Interviewer
Gregg Phifer
Files
Description
T. Richard Flaharty describes his experiences as a smokejumper at Ninemile, Montana, during the summer of 1944. He explains how he volunteered for the smokejumpers after feeling that his work at a soil conservation camp was not nationally important. He talks about his training, including an injury he sustained during one of his training jumps, and describes two of his three fire jumps. Flaharty then recalls returning to Ohio and getting married, and how his wife inspired him to pursue a career in social work after the war ended. He concludes by talking about the antagonism toward conscientious objectors during the war, and about how smokejumping was a way for him to show that he had not pursued that path out of cowardice or a desire for protection.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Civilian Public Service; Conscientious objectors, United States; Smokejumpers, Montana; World War, 1939-1945; 4-E classification; Methodist Church; Smokejumper training; Ninemile, Montana
Original Date
8-11-1986
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 163-029
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
00:38:45 minutes
Local Filename
OH_163_029.mp3; OH_163_029.pdf
Citation
Flaharty, T. Richard, "T. Richard "Dick" Flaharty Interview, August 11, 1986" (1986). Civilian Public Service Smokejumpers Oral History Project. 29.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/civilianpublicservicesmokejumpers_oralhistory/29