Died On This Date: Mar 22

Hanna, William
b. July 14, 1910 d. March 22, 2001
Legendary animation mogul. He is the 'Hanna' in 'Hanna and Barbera' who are responsible for animated shows such as "The Flinstones" and "The Jetsons."

Lantz, Walter
b. April 27, 1900 d. March 22, 1994
Cartoonist. He created the cartoon character "Woody Woodpecker," which was voiced by his wife, Gracie Lantz.

Decatur, Stephen
b. January 5, 1779 d. March 22, 1820American Naval Officer. Born in Sinnepuxent, Maryland to Stephen and Ann Pine Decatur, he attended the Episcopal Academy and then the University of Pennsylvania. He was appointed a Midshipman in the United States Navy in April 1798 and served on the USS United States during the so-called quasi-war with France from 1798 to 1800.in 1803 he was given command of the brig Argus and sailed to the Mediterranean for service in the First Barbary War.

Levy, Uriah Phillips
b. April 22, 1792 d. March 22, 1862
United States Naval Officer. Rising to Commodore, he was court martialed six times during his lengthy naval career, believed to result from anti-semitism. He is credited with having purchased and restored Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, and with his efforts to abolish flogging as punishment in the United States Navy.

Lewis, Samuel E
b. 1840 d. March 22, 1907
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Corporal in the US Army in Company G, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action at Petersburg, Virginia on April 2, 1865. His citation reads "Was one of a detachment of 20 picked artillerymen who voluntarily accompanied an infantry assaulting party and who turned upon the enemy the guns captured in the assault."

Wallenda, Karl
b. January 21, 1905 d. March 22, 1978
Circus Performer. Tightrope walker, patriarch of the circus group known as The Great Wallenda's. The signature event in the act was a creation by Karl Wallenda, known as The Seven Man Pyramid. The pyramid was created by four men standing on a wire 35 feet in the air, with the two pairs yoked together by shoulder bars. On top of them on the second level stood two more men, again yoked together with a shoulder bar.

Freund, John F.
b. April 27, 1918 d. March 22, 2001
United States Army General. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1940 and received a commission in the Army. During World War II, he served in North Africa and Europe. He was a staff officer and infantry brigade commander during the Vietnam War, and rose to Major General. He was the head of the Connecticut National Guard from 1972 until 1983.

Todd, Michael
b. June 22, 1903 d. March 22, 1958
Motion picture producer and innovator of the 1950s. His work was integral in the development of widescreen or "Cinerama" film presentation formats. He was married for a time to actress Joan Blondell, and later to actress
Elizabeth Taylor.

Hendrix, Claude Raymond
b. April 13, 1889 d. March 22, 1944
Major League Baseball Player. Played Major League baseball as a right-handed pitcher for 10 seasons (1911 to 1920) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs of the National League, and the Chicago Whales of the Federal League. He won 20 or more games 3 times in this career, and led the Federal League in wins with 29 in 1914. In his first full year with the Pirates, he won 24 Games (good for 2nd in the League), but jumped to the Federal League following the 1913 season, joining the Whales.

Houghtaling, Charles
b. December 13, 1819 d. March 22, 1883
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. During the Mexican War, he served in the 1st Illinois Regiment as a LaSalle County, Illinois volunteer and fought under Zachary Taylor in the Army of Occupation. When the Civil War began, he enlisted as a Captain of an artillery company in the 10th Illinois Infantry Regiment. He then became Captain in the 1st Illinois Artillery Battery C and was promoted through the ranks to Colonel in command of the 1st Illinois Volunteer Light Artillery Regiment.

Veazey, Wheelock Graves
b. December 5, 1835 d. March 22, 1898
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Awarded the CMOH while Colonel and commander of the 16th Vermont Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg. He assembled his regiment (who had never been in combat before) during Pickett's Charge, and charged into a Confederate brigade, which the Vermonters repulsed with great enemy losses (July 3, 1863).

Hadley, Cornelius Minor
b. April 27, 1838 d. March 22, 1902
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a First Lieutenant in the Union Army. He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Sergeant in Company F, 9th Michigan Cavalry for action on November 20, 1863 at Knoxville, Tennessee. His citation reads "With one companion, voluntarily carried through the enemy's lines important dispatches from Gen. Grant to Gen. Burnside, then besieged within Knoxville, and brought back replies, his comrade's horse being killed.

Williams, Seth
b. March 22, 1822 d. March 22, 1866
Civil War Union Brigadier General.

Guard, Dave
b. November 19, 1934 d. March 22, 1991
Folk Singer. He was considered to be a very important figure of the folk music scene of both the 1950s and 1960s. He was a member of the folk musical group, the 'Kingston Trio' (with Nick Reynolds and Bob Shane) that was formed in 1956, in Palo Alto, California. The group were together until 1967 when they disbanded to work on other projects, but Guard left in 1961 to form another band.

Laffey, Bartlett
b. 1841 d. March 22, 1901
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Seaman in the Union Navy. His citation reads "Off Yazoo City, Miss., 5 March 1864, embarking from the Marmora with a 12-pound Howitzer mounted on a field carriage, Laffey landed with the gun and crew in the midst of heated battle and, bravely standing by his gun carriage and rammer, contributed to the turning back of the enemy during the fierce engagement."

Schmidt, Willard Raymond
b. May 29, 1928 d. March 22, 2007
Major League Baseball Player. He pitched 7 seasons in the Major Leagues, five with the St. Louis Cardinals and two with the Cincinnati Reds. A native of Hays, Kansas, he signed with the Cardinals as an amateur free agent before the 1949 Season. He attended Fort Hays State College in Kansas for one year before joining the St. Louis' minor league affiliate at Beloit, Kansas. He progressed Steadily through the Cardinals farm system, making stops with Ontario, Canada, Rochester, New York, and Houston.

Deering, Olive
b. October 11, 1918 d. March 22, 1986
Actress. She was a stage, film and television figure, with film roles that included ‘Miriam' in "The Ten Commandments" (1956). She was a highly prolific actress in the Golden Age of live television drama. Some of her original Broadway cast appearances include "Searching for the Sun" (1936), "Medicine Show" (1940), "Winged Victory" (1943) and "The Devil's Advocate" (1961).