By Paul Fattig, BS '79 (journalism) 

The Mouse that Soared tells the inspiring tales of both Allen "Mouse" Owen, the shortest smokejumper in national history, and the other smokejumpers at the historic Siskiyou Smokejumper Base in Oregon. Writes Fattig: "The jumper I decided to weave throughout the book was neither the biggest nor the baddest. Yet, like the base, he was small but lived large. He was also feisty and outspoken, a gung-ho fellow who charged challenges head on. With his big heart and sense of humor, he stood tall among his brethren. His name was Allen Dale 'Mouse' Owen, a Marine Corps combat veteran who was 4-foot-10. Although the shortest smokejumper in the nation’s history, he stood out among the airborne firefighters. He was also a jumper I knew, albeit only at the journalistic level. To reiterate, this book is not centered on Mouse but on the base and many of the jumpers who lived and worked at the base. As you would expect, smokejumping attracts folks who live life with a certain élan. Again, many other books could be written about the Siskiyou smokejumpers. This book is simply one take on this impressive group.”

Hellgate Press, 2022