I was a rookie Smokejumper in 1977 and completed the first two weeks of training in my old Redwing boots. I was called into the Smokejumper Superintendents office on the Friday before we were to begin jumping from the old DC-3. If I wanted to jump on Monday, I would have to get a pair of White's Smokejumpers. Larry Eisenmen (Superintendent) would advance me the cash and provide transportation to Spokane for the boots if needed. Fortunately, I had a truck and the 90 dollars to pay for the 10 inch top boots. One of the foreman then called Whites and reserved several pairs in my approximate size.

Over three years I made 50 parachute jumps in those boots and spent an entire
career in the Forest Service with them. Whites Smokejumpers are just one of
the many proud traditions I learned from the men who built one hell of an
outfit. Photograph Courtesy of the Missoula Smokejumpers. Karl Brauneis