Topic: The Battle of Mann Gulch
In August of 1949, 15 Smokejumpers of the US Forrest Service dropped on a routine fire at Mann Gulch, north of Helena Montana. Less than two hours later, 13 of them would be dead or mortally wounded. Norman McClean committed this tragedy to memory in his book "Young Men and Fire."
This song was inspired by that book, as well as my father, who was both a native Montana boy, and a fire fighter as well.
The Battle of Mann Gulch Thirteen Stones
[Am]Lighting stikes on a Montana hill
[Em]The fire burns so bright
[Am]Missouri water flows down below
[Em]Smoke rising to fading daylight
Smoke [G]rising to fading [Am]daylight
[Am]Fifteen men circle low overhead
[Em]and step into skies unknown
[Am]With a faith as wide as a Montana sky
[Em]that by ten AM they'll be home
that by [G]ten AM they'll be [Am]home
[Am]The Earth will rage as [G]you've never seen
[F]Rivers flood and [Am] hurricanes scream
[G]But it's fire that burns it [Am]clean
[G]It's fire that burns it [Am]clean
[Am]Dodge collects his crew high on the plateu
[Em]far from the fire's roar
[Am]They'll move down the hill and attack from below
[Em]Just like a hundred times before
Just like a [G]hundred times [Am]before
[Am]But the fire crowned, and jumped the gulch
[Em]It was something they'd never seen
[Am]Dodge said "turn around boys, and head for high ground,
[Em]this fire is getting mean."
He said [G]"This fire is getting [Am]mean."
[Am]The grass is high and dry in the August sun
[Em]The fire has blown and it's gaining fast
[Am]Flames 100 feet high, they begin to run
[Em]But how long can they last?
[G]How long can they [Am]last?
[Am]Dodge kneels down with a flame in his hand
[Em]and starts a ring of fire on his own
[Am]He says "Huddle here boys, it's your only chance"
[Em]It's the last chance that they'll ever know
It's the [G]last chance that they'll ever [Am]know
[Am]Eyes red with smoke, wanting to scream
[Em]Voices fill with fear
[Am]They look at the blaze close on their heels
[Em]and say "Hell with that lets get out of here."
Hell with [G]that lets get out of [Am]here.
[Am]The Earth will rage as [G]you've never seen
[F]Rivers flood and [Am] hurricanes scream
[G]But it's fire that burns it [Am]clean
[G]It's fire that burns it [Am]clean
[C]Run for that [G]Montana sky
[C]The flames draw close
[G]Too tired to cry
[F]Do you see it now?[C]That beautiful sky?
[G]Watch as the fire burns it [C]clean.
[G]Watch as the fire burns it [C]clean.
[Am]Two get out over the top of the ridge
[Em]The fire passes Dodge unseen
[Am]But for 13 men there sit 13 stones
[Em]Where the fire burned it clean.
[G]Where the fire burned it [Am]clean.
[Am]For 13 men there sit [G]13 stones...
Someday we'll win this thing...
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