Smokejumper Obituary: Belzer, Ralph C. (Missoula 1945)

Authors

National Smokejumper Association

Files

Obituary

Ralph was born October 20, 1924, in Glasgow, Montana. He died December 1, 1995, at age 71. He grew up on a family farm outside Glasgow and went through all grades through high school there. In 1943 Ralph worked on the construction of Shasta Dam in Northern California. He was a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses and went into Civilian Public Service in 1944. Ralph trained as a smokejumper in 1945 and was stationed at the Schaffer Ranger Station working trails and maintaining telephone lines. "One time we walked 13 miles to work and 13 miles back." After the war he returned to Glasgow and worked carpentry and painting until his retirement.

Identifier

Belzer_Ralph-C_Missoula_1945

Publication Date

August 2020

Keywords

Smokejumping; Smokejumpers -- United States; National Smokejumper Association; Wildfire fighters; Obituaries

Disciplines

Forest Management

Recommended Citation

National Smokejumper Association, "Smokejumper Obituary: Belzer, Ralph C. (Missoula 1945)" (2020). Smokejumper Obituaries. 435.
https://dc.ewu.edu/smokejumper_bios/435