Cold Missouri Waters

This song is about of the devastation of the Mann Gulch fire of 1949 in the state of Montana.

On the afternoon of August 5, the first day of the fire, 15 smokejumpers parachuted into the area, to fight the fire, rendezvousing with a former smokejumper who was employed as a fire guard at the nearby campground. As the team approached the fire to begin fighting it, unexpected high winds caused the fire to suddenly expand, cutting off the men's route and forcing them back uphill. During the next few minutes, a "blow-up" of the fire covered 3,000 acres in 10 minutes, claiming the lives of 13 firefighters, including 12 of the smokejumpers. The fire would continue for five more days before being controlled.

Keelaghan tells this true story of the smokejumpers' experience through the point of view of Dodge, one of the only 3 remaining survivors.

My name is Dodge, but then you know that
It's written on the chart there at the foot end of the bed
They think I'm blind, I can't read it
I've read it, every word, and every word it says is "death"
So, Confession
Is that the reason that you came
Get it off my chest before I check out of the game
Since you mention it, Well there's thirteen things I'll name
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters

August, 'Forty-Nine, North Montana
The hottest day on record and the forest tinder dry
Lightning strikes in the mountains
I was crew chief at the jump base
I prepared the boys to fly
Pick the drop zone
C-47 comes in low
Feel the tap upon your leg that tells you "GO"
See the circle of the fire down below
Fifteen of us dropped above the cold Missouri waters

Gauged the fire, I'd seen bigger
So I ordered them to sidehill, we'd fight it from below
We'd have our backs to the river
We'd have it licked by morning
Even if we took it slow
But the fire crowned, jumped the valley just ahead
There was no way down, headed for the ridge instead
Too big to fight it we'd have to fight that slop instead
Flames one step behind above the cold Missouri waters

Sky had turned red, smoke was boiling
Two hundred yards to safety, death was fifty yards behind
I don't know why, I just thought it
I struck a match through waist high grass
Running out of time
Tried to tell them, step inside this fire I set
We can't make it, this is the only chance you'll get
But they cursed me, ran for the rocks instead
I lay face down and prayed above the cold Missouri waters

When I rose, like the phoenix
In that world reduced to ashes there were only two survived
I stayed that night and one day after
Carried bodies to the river
Wondering how I stayed alive
Thirteen stations of the cross to mark their fall
I've had my say, I'll confess to nothing more
I'll join them now, because they left me long before
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters (2x)

lyrics & music by James Keelaghan (c) Tranquila Music. All rights reserved.