III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 798 

Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Mann Gulch fire by designating 

August 5, 2024, as ‘‘Mann Gulch Memorial Tribute Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 1, 2024 

Mr. TESTER (for himself, Mr. DAINES, and Mr. TILLIS) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Mann Gulch 

fire by designating August 5, 2024, as ‘‘Mann Gulch 

Memorial Tribute Day’’. 

Whereas, on August 5, 1949, the United States was shocked 

by a wildland fire-fighting tragedy in which 12 United 

States Forest Service smokejumpers and 1 district fire 

guard, a former smokejumper, tragically died when they 

were overtaken by a raging Mann Gulch forest fire in the 

Helena National Forest; 

Whereas the smokejumpers answered a routine fire call from 

their base in Missoula, Montana, and after successfully 

landing by parachutes near the fire and beginning the 

process to contain and extinguish it, they were trapped 

as the fire exploded beneath them; 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•SRES 798 ATS 

Whereas 8 of the 13 men who lost their lives were United 

States military veterans who served with distinction in 

World War II; 

Whereas Bob Salle, 1 of 3 smokejumpers who survived the 

fire stated on the occasion of the 50th Mann Gulch Anniversary Memorial, ‘‘It is time to rededicate ourselves to 

the memory of these fine young men and the lesson they 

best taught us, that wildfires are, and always will be, 

dangerous and we must respect its potential to put a fire 

fighter in harm’s way. Life is precious—and for some 

very short’’; 

Whereas on the 75th Anniversary of this tragedy the HelenaLewis and Clark National Forest and the National 

Smokejumpers Association will honor the memory of 

these young men by organizing memorial tribute activities— 

(1) in Helena, Montana; 

(2) at Mann Gulch; and 

(3) at each of the 13 individual gravesites across the 

United States in Montana, New York, Massachusetts, 

Pennsylvania, Tennessee, North Carolina, and California; 

Whereas this tragedy resulted in improved training, safety 

equipment, and fire-fighting strategies and the development of scientific research in fire behavior; and 

Whereas, in the words of a sister of one of the Mann Gulch 

fatalities, ‘‘You think back, and you just wish, you hope 

that these men are not completely forgotten’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of 

3 the Mann Gulch fire, honors the memory of Joseph 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•SRES 798 ATS 

1 Sylvia, Robert Bennet, Marvin Sherman, Silas R. 

2 Thompson, Stanley Reba, Newton Thompson, Leon3 ard Piper, Davide Navon, Phillip McVey, Henry 

4 Thol, James Harrison, Eldon Diettert, and William 

5 Hellman who died in service to their country pro6 tecting our national resources; 

7 (2) expresses heartfelt appreciation to all cur8 rent men and women who fight wildfires today 

9 across the United States; and 

10 (3) proclaims that August 5, 2024, be des11 ignated as ‘‘Mann Gulch Memorial Tribute Day’’. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB