Interviewer
Floyd Cowles
Files
Description
.John Ferguson describes helping to set up the smokejumper program in McCall, Idaho, after his 1942 training at the Nine Mile Ranger Station in Montana and in Missoula, Montana. He recalls how he was on the first fire jump for Region 4. Ferguson discusses training jumps and fire jumps, equipment modifications, and changes in the cargo dropping system. He talks about training doctors to jump. Ferguson describes the government’s use of conscientious objectors to serve as smokejumpers during World War Two, the training of African American jumpers, the first fire death of a smokejumper in 1946, and the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire.
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Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Smokejumpers Montana Biography; Smokejumping Montana History; Smokejumpers Training of; Smokejumping Equipment and supplies; Airdrop
Original Date
7-21-1984
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
Smokejumpers 1984 Reunion Oral History Collection, OH 133, 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 Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use of this item. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 133-034, OH 133-035
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
2 sound cassettes (105 min.) : analog + 1 transcript (27 p. : 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:49:11 minutes
Local Filename
OH_133_034_035.mp3; OH_133_034_035.pdf
Citation
OH 133-034, OH 133-035Ferguson, John P., "John P. Ferguson Interview, July 21, 1984" (1984). Smokejumpers 1984 Reunion Oral History Project. OH 133-034, OH 133-035.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/smokejumpers/51