” November 2002

There’s probably nothing to it, but sometimes I think that airplanes, and maybe people come equipped with a finite amount of luck. As with all things finite, maybe luck can be used up. And when it’s gone, it’s gone.
White Boots, A Tribute To Our Friend Ed Guy
by Dale L. Schmaljohn (McCall ’60)
Those of us who jumped out of McCall during the 1960s have many memories of Ed Guy. For the rest of you NSA members, I want to share some of my never-to-be-forgotten memories of Ed Guy, my jumper partner, friend and world-class humanitarian.
Spaghetti-O's vs A 30-30 At Fort Yukon
by Larry Welch (Cave Junction ’61)
One of my fellow jumpers was a Southern California boy. He had a can of Spaghetti-O's and was in the process of eating them with a plastic spoon, when in walked a young native man armed with a lever-action 30-30 rifle.

January 2003

How The West Was Lost-Is That Your Money Burning?
by Chuck Sheley (Cave Junction '59)
When it comes to solving the current problem, common sense is exactly what's missing. The key to any type of firefighting is "initial attack", a concept few seem to be considering as the mess around us intensifies.
The Black Warrior Creek Gear Roll
by Steve Lloyd-Davies (McCall ’78)
In midday we were ordered to demob off the fire and leave the helitack crew to sit on it until it was dead. That's when Yensen came up with his brilliant plan.
Of Mud Pits and Men
by Charlie Roos (Redmond ’97)
You want to see who is physically fit? Who is creative? Who can handle pressure? And most importantly, who wants it the worst? Well, all you have to do is throw sixty or seventy candidates into a giant mud pit and stop them when there are enough left to fill a rookie class.
On Becoming a Smokejumper
by Deanne Shulman (McCall ’81)
True ecologists and proponents of chaos theory will say everything and everyone is connected. With a gentle half-smile, they will explain how the slight air movements made by the flitting wings of a butterfly in China will have effects around the globe. Pondering such fundamental connections, I know with certainty that a man I never met influenced the course of my life.

October 2002

Fight Fire or Fish
by Delos Dutton (Missoula '51)
I asked, "Where is the fire?" He pointed up the creek to a small ridge, and there I saw a large column of smoke. When I took a shovel out of the truck, he said, "I can't let you go up there." I replied, "You have a good day, too," and headed for the fire.
Jimmy
by John Culbertson (Fairbanks '69)
This story first appeared in the Jan. 1998 issue of "The Static Line". It was widely read and appreciated by the membership. John has consented to update the article. We want to print the original version that is found below in addition to John's update.
Interview with John McLean
by Steve Smith (NSA Historian)
In the following interview with John Maclean, NSA Historian, Steve Smith talked with Maclean about the October 28th History Channel special, which is not to be missed.

July 2002

In Harm's Way: Thoughts About The Death of Daniel Pearl
by Ted Burgon (Idaho City '52)
The death of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter, has triggered some memories that I thought I would share. Perhaps they will put some of the rest of the world in perspective.
Sod Igloo Village
by Larry Welch (Cave Junction '61)
It was late enough into the fire season that there were only eighteen hours of daylight; the other six hours were neither dark nor light, but rather three hours of red, pink and yellow sunset followed by three hours of colorful sunrise.
The Humbling - (Early 1950s)
by Reid Jackson (McCall '49)
As we all know - one of the more enjoyable sports pursued by second-year and older jumpers is badgering new jumper candidates (NEDS). Scare stories of all types are passed around. Most of these stories center around various types of parachute malfunctions all the way from line-overs (Mae West's) to full blown streamers, etc.

April 2002

Elmer Neufeld (Cave Junction ’44): In His Own Words. An Interview by Steve Smith
by Steve Smith
TELL ME ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOU STEPPED OUT OF AN AIRPLANE
“Crazy,” I’m saying to myself, “what the hell are you doin’?” You’re gonna splat into the ground and they won’t have to worry about you again.” I’m sayin’ to myself, “You signed up for it, now get goin’.” So I did.
Pyramid Peak Fire
by Tom Albert (Cave Junction '64)
The evening before, the seventh and last training jump, developed into one of those memorable nights that all jumpers remember with fondness and expectation. Lightning was striking all around. Fire orders were stacking up on the office counter. The old hands were oiling their boots and the "normal" nights' activities were curtailed, as all knew there was plenty of work ahead.
Women Celebrate 20 Years of Smokejumping
by Tara Rothwell (Redmond '92)
Everyone was invited! If you didn't make it, you missed one hell of a good time. On December 7th and 8th the women of smokejumping, their friends and families came together in Sun Valley, Idaho for their 20th reunion.

January 2002

“Paradoctor” Jumped to Help Crash Victims
by Mark Matthews For the Tribune
On June 15, 1944, Dr. Amos Little stood at the open door of the UC-54, contemplating the Rocky Mountains below. He made 22 practice jumps before, but this was to be his first rescue attempt.
Missoula Smokejumpers Search for Ernest Bruffy
by Joe Gutkoski (Missoula '50)
The 7.1 Montana earthquake of Aug. 16, 1959, centered in the upper Madison River Basin, killed more than two dozen people by burying them under the massive Madison River slide. This became the dam for Quake Lake.
Rookie Training 2001-Day by Day
by Michael Blinn (Redding '01)
I woke up this morning at 6:30, looking forward to my first day of Rookie Training at the California Smokejumper base in Redding, Calif. I didn't get much in the way of sleep last night, mostly tossing, turning and second guessing.

October 2001

The Uranium Jump
by Jim Allen (NCSB 46)
As Orv and I knew nothing about uranium mining, Bob filled us in with what he knew. There was a big push on to find uranium in the 1950s. The Atomic Energy Commission offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who found a uranium deposit. In addition to the $10,000, the finders were entitled to keep the mine or sell to a mining company.
An Interview with John Maclean Author of Fire on The Mountain
by Charlie Palmer (Missoula ’95)
I was interested in getting an exclusive interview for Smokejumper Magazine. However, my snowboard and I lost a brief, but painful, battle with a tree stump two days before our scheduled meeting. Four broken bones and a large cast on my clutch-engaging appendage effectively terminated those interview plans. My foot and I were both crushed. Time for Plan B.
Fallen Friend
by Mike McMillan (Fairbanks ’96)
“Get Ready!” The spotter’s hand came down on Dave’s shoulder and he threw himself into the wind stream. Seconds later he pulled the green handle from his harness, sending his parachute to the sky with a loud crack.

July 2001

Uncovering a Hero’s Story
by Steve Smith (NSA Historian)
Desperation and ingenuity inspired an escape attempt in the summer of 1966. After a shoot out with guards, the prisoners disappeared into the jungle in a bid for freedom.
Kickin' Cargo with a Bum Pilot
by Jeffery R. Davis (Missoula '57)
It was the summer of 1961, the biggest fire season I ever enjoyed as a smokejumper. I flew a lot of cargo missions in addition to the many runs I made dropping jumpers and jumping myself. This day I had a C-46 loaded with cargo for a large fire in Idaho's Salmon River country near the Forest Service's Shearer airstrip.
Jack Ridgway Story - Smokejumper Training Thwarts Hijacking
by Chuck Sheley (Cave Junction '59)
The armed man had not seen Ridgway come down the staircase behind him. Operating under the premise that it was a military coup, Jack retreated quietly up the staircase to the flight deck where he opened one of the cockpit hatches to see if there were any vehicles and activity by the military. There was no activity on the ground outside the 747!

April 2001

NSA Member Seeks Help, Information on Brother Missing in Laos
by Carl Gidlund
As recounted in the Oct. 1995 and Jan. 1996 issues of the NSA newsletter, the former Missoula and Alaska jumper was a cargo kicker on an Air America C-46 that was downed Sept. 5, 1963. Pathet Lao anti-aircraft fire flamed it during a supply drop to a Royal Lao Army battalion eight kilometers from the Vietnamese border.
The Tiniest Marine
by Troop Emonds (Cave Junction '66)
The nation was at war. Young Americans were coming home in body bags. This little pint-sized humanoid wanted to cast his fate with the kids carrying the load over in the mud-filled fox holes, rather than dealing with the more difficult pursuits of the opposite sex.
The Ride of My Life
by Paige Houston (Fairbanks '95)
On July 27, 1996, I made my 37th jump on a fire in Northern California that turned out to be my last as a smokejumper. This 52-second ride should have put me in a pine box six feet under.

January 2001

An Interview with Greg Greenhoe
by Jim Veitch
In late October the NSA Smokejumper submitted a number of questions to Mr. Greenhoe about the Aerial Delivered Firefighter Study which was completed in September. Many NSA members contributed to the study with comments. Mr. Greenhoe’s answers show the important role NSA members can play in the decision-making process of our Federal agencies.
Dale Longanecker Set Jump Record!
by K.C. Mehaffey Okanogan County Bureau
Parachuting out of a plane to fight a small wildfire on the Colville Indian Reservation on Aug. 9 was nothing special to firefighter Dale Longanecker. But when he landed, his 617th jump as a Forest Service smokejumper broke the national record for most jumps, either for practice or to fight a fire.
1958 Trip to Redding - Really Tall Trees!
by Wild Bill Yensen (McCall '53)
We all made it to the ground except Bill Weaver. Bill had a Mae West and had to deploy his reserve. Naturally he landed in the top of one of those huge sugar pines.

October 2000

The Video Project--It started as just a summer job....
by Steve Smith Producer
When Fred Rohrbach talked with me about the video project, it sounded like I’d shoot in the summer, edit in the winter and cash a check from the NSA in the spring. One year exploring the job of a smokejumper. It wasn’t to be that simple; but then, that’s not very different from the way a lot of jumpers got started.
Region 8 Smokejumping - The Untold Story
by Delos Dutton (Missoula ’51)
The first fire jumps in Region 8 were made on the Jefferson National Forest, on the Clinch Ranger District. The date was March 31, 1971 and four smokejumpers made the jump on the Skeggs fire, which was burning on State of Virginia land and was rapidly approaching National Forest land.
The Jump at Red Dawn
by Leo Cromwell (Idaho City ’66) as told to Jason Greenlee (Redding ’99)
A little voice told him things were not right when the spotter said, “Oh, just spot yourself.” Maybe we weren’t supposed to hear that but we did, and it definitely gave us all pause to think.

July 2000

A Snowshoe Pack-Off
by Wayne R. Webb, (McCall ’46)
He returned in about an hour and dropped two pairs of snowshoes and a rough sketch of what he thought would be the easiest way to get to where a vehicle would pick us up.
My Brush with History: CPS Smokejumpers
by Gregg Phifer (Missoula ’44)
In the fall of 1942 Phil Stanley (Missoula ’43) a Quaker assigned to GPS 37 in Coleville, Wash., wrote Axel Lindh, head of fire control for Forest Service Region One: “lt occurred to me that you might need men for your parachute fire-fighting corps."
Some Casual Reflections on Early Jumping
by Neil Shier (Cave Junction ’46)
When we arrived at Missoula, we were trucked to Nine Mile Camp and joined a large group of trainees in what looked like Civilian Conservation Corps barracks. Most were vets, many from airborne outfits.

April 2000

Jumper Recounts Yellowstone Quake Rescue
by Bob Nicol (Missoula ’52)
The quake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale, triggered the largest landslide ever recorded in North America. An estimated 80 million tons of earth and rock fell from the side of a mountain into the Madison River, forming a dam and creating what is now known as Quake Lake.
The Sheepeater Fire
by Wild Bill Yensen (McCALL '53)
My brother-in-law and jump partner, Merle Cables (McCall ’48) and I got our call that afternoon. When Merle learned where we were going, he took off for his trailer like a shot and returned with his Winchester 30-30, deer tag,ammo and game sacks.
8-Mile Ridge Crash
by Bill Eastman (North Cascades '54)
Streamers indicated no more than a breeze, but when I went out, a strong wind took my chute at a 90 degree angle from the ridge and away from the fire. For the first and only time, I pulled down lines on one side until my canopy collapsed, then fell free for about 1,000 feet.

January 2000

Moon Trees
by Jim Veitch (Missoula '69)
The use of a computer model is nothing new and can be a good way to sort through complex problems. The tough part is making the game rules as close as possible to real life. Give the computer the wrong rules and you get bogus information, “garbage in, garbage out”.
In Memory of Richard A. “Paperlegs” Peterson
by Wild Bill Yensen (MYC ‘53)
He said, “I’ll beat you by a minute!” We jumped and he pulled a slip. He went down like a rock! He let it go at about 100 feet and landed. When I floated in and landed, I asked, “How did you do that?”
. . . And If You Find Out, I’ll Have To Kill You
by Don Courtney (Missoula ‘56)
There was a time when certain jumpers coming back in the spring for another fire season were greeted with, “Where ya been? Secret mission for the CIA?”

October 1998

Jimmy Pearce
by John Culbertson
Jimmy's idea of a good deal was rolling down the road in his Mercury convertible to pester the waitresses at the Beacon Coffee Shop in Alturas after the jump season was over in Alaska.

October 1997

The Unsoeld Story
by Jolene Unsoeld
Willi's great love was mountaineering. At the age of 12 he was climbing mountains and through 1946 had scaled peaks in the Washington and Oregon Cascades, Yosemite Valley and the Tetons.