555th Parachute Infantry Battalion History On August 6, 1945, 15 members of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion stationed at Camp Pendleton Oregon for Operation Firefly, loaded an aircraft to fight 3 newly reported forest fires. After picking up their guide in Medford, the plane headed for the Umpqua National Forest. The first mission was for two fires located near Diamond Lake, 6 Smokejumpers parachuted into the trees to fight the fire. The rest of the Smokejumpers headed for a fire near Steamboat Creek. Arriving to there location at Lemon Butte, 38 mile northeast of Roseburg, Oregon. The 9 remaining Smokejumpers exited the aircraft. One Smokejumper landed in a very tall fir tree and as he was climbing down around 5pm, he somehow lost his grip and fell approx.. 150 feet onto rocky creek bed below. Death was instantaneous, caused by basal skull fracture and cerebral hemorrhage. After his body was located he was carried by his fellow Paratroopers for 1000 feet down a 80 percent graded slope, then carried 3 1/2 miles down to a creek without aid of a trail and finally 12 miles to the nearest road. The soldiers body arrived in Walla Walla Wash. on 8th Aug at 1600 hours and by 10th Aug his remains left Camp Pendleton escorted by LT Walter Morris. His gravesite remained a secret to only a few until this past summer when a member of the National Smokejumpers Association Fred Donner, and Tony Woods of the Philly Inquirer newspaper located his gravesite. Today I would like to honor that soldier, the first Smokejumper killed in the line of duty and the only 555th P.I.B member killed during Operation Firefly. PFC, Brown, Malvin L., 33-467-126, Born 7 October 1920 Enlisted 11 October 1942 Death 6 August 1945 PFC Malvin L. Brown was a medic assigned to the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion. He was married to Edna L. Brown and the fifth child of Steve and Ethel Brown (later remarried and last name was changed to Green). PFC Brown arrived to Camp Pendleton late because of medical training and volunteered to replace a sick medic on 6 Aug 1945. ATTENTION TO ORDERS: The Supreme Jumpmaster saw fit to manifest PFC Brown, Malvin L., for his final jump on 6 August 1945. PFC Brown died defending freedom, doing what Paratroopers do best, his duty. With a heavy heart his final commands are repeated: Get Ready Stand Up Hook Up Check Static Line Check Equipment Sound Off for Equipment Check (Trooper Malvin L. Brown is all OK Jumpmaster) Stand in the Door GO Airborne All the Way...and then Some!!!!
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 05:32:48 +0000
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