The Shroud Line Caper

Stories from the historic Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, Cave Junction, Oregon

The urge to write in fresh cement can be irresistible but the crew working on a concrete pad at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base in 1948 knew they didn’t dare write on it. The crew boss had made it clear he did not want any writing and no one wanted to get this former boxing champion and drill sergeant mad at them.

However, one of the crew, Capp Rowley, came up with a plan to get his name on the pad. He went to the parachute loft and got some scrap shroud line and carefully twisted and bent it to look like his name written in cursive. This was pressed down into the wet pad and covered with a thin layer of cement to hide it. A piece of the line was left protruding at the edge of the pad so the line could be pulled out.

Later, the crew boss inspected the pad and, satisfied no one had written on it, let the crew go for the day.

When darkness fell, Capp returned and pulled out the line, which left a print of his name in the cement. He then pulled out a second line spelling the name of his friend, Al Boucher. He wanted to be sure that if the boss found the writing, he wouldn’t get in trouble alone.

Signatures of Capp Rowley and Al Boucher, central warm-up pad, Siskiyou Smokejumper Base

Left-right: Capp Rowley, Al Boucher (seated), Phil Clarke. 2005 reunion, Siskiyou Smokejumper Base

Sources
Interview with Phil Clarke, Cave Junction, Oregon

Photos: Roger Brandt, 2005.

Story retold by Roger Brandt

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