HELENA — Thirteen wreaths adorned the steps of the Montana State Capitol on Monday night, representing the 13 brave firefighters who lost their lives 75 years ago on August 5th in the Mann Gulch Fire near the Gates of the Mountain Wilderness Area.
One wreath each for Newton R. Thompson, David R. Navon, Eldon E. Diettert, Henry J. Thol, James O. Harrison, Joseph B. Syliva, Leonard L. Piper, Marvin L. Sherman, Philip R. McVey, Robert J. Bennett, Silas R. Thompson, Stanley J. Reba and William J. Hellman.
Several hundred people, including family members of the fallen firefighters, attended a ceremony hosted by the US Forest Service to honor their sacrifice and stories.
The event started with a flyover from “Miss Montana”, the very same C-47 aircraft that dropped the men into the Mann Gulch fire.
A recurring theme from the speakers was how the Mann Gulch incident has impacted the fire community over the last 75 years. Thirteen men tragically died, but their sacrifice has made sure thousands of others lived - a point made clear by USDA Forest Service Deputy Chief Jeff Marsolais.
“Mann Gulch changed the way we approach fire and we continue to apply those lessons today. Since 1949, the Forest Service has dedicated itself to increasing knowledge of wildfire management,” Marsolais said. “We dedicated ourselves to fire research, and the science behind fire behavior. Mann Gulch spurred important lessons that ring true today on every fire line in the nation.”
And though their legacy is felt in the firefighting community, there are stories behind each of the 13 men who perished. They had families, histories, personalities, and speakers believe it’s equally as important to preserve the memory of the people who lived, not just the event that claimed their lives.
And that’s where historians like keynote speaker John Maclean have taken up the cause.
“Importantly, the lives and personalities of the men who died have been recovered,” Maclean said. “Thanks to research by people and the cooperation of friends and families.”
Maclean’s father Norman wrote the book “Young Men and Fire” which details the events leading up the Mann Gulch tragedy. MacLean has spoken with the survivors of the tragedy and published articles works and articles with their accounts.
Mike Bina, the president of the National Smokejumpers Association, was also invited to speak and shared how his organization is engaging the families of the 13 deceased firefighters in an effort to keep their memories alive. This year, ceremonies were held at all 13 gravesites across the nation.
“When you lose 13 colleagues it resonates very deeply. the National Smokejumper Association really wanted to focus on the families. So we have 13 sites. Six are in Montana, but seven are in other states. Two in California, and the other five are in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and Tennessee,” Bina said. “So this was more than a Montana event, it resonated all over the country. So, we wanted to reach out to the families. And that has been very gratifying, to meet some of the family members.”
The Mann Gulch tragedy was a transformative event. And 75 years later, the impact still resonates thanks to 13 brave souls that transcend the past, present and future.
"I can’t overstate how important Mann Gulch was,” said USDA District Ranger Kathy Bushnell. “The tragedy itself changed our community. It changed our state and it transformed the fire community. So you can't overstate the importance of Mann Gulch and what it means today and what it will mean in future generations.”
Maclean closed his speech with these words, which were a fitting takeaway from the ceremony:
“Mann Gulch has not faded into obscurity, but has risen from the ashes to become a cultural legacy for the wildland fire community, Montana, and the nation.”
