Died On This Date: Mar 26

Beethoven, Ludwig Van
b. December 17, 1770 d. March 26, 1827
Composer, Pianist. Starting from models of Viennese Classicism, his creativity extended into the Romantic and had a lasting influence on the development of music. He composed one opera "Fidelio," nine symphonies, chamber music, piano sonatas, lieder and much more. He moved to Vienna in 1792 and studied under Albrechtsberger, Haydn and Salieri. His hearing began to deteriorate after 1800 and after 1815 he was completely deaf. Cause of death: Cirrhosis, jaundice, bouts with colic and inflammation of the intestines, chronic hepatitis, and liver failure.

Whitman, Walt
b. May 31, 1819 d. March 26, 1892
Essayist and Poet. Considered one of America's foremost men of letters, Whitman was born on Long Island, NY. His mother was barely literate, and his father was a friend of Thomas Paine. Whitman was taken out of school at the age of 11 to help support the large family. He learned the printer's trade, which began a life-long love affair with reading and the written word. He was mostly self-taught, but knew the Bible thoroughly, and was fond of Shakespeare, Homer and Dante.

Halston, Roy
b. April 23, 1932 d. March 26, 1990
Fashion Designer. His birth name was Roy Halston Frowick. Personal designer of First Lady Jacquiline Kennedy Onassis, and creator of the pillbox hat. He dropped out of the University of Indiana in 1951 after one semester. He then worked as a window dresser in a department store in Chicago until he opened up his own store in New York in 1957. In 1960 his signature pillbox hat appeared on the cover of Hapers Bazaar.
Lang (Massaro), Eddie (Salvatore) b. October 25, 1902 d. March 26, 1933Jazz Musician. He was a pioneer of plectrum guitar playing. His most notably songs were "Eddie's Twister" and "Church Street Sobbin' Blues."

Coward, Sir. Noel
b. December 16, 1899 d. March 26, 1973
Legendary playwright ('Blithe Spirit,' 'Private Lives'), actor, singer and songwriter ('The Stately Homes of England,' 'Don't Put Your Daughter on the Stage, Mrs. Worthington,' 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen'). When asked what he would be remembered for after death, he replied "Charm." Buried at Firefly Hill, Jamaica. Cause of death: Heart attack.

Polond, Alfred
b. February 29, 1872 d. March 26, 1956
Spanish-American War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in United States Army during the War with Spain as a Private in Company F, 10th United States Infantry. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery at Santiago, Cuba, on July 1, 1898. His citation reads "Gallantly assisted in the rescue of the wounded from in front of the lines and under heavy fire from the enemy". His Medal was awarded to him on June 22, 1899.

Maytag, Frederick Louis
b. July 14, 1857 d. March 26, 1937
Business Magnate. Maytag Company's founder and first president.

Dickey, Douglas Eugene
b. December 24, 1946 d. March 26, 1967
Viet Nam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Marine Corps during the war in Viet Nam as a Private First Class in Company C, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, 3rd Marine Division (Rein) and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Republic of Vietnam on March 26, 1967. His official CMOH citation reads as follows "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

Elson, Sgt. James M.
b. November 6, 1838 d. March 26, 1894
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Awarded for action as Sergeant, Co. C, 9th Iowa Infantry at Vicksburg, Miss., on May 22, 1863. His citation reads: "Carried the colors in advance of his regiment and was shot down while attempting to plant them on the enemy's works."

Berry, Jan (William)
b. April 3, 1941 d. March 26, 2004
Singer. William Jan Berry and partner Dean Torrence were frontrunners in the "surf music" genre of the 1960s. Jan and Dean first met in High School in West Los Angeles. Jan had initial success with a song called "Jennie Lee" that hit the top 10 nationally in the late 1950s under the name Jan and Arnie with partner Arnie Ginsberg. In 1960, when Arnie decided to pursue college, Jan teamed with Dean.

Chandler, Raymond
b. July 23, 1888 d. March 26, 1959
American novelist, writer of crime fiction featuring the private detective Philip Marlowe. Born Raymond Thornton Chandler in Chicago of an American father and an Anglo-Irish mother, he moved to England when his parents divorced. He attended Dulwich College and studied languages in France and Germany before returning to England in 1907 and becoming a naturalized British subject. He took a civil service job in the Admiralty which he left in 1912 to return to America, settling in California.

Washburn, Edward Payson
b. 1831 d. March 26, 1860
Son of the Reverend Cephas Washburn, Edward was an artist whose best-known painting, "The Arkansas Traveller," was lithographed by Currier & Ives. He died nine days after his father's death.

Dart, Julien L.
b. October 27, 1919 d. March 26, 2000
Aviator. Although a civilian, Dart served as one of the most valuable Primary Flight Instructors for U.S. Army Air Force pilots at Uvalde, Texas' Garner Field. His efforts were critical in the preparation of sufficient numbers of military aviators for the Second World War.

Hammond, Francis Colton
b. November 9, 1931 d. March 26, 1953
Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a US Navy Hospital Corpsman Seaman 1st Class with the 1st Marine Division. On the night of March 26, 1953, at Reno Block Sanae-dong, Korea, his unit came under attack by a larger and hostile force for control of their outpost causing many casualties. Determined to help his wounded comrades, Seaman Hammond moved around the battlefield, defying murderous mortar fire and was severely wounded.

Sisler, George
b. March 24, 1893 d. March 26, 1973
Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player. He played for the Saint Louis Browns.