Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 9:30 am

We are seeking 138 volunteers to help us honor veterans who have died while in service to our country. The Living Memorial will take place on November 11, 2017 during the dedication of the new Jackson County Veterans Memorial on Front Street in Newport, Arkansas. Each of the 138 volunteers will represent a veteran who died in service. As people walk through the living memorial each volunteer will have a paragraph of information about that veteran that they can share with anyone who approaches them and asks.

Private Billy J. Birmingham

Private Birmingham was born on July 20, 1927. William U. Birmingham was his father and they lived at 418 Newport Avenue. Billy enlisted on March 9, 1944 when he was 16 years old. He would die half a world away on Iwo Jima five months before his 18th birthday. On December 18, 1945 a full military funeral was held for Billy at the First Baptist Church. Private Birmingham is buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery in Newport.

Please call or email to volunteer for the Living Memorial and help us honor heroes like Billy.

Contact us at (870) 523-1009 or director@newportaredc.org.