Interviewer
Gregg Phifer
Files
Description
John Scott reminisces about the influence a minister had on his decision to become a pacifist. Scott recalls appealing many times for conscientious objector (CO) status. He describes various civilian public services (CPS) positions he held during World War Two, including smokejumping in Montana and Idaho. Scott discusses working at a CPS camp in Elkton, Oregon, for over a year before being accepted into the smokejumping program in 1944. He talks about training at Ninemile, Montana, and fighting the Bell Lake fire of September 1944 with 29 other smokejumpers. He goes on to tell of his experiences during the busy fire season of 1945, including carrying out a colleague on a stretcher, and injuring two vertebrae while parachuting to a fire. Scott reminisces about returning to his hometown of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, after the war and operating the family farm for more than 20 years.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
American Friends Service Committee; Civilian Public Service; Conscientious objectors, United States Interviews; Smokejumpers, Montana Interviews; Smokejumpers, Idaho Interviews; World War, 1939-1945; Fergus Falls, Minnesota; Elkton, Montana; Ninemile, Montana; SPF (Sets, Portable, Forestry) radio; Bell Lake Fire, 1944; Priest River, Idaho; Savenac Nursery, Haugan, Montana; Missoula, Montana; Crowned fire behavior
Original Date
8-12-1986
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
Civilian Public Service Smokejumpers Oral History Project, OH 163, Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 163-012
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 sound cassette (01:30:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (21 p.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
00:44:07 minutes
Local Filename
OH_163_012.mp3; OH_163_012.pdf
Citation
Scott, John, "John Scott Interview, August 12, 1986" (1986). Civilian Public Service Smokejumpers Oral History Project. 12.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/civilianpublicservicesmokejumpers_oralhistory/12