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|| xv Acknowledgments I WOULD like to extend a warm and sincere thank-you to everyone I interviewed over the ten years it took to research and write this book. A very special thanks goes to Roger Waxeng Thao, Hmong culture and funeral expert, who worked extensively with me so that I might better understand the complex Hmong funeral rituals. Another very special thanks goes to the entire Daniels family, especially Kent “Dan” Daniels, for multiple interviews, and unlimited access to photos, letters, audiocassette tapes, and memorabilia, as well as unflagging enthusiasm for this project. This book couldn’t have been done without the support of the Daniels family. A special thanks goes to the Missoula Smokejumpers, especially Tim Eldridge [MSO ’82]. As a seasoned and knowledgeable smokejumper, Tim cheerfully answered hundreds of questions and was the reader for the technical and historical accuracy of the smokejumper sections. His native-son love for Montana was insightful and inspiring. Additional thanks goes to the National Smokejumper Association, in particular Chuck Sheley [CJ ’59], Bill Fogarty [MSO ’57], and Chris Sorensen. Friends who graciously hosted me in my travels were Nai V. and Pheng Moua of Fresno, California; Laura Leonelli of Sacramento, California; Sally Peterson of Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; and Nancy and Toby Scott of Helmville, Montana . Thank you all for your generous hospitality. For assistance with photographs, thanks goes to Dan Gamelin, Paul C. Jurney, Peter F. Morrison, John Willheim, and all those I interviewed who dug through their basements, attics, garages, and closets to locate old photos. Additional thanks goes to the K. Ross Toole Archives at the University of Montana–Missoula for access to photo archives, Missoula Technology and Development Center, Region One office of the U.S. Forest Service, and the Air America Archives at University of Texas–Dallas. Special thanks goes to Peter F. Morrison for technical assistance on creating appropriate maps. Others who have earned my appreciation are MacAlan Thompson, who consistently supplied prompt and accurate answers to questions about arcane information; Anne Frank, former librarian at the Southeast Asia collection, University of California –Irvine, who located numerous elusive articles and books; Gail Hanowell and all of the reference librarians at the Missoula Public Library; Bao V. and Mouasu Bliaya for “who’s who” information regarding the Missoula Hmong, 1968–74; Larry Woodson and Susan Smith Finn for providing letters and photos; Mrs. Norma Hughes and her mother, Leone Oxford, who at ninety-nine years old located her 1982 diary in order to confirm the date of the spirit-release ceremony for Jerry Daniels; Sutayut Tam Osornprasop and Khun Xuwicha Hiranprueck for answering questions about Thai culture, language, and history; Jacques Lemoine for permission to quote extensively from his lovely book, Showing the Way; Gina Froelich for technical consulting in several of her multiple areas of expertise; Roger Warner for providing introduc- xvi || Acknowledgments tions, editing suggestions, and much encouragement; manuscript readers at various points: Tim Eldridge, AvaDale Johnson, Donna Kennedy, and Deirdre McNamer; miscellaneous assistance from Arthur J. Dommen, Fred Donner [MSO ’59], Karen Harper, and Elizabeth Kirton; and Robert Beckley [RAC ’83], Robert Hubble [MSO ’91], Suzy Marzalek, and Suzy Moser—friends who helped more than they realize. To all of these people and to anyone I inadvertently left out, I thank you. ...

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