Palm Springs Honors Fallen Heroes On Memorial Day

In honor of Memorial Day, I’m taking time out of my irregularly scheduled blogs to talk about Palm Springs’ significant participation in the war efforts during World War II and beyond, which were pretty darned big when you consider the size of our little town. 

A community of veterans

Fallen soldiers are honored in Palm Springs every May. Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Palm Springs was barely a city when World War I broke out, with only 50 or so people living here full time, blossoming into multiple hundreds during winter. At the time there were just two hotels: The Palm Springs Hotel, the first ever in Palm Springs, and the Desert Inn, also a wellness retreat that celebrities made their home away from home.  

On February 1, 1920, Owen Baylis Coffman was born at The Desert Inn, established and run by his grandmother, “Mother of Palm Springs” Nellie Coffman. Owen was the second non-Native American born in Palm Springs.

Although Palm Springs wouldn’t become a city until 1938, by the time 1934 rolled around, the village had enough veterans in the community to establish American Legion Post 519. They purchased a parcel of land from Pearl McCallum McManus for $9.90 that would become the home of KCMJ (1340 AM): The Al Jolson Show, The Bob Hope Show, The Jack Benny Show, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland. Known for its lamella roof and modernist design, the post continues to operate its vintage equipment with an amateur radio station, K6TAL, preserving its World War II communications legacy.

Bringing the military to Palm Springs

Desert Training Centers in the Palm Springs area during World War II. Map created with AI

As the war bled into Africa, General Patton established training camps in the desert terrain to expose the troops to extreme heat conditions in 1942, and again in 1944. Palm Springs was where soldiers went when they had a day off. 

Businesses were booming, including the Chi Chi Club, the second-largest nightclub west of the Mississippi, and Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard, and other stars entertained troops in different spots around town participating in war bond drives.

El Mirador in its early days. Photo courtesy of Palm Springs Historical Society

The El Mirador Hotel (now Desert Regional Hospital) was built in 1928, and during the war it was purchased by the federal government and became Turney General Hospital, a 1,600-bed military hospital treating over 19,000 soldiers. It would become a hotel again in 1945 before finally finding its niche as Desert Regional Hospital in 1973.

In 1944, 2nd Lieutenant Owen Baylis Coffman was shot down in the B-17 bomber he was piloting for the U.S. Army Air Forces 748th Bomber Squadron in the 457th Bomber Group called Heavy. He was 24. In 1948, the American Legion 519 dedicated their War Memorial Building, designed by Albert Frey and John Porter Clark, in Owen’s memory. 

Memorial Day Flower Drop

Thousands of red and white carnations will be dropped in Palm Springs on Memorial Day. Photo by Townsend Walton on Unsplash

The Palm Springs Air Museum, at 745 N. Gene Autry Trail, is rated the third must-see attraction in Palm Springs. That’s pretty high praise considering all that goes on here. Kids will be happy, and adults will enjoy the museum’s collection — not only of warbirds, but military fashion, particularly pilot-core.

On Memorial Day, in honor of all who have fallen for our country, there will be a Memorial Day Flower Drop at the Palm Springs Air Museum. 

From their website: “This is a very special day at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Our memorial service is dedicated to all of our fallen comrades, who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. In their honor, we highlight the service with a fly-by and flower drop of over 3,000 red and white carnations from Semper Fi, the only flying Mitchell PBJ-J1 bomber (U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy versions of the B-25). This most impressive ceremony is our way of saluting our fallen comrades.”

There will be flight exhibitions and activities all day, with Lockheed Martin Skunkworks’ Darkstar on view, and visitors are invited to pick up one of the carnations from the flower drop and take it home with them. The memorial ceremony starts at 1 p.m. Regular ticket prices apply, with kids 12 and under free with paid adult admission.