Hot Springs in Garland County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
Staff SGT Charles R. Birnbaum
4/27/42 9/19/45
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024
1. Staff SGT Charles R. Birnbaum Marker
839th Bombardment Squadron 487th Air Expeditionary Wing
Participated in operations for D Day, Northern France Bastogne (Bulge), Germany
Made flights landing in enemy territory to salvage parts of turrets and sights from crashed bombers
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Patriots & Patriotism • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is April 27, 1942.
Location. 34° 30.352′ N, 93° 3.084′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. It can be reached from Orange Street just east of Broadway Street, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located in the Hot Springs City Veterans Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 118 Orange Street, Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 1st SGT John M. "Mickey" Callahan (here, next to this marker); To Honor All Purple Heart Recipients in Arkansas From All Wars (here, next to this marker); Fallen Hero Memorial (a few steps from this marker); In Memory of the Students of Senior High School Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice (a few steps from this marker); Lest We Forget (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memory of Spanish American War Veterans
this page online
Also see . . .
1. 839th Bombardment Squadron (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The 839th entered combat on 7 May 1944, bombing airfields in Normandy in preparation for Operation Overlord. During the landings, the squadron struck coastal defenses, road junctions, bridges and rolling stock. The squadron was diverted from the strategic bombing campaign to support ground troops during the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 to January 1945. It also flew interdiction missions during the Allied crossings of the Rhine and final thrust across Germany.(Submitted on January 24, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. 487th Air Expeditionary Wing (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: It was activated in September 1943. After training in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it engaged in combat with Consolidated B-24 Liberators. In the summer of(Submitted on January 24, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)1944, it was withdrawn from combat to convert to the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, then continued in combat until the spring of 1945. It led the largest Eighth Air Force mission of the war on 24 December 1944. It flew 185 combat missions, the last being on 21 April 1945. Following V-E Day, the unit returned to Drew Field, Florida, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 20242. Staff SGT Charles R. Birnbaum MarkerLooking south; Hot Springs City Veterans Memorial Park is on the left. The marker is inscribed atop this granite pedestal.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 24, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 137 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 24, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
