Black Irish Band - Cold Missouri Waters

A sad but beautiful song about an early Forest Service disaster where 13 smoke jumpers were killed. It is called the Mann Gulch fire of 1949. There is a 1955 move called "Red Skies of Montana", and also a book called "Young Men and Fire" by Norman Maclean about the disaster. It served some good, in that the Forest Service began to seriously study how fires behave, in order to prevent the same kind of tragedy. I am humbled to see the bravery of these people who do such amazing things without fanfare or limelight.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• mann
• gulch
• forest
• service
• black
• irish
• band
• folk
• music
• montana
• smoke
• jumpers
• wag
• dodge

[montanamjs]

Takes me back to those feelings, to men I've jumped with, day and night. Some are gone now, some are still here. I've passed this on to them. There is a place some where we will all meet again, we will all listen to songs like this and more. We will drink and toast the times and remember together.

Montana gets into your soul!

Thank you, for the music and the video.

Msla, Uof M, retired Army SF, 221 jumps

[barbh1]

@montanamjs Thank you very much. I am honored you liked the slideshow.

[PlaytoLive03]

I have been a smokejumper out of Missoula for 20 years. Being Macho bastards, this song makes me cry. Go figure. I have had 4 jumper bro's die in that time. Done Mackey, Walt Smith, Ken Hair. I hope I never see anymore.

[barbh1]

It makes me cry, too. Thank you for your comment..

[trainfire28]

Great pictures, good job!!

Trainfire28

[barbh1]

Thank you for performing the beautiful song so beautifully.

[fredjackamikoons]

I am from Northern Michigan, where exists no spectators to a wild fire. Every car stopped by a fire is emptied out and everyone given a mask and a shovel. Having fought two fires, I have nothing but respect for fire fighters and jumpers. Fred Jack

[spennell21]

You've done an outstanding job visually on this video...musically, this is a terrific cover of the James keelaghan classic.

[mitchelluver6]

A very sad song but a good song

[montanamjs]

This is super! I'm sending it onto the Museum of Mountain Flying at the airport as they have a large smokejumper display and the DC-3 that dropped the smoke jumpers into Mann Gulch that day. I've never hiked up to the 13 crosses, but have fished the river several times at the landing.

Monte Turner

[GrizrazRex]

By far the best musical performance, in terms of arrangement, and a wonderful video, too. Nice work.

[jonny357fire]

I have been a wildland firefighter for fourteen years and have visited many of the fatality sites through out the west. However, standing in Mann Gulch truly hit me the hardest. There is so much that can be learned from the fatality sites that all fire fighters should really try to visit them. A beautiful tribute that song always makes me teary

[TheFootballax]

my cousins a smoke jumper in alaska

[Ashkicker13]

This is a timeless song, it should touch you where you live! I've walked this haloed ground, the feelings and emotions were and still are overpowering. OUTSTANDING version, very well put together. To those still in Fire Service Be Safe and God Bless. Signed a Old Ashkicker