Keith Birlem
| No. 23 | |
| Date of birth | May 4, 1915 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | San Jose, California, United States |
| Date of death | May 7, 1943 (aged 28) |
| Place of death | Polebrook, East Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | End |
| US college | San José State |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1939 | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1939 | Washington Redskins |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Honors | San José State Hall of Fame[1] |
| Career stats | |
| |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |  U.S. Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1942 |
| Rank |  Major |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Keith G. Birlem (May 4, 1915 – May 7, 1943) was an American football end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Chicago Cardinals.
Early life[edit]
Birlem was born San Jose, California and attended San Mateo High School.[2]
Football career[edit]
Birlem attended and played college football at San José State University, where he played quarterback. He was inducted into their Sports Hall of Fame.[1] He then played in the National Football League for the Chicago Cardinals and Washington Redskins in 1939; he was moved to end as a Cardinal and appeared in six games (starting three) before being released and signing with Washington.[3]
Military career[edit]
Birlem, who reached the rank of major during World War II, was killed trying to land a combat-damaged B-17 bomber at RAF Polebrook[4] in England in 1943.[5] His bomber hit another plane and cut the tail off of it. Both crashed near the perimeter of RAF Polebrook and all 20 inside both planes died.
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Hall of Fame Members" (PDF). SJSUSpartans.com. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ^ "Keith Birlem profile". DatabaseFootball. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ^ Anton, Todd; Nowlin, Bill (November 15, 2013). When Football Went to War. Triumph Books. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-1600788451.
- ^ "CIF/Central Coast Section Athletic Alumni" (PDF). Central Coast Section. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ^ "The National Football League's World War II Casualties". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 23, 2009.[permanent dead link]
External links[edit]
- Career statistics and player information from Pro Football Reference
- Football and America: WW II Honor Roll
- 303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 33-4 May 1943
- Los Angeles Times Obituary[permanent dead link]
- World War II Memorial, San Rafael
- 1915 births
- 1943 deaths
- Players of American football from San Jose, California
- American football tight ends
- San Jose State Spartans football players
- Chicago Cardinals players
- Washington Redskins players
- United States Army Air Forces personnel killed in World War II
- United States Army Air Forces officers
- Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in England
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943
- United States Army Air Forces bomber pilots of World War II
- San Mateo High School alumni