Who Were The Pioneer Smokejumpers?
By: Chuck Sheley
Date: April 2015
Source: https://smokejumpers.com/smokejumper-magazine/
Publication PDF: https://www.nwasolution.org/s/Smokejumper_Issue_088_April_2015.pdf
The development of smokejumping in the Soviet Union and the United States, although worlds apart, had similarities. Both programs started after experiments with dropping retardant from airplanes. Both faced uphill battles in proving that dropping firefighters by parachute could be done safely and effectively. In 1934 Girogy Alexandrovich Makeev had to overcome age, air sickness, and resistance from his bosses to prove that this could be done.
As we move into the 75th year of smokejumping in the United States, it’s time to look back on the men who started the whole works. We need to keep our timelines in order to better understand the development of smokejumping and, also, to honor those men who had a lot of skill, in addition to a vision.
Details sometimes vary according to the writer. I’m going directly to The History of The North Cascades Smokejumper Base by Bill Moody (NCSB-57) and emails with Steve Smith (Life Member Associate) who was involved in detailed research when he produced the NSA video Firefighters From the Sky.
After an experimental program relating to dropping retardant from aircraft in California was shut down in 1938, funds and aircraft were shifted to the experimental program involving parachuting firefighters. This experimental program ran from October-November 1939 on the Chelan N.F. (now the Okanogan N.F.). The Eagle Parachute Company from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was contracted to provide experienced parachutists and basic equipment. Professional jumpers Frank Derry (MSO-40), Glenn Smith (NCSB-40), Chester Derry (MSO-40) and Virgil Derry (NCSB-40) plus two locals, Dick Tuttle and Alan Honey, were the contract personnel.
The Forest Service assigned nine support personnel, including Francis Lufkin (NCSB-40), to the project. Francis was one of five USFS personnel to make jumps during the 1939 experimental program.
After making “dummy drops” in various terrain types, 58 live jumps were made by eleven different jumpers. The first experimental jump into timber was done by Glenn Smith. There were no major injuries, and the program proved that firefighters could be parachuted into rugged mountainous terrain to fight forest fires. Walt Anderson, Fire Assistant Chelan N.F., has been credited with naming the parachuting firefighters “Smokejumpers.”
A 1940 USFS memo says: “One physically well-qualified and well-trained firefighter delivered on a fire in 30 minutes is worth 10 to 500 CCC boys or pickup laborers delivered on the job in a few hours. Smokejumping obviously represents the ultimate in fast delivery of reinforcement or first attack men to fires.” It seems like this idea has been forgotten in recent years.
As a result of the successful experimental program in 1939, two smokejumper programs were established in 1940. The five-man unit in R-6 at Winthrop consisted of Glenn Smith, Virgil Derry, Francis Lufkin, and rookie George Honey (not to be confused with Alan Honey from the 1939 group). Dick Tuttle from the 1939 group was originally hired, but was seriously injured in a tree climbing accident before the program started. Training started June 10, 1940, under the direction of Frank Derry and took five to six days and included five jumps, two of which were timber jumps. After the training was competed Frank and Chet Derry then went to Missoula to train their first rookie crew. Winthrop was the first active smokejumper base in the U.S.
Earl Cooley (MSO-40) indicates in his book Trimotor and Trail, that squadleader Rufus Robinson (MSO-40) was sent to Winthrop in the spring to be trained before he came to Seeley Lake and made a demonstration jump. Robinson then went to Moose Creek to start work on the parachute loft building while the Missoula crew went through their training.
The R-1 program consisted of Project Leader Merle Lundrigan, Frank and Chet Derry, and seven rookie jumpers selected from each of the region’s national forests. The 1940 Missoula rookie crew was made up of Earl Cooley, James “Smokey” Alexander, Dick Lynch and Jim Waite. Leonard Hamilton did not pass the physical and Bill Bolen dropped out during training.
In an interesting side note Dr. Leo P. Martin (MSO-40) was the first doctor trained for parachute rescue. Dr. Martin must have trained later in the season, as he is not listed with the initial Missoula crew. He was later killed in October 1942 in a crash of an Army Air Force plane at the Walla Walla Air Base.
On July 12, 1940, Rufus Robinson and Earl Cooley made the first fire jumps in the U.S. at Marten Creek on the Nez Perce NF with Dick Johnson as the pilot.
On August 10, 1940, Francis Lufkin and Glenn Smith made the first fire jumps in R-6 on the Little Bridge Creek Fire, Chelan NF. George Honey and Virgil Derry jumped the second fire the next day.
Even though expansion of the program to ten jumpers was recommended at Winthrop for the 1941 season, the threat of war and lack of funding concentrated smokejumping to Region 1. Lufkin, Honey and Smith joined the R-1 jumpers at Nine Mile for that season. Only nine fires were jumped during the 1941 season. After training, Lufkin would return to R-6 and manage air cargo operations at the Twisp R.S.
By 1943 with WWII in full swing, there were only five experienced jumpers and only four candidates who could pass the physical exam. The introduction of the CPS-103 men (Conscientious Objectors) added 62 physically qualified personnel to the smokejumper program. The 1943 jumpers were stationed at Nine Mile or assigned to the two newly established bases at Cave Junction, Oregon, and McCall, Idaho.
Francis Lufkin continued to manage the cargo operations and satellite smokejumper base at Winthrop through 1944. In 1945 Winthrop re-opened with a crew of 15 CPS-103 jumpers, and Lufkin became the Aerial Project Officer. He continued at that job until 1972 when he retired after 33 years as a smokejumper. During that time, he received a presidential citation from President Lyndon Johnson and a Department of Agriculture Secretary's Award, plus numerous citations from the USFS. His two sons Ron (CJ-60) and Larry (CJ-63) followed him into smokejumping. Francis died February 12, 1998, in Bellingham, Washington.
Earl Cooley was promoted to squadleader for the 1942 season and was in charge of fire training and the Nine Mile Camp during the 1943 season. After the 1944 season, Earl was assigned to the Kootenai NF as timber sale assistant but transferred back to Missoula as foreman in May 1945, a position he held until 1950 when he was promoted to an administrative assistant position. In 1951 Earl took the District Ranger job Red River District (Nez Perce NF) and transferred to the Naxon District in 1955. When the job of Parachute Project Superintendent was created in 1958, Earl moved back to Missoula to take that position. In the spring of 1971 he moved from the smokejumpers to a position of Regional Equipment Specialist from which he retired in 1975. Earl died November 9, 2009, at age 98.
Frank Derry, born July 27, 1904 in California, died August 2, 1968 in Kalispell, Montana, five days after his 64th birthday. He was a resident of Bigfork. Frank is responsible for the development of the steerable parachute in 1942. The addition of "Derry slots" and guidelines allowed any standard flat parachute to be converted into one that fit the needs of a person parachuting into rugged terrain. Frank continued on with the smokejumper program until 1945.
Virgil W. “Bus” Derry, born November 7, 1908, died January 31, 1995, in Sun City, Arizona at age 85. He jumped at NCSB during the 1940 season. After leaving smokejumping he worked in logging, heavy construction and as a commercial fisherman in Texas.
Chet Derry made the first rescue jump when he parachuted to a downed Johnson Flying Service Travelair on July 15, 1940, on the Nez Perce N.F. Pilot, Bob Maricich, was on a cargo drop when a wing clipped a tree. He was killed and cargo kicker, Del Claybaugh, was seriously injured. Chet was killed April 20, 1947, in a mid-air collision while piloting a plane from Missoula to Hamilton, Montana. He jumped at Missoula in 1940 and ’41.
Glenn Smith jumped at Missoula during the 1941 season, was gone 1942-43, and returned to jump 1944-49. He is listed as working a Missoula in 1950-51 but not recorded in any jump records. See more about Glenn in an additional article in this issue.
When listing “pioneers” in the smokejumper program we should also mention Fred Brauer (MSO-41) who left the program in 1943, flew C-47s in WWII, and returned to smokejumping in 1946 until 1957. Fred died June 25, 2007.
Wag Dodge (MSO-41) went into the Coast Guard in 1942 but returned to Missoula and jumped from 1943-49. He was the foreman of the Mann Gulch crew in the 1949 incident.
Fred Barnowsky (MSO-42) returned after the war to Missoula (46-56) and went on to become the first Base Manager at Redding in 1957-60. From there he went into the CIA/smokejumper work. Fred died July 15, 2008.
Longtime smokejumper and loft foremen Jack Nash (MSO-42), returned in 1946 and worked through 1969. Jack died December 20, 1990.
Jim Waite (MSO-40) jumped and worked at Missoula 1940-53. He died June 4, 1999.
Art Cochran (MSO-42) jumped at Missoula 1942-51 and died October 3, 2008.
The men listed above actually started the smokejumper program or were involved early on for many seasons. In my opinion, they are the “Pioneer Smokejumpers.” Regardless of the information that is coming out of the current day USFS, the foundation, equipment and operation of the smokejumper program was set by these men. There have been improvements in equipment but the fundamentals are the same.
