Oral History Interview with Fred O. Brauer 1984 June 27 (Side A)

A smokejumper from 1941 to 1942 and 1945 to 1958 Fred O. Brauer describes the early development of the smokejumper program. He discusses the many challenges the program faced during that time including equipment development wartime shortages and funding issues. He also describes the personnel changeover from conscientious objectors who served as smokejumpers during World War Two to military veterans who replaced them after the war ended. Brauer was in charge of the smokejumper program in Missoula Montana starting in 1951 until 1958 and he talks about his attempts to integrate the different Forest Service regional units into one coordinated organization. He discusses the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire and its immediate aftermath.