[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 798 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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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''.


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                   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;
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 Helena-Lewis 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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Mann 
        Gulch fire, honors the memory of Joseph Sylvia, Robert Bennet, 
        Marvin Sherman, Silas R. Thompson, Stanley Reba, Newton 
        Thompson, Leonard Piper, Davide Navon, Phillip McVey, Henry 
        Thol, James Harrison, Eldon Diettert, and William Hellman who 
        died in service to their country protecting our national 
        resources;
            (2) expresses heartfelt appreciation to all current men and 
        women who fight wildfires today across the United States; and
            (3) proclaims that August 5, 2024, be designated as ``Mann 
        Gulch Memorial Tribute Day''.
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