Just a little postscript on my last post, since fellow blogger artist, Todd Bonita, and I were talking this week about how his father-in-law, David Baker, who passed away very recently, and my father were both smokejumpers. My father only spent 2 or 3 summers smokejumping during 1948 - 1950, but he was very proud of being a smokejumper. While Dad smokejumped, Mom worked in the ranger station as a clerk. Although Dad went on to study law and become a businessman, later in life he would often state that his favorite job was still smokejumping! He belonged to the National Smokejumpers Association, and a few years ago they produced the book Smokejumpers, in which Dad recounted his experience in the 1950 Hell's Canyon Snake River fire.
Thanks, Peggy, for buying an early miniature, just before my blog sale! And thanks Nick for mentioning this blog on your radio show last Friday.
2 comments:
I have never heard of smokejumpers before. Just checked on the Internet. What brave firefighters they are! Amazing job!
1948 was before they had fire-proof clothing and chutes, so it was especially risky back then, but yes, it is a brave job over all, and if a fire is strategically well-tackled, it can save many trees.
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