Interviewer
Rosa Stone
Files
Description
Albert Rodman talks about how he independently arrived at a pacifist stance, and how he convinced his local draft board to classify him as a conscientious objector. He recalls why he volunteered to be a firefighter in California, and how from there he learned about smokejumping in 1945. Rodman describes some of his experiences with the smokejumpers, particularly his time on a fire at Ditch Creek, Oregon late in the 1945 fire season. He discusses his general philosophy of self-sufficiency, and how this has impacted his life, offering examples of how he learned to repair machines himself and how he got his pilot’s license during the war. He then talks about his decision to go to college after the war, and finishes by briefly discussing his career as an antenna engineer for the University of Massachusetts astronomy department.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Civilian Public Service; Conscientious objectors, United States; Smokejumpers, Idaho; World War, 1939-1945; Congregationalist Church; 4-E classification; Smokejumper training; Engineering; University of Massachusetts; Ninemile, Montana
Original Date
8-12-1986
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana; Oregon
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 163-017
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 sound cassette (01:30:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (14 p.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
00:39:46 minutes
Local Filename
OH_163_017.mp3; OH_163_017.pdf
Citation
Rodman, Albert K., "Albert K. Rodman Interview, August 12, 1986" (1986). Civilian Public Service Smokejumpers Oral History Project. 17.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/civilianpublicservicesmokejumpers_oralhistory/17