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Obituary
Jim, 86, died August 29, 2023. He was born in Charlotte, Michigan, August 12, 1937. He graduated from Charlotte HS in 1955 and enrolled in Central Michigan University. While at CMU, Jim participated in Track and field and was a competitive pole vaulter. He was the first pole vaulter in CMU history to vault over 14 feet. During breaks from college, Jim jumped at Missoula during the 1961 season. He graduated from CMU in 1962 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Education and was commissioned into the US Army as an Infantry Officer. He would serve in the US Army for over 26 years. The Army sent Jim to flight school, in 1963, where he became an Army Aviator. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, flying the UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra helicopter. During his time in Vietnam, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, as well as the Army Commendation Medal with V (For Valor). Upon his retirement from the Army in 1988, Jim worked for the Boeing Corporation in Renton, WA from which he retired in 2003.
Identifier
Van-Vleck_James-“Jim”_Missoula_1961
Publication Date
July 2024
Keywords
Smokejumping; Smokejumpers -- United States; National Smokejumper Association; Wildfire fighters; Obituaries
Disciplines
Forest Management
Recommended Citation
National Smokejumper Association, "Smokejumper Obituary: Van Vleck, James “Jim” (Missoula 1961)" (2024). Smokejumper Obituaries. 1709.
https://dc.ewu.edu/smokejumper_bios/1709
