"I went from 8th grade to two years of law school while on active duty," Moe writes. His AF career started in 1954 age 17, when he left Brooklyn for Sampson AFB, NY. SSgt Birnbaum left a career as aerial camera repairer, then KC-97 boom operator, for OCS in Sept 1960. OC Capt Birnbaum, 1st Group Admin Officer, graduated second in Class 61-C (No. 1, RegAF) and was assigned to Harlingen AFB, TX for navigator training; then to Mather AFB, CA for Nav/Bombardier Tng. 1963 to '65, Moe was a C-124 navigator at Travis AFB, CA. Capt Birnbaum served at Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN as an Air Rescue Controller in 1965. This, followed by an assignment to Japan as OIC of Route Briefing Sections, Yokota & Tachikawa. From 1969-74, Moe was assigned to McChord AFB, WA, retiring as 62nd Wing Combat Tactics Navigator and Major in Aug 1974. Moe finished law school 2 years later and has been practicing law in Tacoma since (with a son -- for the last seven years). Wendy, his wife of 15 years and Moe live in Puyallup,WA
Moe passed away May 12, 2009. Below is the obituary that was in the Tacoma (WA) News Tribune on 15 May 2009.

Moe Birnbaum
August 2nd, 1936 - May 12th, 2009. As a boy growing up in Brooklyn, NY, Moe knew that there was more to life than playing stickball in the alley and working at his father's kosher butcher shop. At age 17 he joined the Air Force to serve his country and see the world. While in the military he served with distinction, earning both The Air Medal and The Bronze Star Medal, and met his first wife, Yoko. By the time he was 40, he had retired at the rank of Major, earned his B.A. degree, was the father of three children, and was accepted to the first class of the newly formed University of Puget Sound Law School. He graduated Cum Laude and became an attorney practicing law in Pierce County, Washington. He loved his work and maintained his practice to the very end. Through the years he earned the reputation of a well-seasoned litigator and highly regarded counsel, always instilling the virtues of integrity and common sense into his practice. Later in life he found love again, and in 1987, married his soul mate. They enjoyed 23 wonderful years of marriage. Moe is survived by his loving wife Wendy, his daughter Barbara and husband Ben Potter, son David and wife Lisa and their children Jessica, Michael, and Stephanie, son Adam and wife Claire and their children Drake and Brandon, stepson Mel Miller and wife Marlee and their daughter Taylor, stepson Craig Miller and wife Jenny and their son Wayne, and sister-in-law Ray Birnbaum. We will always remember his sense of humor, joy of life, and fighting spirit. Monday May 18th, 2009 - Viewing from 10am-12pm Curnow Funeral Home, 1410 Main Street; Sumner, WA; Services 1:15pm Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th St., Kent, WA.