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Calvin A. Hilty ( Cave Junction 1943 )

posted: Apr 2, 2014

Calvin, 94, died March 24, 2014, in Strathmore, CA. He was raised in Missouri, the son of a Mennonite minister, and was one of the original CPS-103 smokejumpers. Calvin was born in 1917, in Donnellson, Iowa.

Calvin graduated from high school in 1938 and went to work doing labor on a state highway project in Missouri.

He was inducted into the Civilian Public Service in November 1941. After two years in various camps he joined the CPS smokejumper operation and spent two years at Cave Junction, Oregon making 26 jumps.

Calvin went on to another camp in Maryland and did a tour on one of the horse boats to Poland before being discharged.

He went to Central California in 1946, bought 60 acres with the help of his in-laws and went into cotton farming for 50 years. When he retired from farming, Calvin started Calvin's Cap Rack business which was successful enough for him to employ ten people.

Calvin is survived by his wife of 68 years, Arline.