Interviewer
Bruce Van Voorhis
Files
Description
Carl Dammann describes how he got into smokejumping after working on U.S. Forest Service IR crews for several years. He details the decision that prompted him to switch to smokejumping after a particularly bad fire season in 1970 that required many days of mopping up. Dammann notes that, while jumping is something he enjoys, he doesn’t plan to remain a jumper for the rest of his life. He talks about his desire to move on and find something different. He details his first few jumps, his preference for riding in the door of the plane so he can look down and also so he can map out his jump point. Dammann mentions the job’s low pay, and he also talks about how many people glamorize smokejumping, but to him it’s just a job and that a lot of people could do it if they really wanted to. He briefly discusses what his wife and family think about his smokejumping. Dammann concludes by talking about the possibility of women becoming smokejumpers and details his concerns that they may not have the physical stamina to do the job.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Smokejumpers, United States; Women smokejumpers; Gender disparity, smokejumpers; Smokejumpers, physical requirements; Smokejumper history; Smokejumping; Forest fires; Smokejumper standards; Redmond, Oregon; Winthrop, Washington
Original Date
7-25-1981
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Washington; Oregon
Language
eng
Original Collection
Nick Sundt Smokejumpers Oral History Project, OH 172, 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 172-014, 015
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
2 sound cassettes (02:00:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (23pp.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:05:14 minutes
Local Filename
OH_172_014_015.mp3; OH_172_014_015.pdf
Citation
Dammann, Carl, "Carl Dammann Interview, July 25, 1981" (1981). Nick Sundt Smokejumpers Oral History Project. 11.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/nicksundtsmokejumpers_oralhistory/11