Saturday, January 31, 2009

Died On This Date - January 31

Bosco, John
b. August 16, 1815 d. January 31, 1888
Roman Catholic Saint. He was an Italian priest, ordained in 1841, who founded the Salesian Society, and worked with disadvantaged youth. He was beatified June 2, 1929 and canonized on Easter Sunday (April 1) 1934. His Feast Day is January 31st.

Milne, A.A. (Alan Alexander)
b. January 18, 1882 d. January 31, 1956
British Author and Playwright. He is best remembered for his "Winnie the Pooh" series of books. Born Alan Alexander Milne in Scotland, he was the third of three sons born to John Vine and Sarah Maria Milne, both schoolteachers. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to London, and after initial schooling at Henley House School, he won a scholarship to Westminster School in 1893.

Goldwyn, Samuel
b. August 17, 1879 d. January 31, 1974
Legendary Hollywood producer, mogul.

Datzig, Elfriede
b. July 26, 1922 d. January 31, 1946
She was called the "Little Sparrow" of Vienna. She was an Austrian actress and a member of the German-Austrian underground against the Nazis in WWII.

Herring, Rufus Geddie
b. June 11, 1921 d. January 31, 1996World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Born in Roseboro, Sampson County, North Carolina, he graduated from Roseboro High School and was in his senior year at Davidson College when war was declared. He finished out his studies, earning a BS degree in Economics, and immediately enlisted in the US Naval Reserve and was commissioned as an ensign. He was a Lt(j.g.) serving as Commander of LCI (G) [Landing Craft Infantry, Gunboat] 449 when he performed the deeds for which he was awarded.

Kelley, Jonah Edward High
b. April 13, 1923 d. January 31, 1945
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was in the United States Army and served as a Staff Sergeant in Company E, 311th Infantry, 78th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on January 30 and 31, 1945 at Kesternich, Germany. He was killed in action. His citation reads in part "At dawn the next day, the squad resumed the attack, advancing to a point where heavy automatic and small-arms fire stalled them.

Eaton, Timothy
d. January 31, 1907
He founded the T. Eaton Company in 1869 which, by 1907, had become the most important and influential department store in the Dominion of Canada.

Charles IV 'Charles le Bel'
b. 1294 d. January 31, 1328
French Monarch. King of France from 1322 to 1328.

Tolan, Thomas Edward 'Eddie'
b. September 29, 1908 d. January 31, 1967Olympic Athlete. A native of Denver, Colorado, he was a talented football player, winning several Michigan state championships while still in high school. He later attended the University of Michigan, where he took up running, and eventually became a noted track and field athlete. Known as 'Eddie' and 'The Midnight Express,' he set a World Record of 95 in the 100 yard dash, gaining him instant celebrity in the United States while still attending the University of Michigan.

Gabreski, Col. Francis S. 'Gabby'
b. January 28, 1919 d. January 31, 2002
Known for many years as "America's Greastest Living Ace." He recorded 37 "kills" in both WWII and Korea. Shot down over Europe, he spent eight months in a German POW camp. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame and an airport in Westhampton Beach bears his name.

Ross Clarke, Betty
b. April 19, 1896 d. January 31, 1947Actress. Clarke appeared in 33 movies from the 1920s to the 1940s. Among her most notable appearences were "Three Married Men" (1936) as 'Annie' and "A Bride for Henry" (1937) as 'Mrs. Curtis'.

Johnson, Henry
b. June 11, 1850 d. January 31, 1904
Indian Wars Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. While serving as a Sergeant in Company D, 9th U.S. Cavalry at Milk River, Colorado, he earned his Medal during the days of October 2-5, 1879. His citation reads: Voluntarily left fortified shelter and under heavy fire at close range made the rounds of the pits to instruct the guards, fought his way to the creek and back to bring water to the wounded. He was one of only eighteen black soldiers to win the Medal during the Indian Wars.

Krzyzanowski, Wladimir
b. July 8, 1824 d. January 31, 1887
Civil War Union Brigadier General. Born in Rosnowo, Poland, a cousin to Frederick Chopin. He took part in the 1848 Polish uprising against Prussia, after which he need to flee Poland for fear of being arrested. He made his way to NYC, then to Virginia where he worked as a surveyor. He enlisted 2 days after Lincoln called for volunteers. On July 2, 1863, he led a counterattack at Gettysburg to stabilize the Union line. After the Civil War, he served as governor of several Southern states.

Payne, Edna
b. December 5, 1891 d. January 31, 1953
Actress. Petite, blue-eyed and brown-haired, Edna was born “in the trunk,” the daughter of stage actors. She began her career as a child in vaudeville, making her movie debut in 1911, Edna played the lead in one and two reel dramas, later playing the lead in two and three reel westerns. She was married to actor Jack Rollens, whom she divorced in 1925. Payne appeared in 53 movies.

Weaver, George D. 'Buck'
b. November 18, 1890 d. January 31, 1956
Major League Baseball Player. He began his major league career on April 11, 1912, as a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox. An excellent infielder, he was switched to third base and was known as the only third baseman in the league that Ty Cobb would not bunt against. During the 1919 World Series known as the Black Sox Scandal, Weaver played error-less ball in the Series and batted .324.

Twitchell, Archie
b. November 23, 1906 d. January 31, 1957
Actor. Appeared in motion pictures from the 1930s through the 1950s. Acted primarily in movies of the Western genre. Archie was the co-pilot of the DC-7B test flight that collided with another plane over Pacoima Junior High on 1-31-57. Eight people died including three 13 year old boys on the playground. This was musician Ritchie Valens' school (he was in 9th grade at the time) and one of his friends was killed.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Died On This Date - January 30

Gandhi, Mohandas 'Mahatma'
b. October 2, 1869 d. January 30, 1948
Indian Statesman and Spiritual Leader. Mohandas Gandhi, who come to be popularly known as "Mahatma" (Great Soul), was born a colonial subject of the British Empire. He studied law at University College in London and was admitted to the bar in 1891. In 1893, Gandhi took a position as a legal advisor for an Indian law firm in Durban, South Africa (then also a British colony). Appalled at the racism against South Asians there, Gandhi became an activist for equal rights.

Ross, Betsy (Elizabeth Griscom)
b. January 1, 1752 d. January 30, 1836
Revolutionary War Figure. She has gained legendary status for her role as a seamstress in the creation of the Flag of the United States. In May 1776 he was commissioned by Continental Congressmen George Washington, Robert Morris and George Ross (the uncle of her late husband) to sew the first standardized American flag with thirteen stripes and a blue field with thirteen stars in it. The flag she created would be adopted by the Continental legislature in June 1777, who resolved "that the flag.

Wright, Orville
b. August 19, 1871 d. January 30, 1948
Inventor. The younger of the two brothers who would invent the airplane and start the aerial age, he outlived his brother Wilbur by 36 years. Wilbur and Orville started a printing business in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio which soon expanded to a bicycle shop. Their interest in flying was peaked by their father, Milton, a well educated bishop in the Church of The United Brethren in Christ. The brothers inherited their mother Susan's mechanical ability (she made small appliances and toys).

Vreeland, Gen. Michael James
b. October 20, 1838 d. January 30, 1876
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. In support of the Union he enlisted in the Grand Army of the Potomac and was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel in the 4th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry, June 1861. With the 4th Michigan in 1862, he led his troops in engagements at the Peninsula Campaign, the Battles of Malvern Hill, Antietam, and Fredericksburg, Virginia. On July 2, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he was mortally wounded securing the "Wheatfield" after being pushed.

King, Coretta Scott
b. April 27, 1927 d. January 30, 2006
Social Reformer. Born near Marion, Alabama, she was studying voice at the New England Conservatory of Music for a planned singing career when she met Martin Luther King, Jr., a young Baptist minister working toward a Ph.D. at Boston University. She was highly supportive her husband and his efforts during the most tumultuous days of the American civil rights movement.

Sheldon, Sidney
b. February 11, 1917 d. January 30, 2007
Best-selling Novelist, Film and Television Screenplay Writer. He is best remembered for creating such popular shows as "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965-1970) and for writing the novels "The Other Side of Midnight" (1973) and "Rage of Angels" (1980). Born Sidney Schechtel in Chicago, Illinois, to a German father and a Russian mother, he showed early writing ability, selling his first poem at age 10. During the Great Depression, he worked at a variety of jobs while he attended Northwestern University.

Goettel, Philip
b. 1841 d. January 30, 1920
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the Civil War as a Private in Company B, 149th New York Volunteer Infantry. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery at the Battle of Ringgold Gap, Georgia on November 27, 1863. His citation reads "Capture of flag and battery guidon". His Medal was awarded to him on June 28, 1865. He was one of six 149th New York Infantry soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the Civil War.

Apaka, Alfred Aholo
b. March 19, 1919 d. January 30, 1960
Musician. Known as 'The Golden Voice of Hawaii,' Apaka was considered one of the most influential performers in the history of Hawaii's popular music. He sang modern Hawaii music with joyful, baritone vocals and with highly entertaining performances. A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Apaka grew up on music. His father Alfred A. Apaka, his Aunt Lydia Aholo (the daughter of Queen Lilioukalani) was a talented musician in her own right, and so would his son Jeff Apaka be later on.

McGovern, Robert M.
b. 1928 d. January 30, 1951
Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. 1st Lieutenant, United States Army Company "A", 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st U.S. Cavalry, killed in action in Korea and awarded the CMOH for Heroism after storming a enemy machine gun outpost which had pinned down his company. He is buried with his brother, 2nd Lt. Jerome McGovern, also killed in action in Korea.

Foster, Paul Frederick
b. March 25, 1889 d. January 30, 1972
Mexican Campaign Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Ensign, United States Navy. He was awarded his medal for service at Vera Cruz, Mexico, from April 21-22, 1914. His citation reads "For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21 and 22 April 1914. In both days' fighting at the head of his company, Ens. Foster was eminent and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and courage". He was awarded the CMOH on December 4, 1915.

Holloway, Stanley
b. October 1, 1890 d. January 30, 1982
British Entertainer. He appeared on stage, radio, film, and TV productions throughout his long 60 year career. His memorable films include "Hamlet" (1947), "My Fair Lady" (for which he was nominated for an Oscar), "The Lavender Hill Mob," "Nicholas Nickleby," "Alive and Kicking," "A Day to Remember," and "The Way Ahead."

McIntire, John
b. June 27, 1907 d. January 30, 1991
Actor. Played 'Christopher Hale' on "Wagon Train" from 1961-1965. He came on the show after the death of Ward Bond. He also appeared in the motion pictures "Call Northside 777" and "Winchester '73," amoung many others.

Smith, Andrew Jackson
b. April 28, 1815 d. January 30, 1897
Civil War Union Major General. Graduated from the U.S. Military Academy & was commissioned in the 1st Dragoons. For the next 23 years, he served with the 1st Dragoons throughout the west. Smith resigned his colonelcy of the 2d California Cavalry to become chief of cavalry under General Halleck. He was made a brigadier general of volunteers & was promoted to major general in 1864. He commanded one of General Sherman's divisions at Chickasaw Bayou in 1862 & a division of the XIII Corps.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Died On This Date - January 29

Durante, Jimmy
b. February 10, 1893 d. January 29, 1980
Legendary actor, comedian and vaudeville star for over 50 years. He is fondly remembered for his trademark large nose (which he referred to as the Great Schnozzola), gravel voice, and slaughter of words. His signature sign off, "Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are" is a tribute to his first wife, Jeanne Olsen, who had died in 1943. Born James Francis Durante in New York City, he dropped out of school in the eighth grade when his schoolmates made fun of his big nose, large ears.

Ladd, Alan
b. September 3, 1913 d. January 29, 1964
Actor. He is best remembered for his 1953 role of 'Shane' in the western movie of the same name. Although short (five feet, five inches), with a laconic manner and a face that never seemed to change expression, he quickly became a star. Born in Hot Springs, Arkansas to an accountant father and an English mother, when his father died in 1917, his mother married a house painter and the family moved to California, where he grew up.

Frost, Robert
b. March 26, 1874 d. January 29, 1963
Acclaimed writer and poet. Born in San Francisco, his family moved to Massachusetts after the death of his father. Frost attended Dartmouth college, but stayed for less than one term. He returned to Massachusetts and taught school, worked in a factory, and was a journalist. His first poem, Butterfly: An Elegy was published in 1894. He entered Harvard in 1897, and stayed just short of two years. He became a farmer and wrote much of his early work during this time.

White, William Allen
b. February 10, 1868 d. January 29, 1944
Journalist, Author, Politician. White started his newspaper career in El Dorado, Kansas. He was later a reporter in Lawrence and in 1892 went to work for the Kansas City Star as an editorial writer. In 1895, he purchased the Emporia Gazette, where he remained for the remainder of his life. In 1923, he won a Pulitzer for his editorial writing and again in 1947 (posthumously) for his autobiography.

Taylor, Ezra Booth
b. July 9, 1823 d. January 29, 1912
U.S. Congressman. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was a prosecuting attorney in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. He enlisted in September 1861, serving as a Private in Company A, 171st Ohio Infantry and was honorably discharged on August 20, 1864. After the war he was elected judge for the ninth judicial district of Ohio, in March 1877.

Vedder Jr., Elihu
b. February 26, 1836 d. January 29, 1923
Artist, Author. Born and raised in New York City, New York, he studied art there and in Paris, France and Italy. After returning to America in 1861, he worked as an illustrator for "Vanity Fair" magazine. Some of his more notable works include "The Keeper of the Threshold," at the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; "The Sphinx," Boston Museum of Fine Arts; "The Pleiades" and "African Sentinel," Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Prinze, Freddie
b. June 22, 1954 d. January 29, 1977
Popular comic and television actor of the 1970s. Gained wide fame while playing the role of 'Chico Rodriquez' on TV's "Chico and the Man" opposite actor Jack Albertson. Father of actor Freddie Prinze, Jr. Prinze is buried in the same cemetery as his television costar Scatman Crothers, who played Louie on Chico and the Man.

Truman, Margaret
b. February 17, 1924 d. January 29, 2008
Author. Also known as Margaret Truman Daniel. Born Mary Margaret Truman in Independence, Missouri. She was the daughter and only child of U.S. President Harry S. Truman and Bess Truman. After graduating from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, she became a trained vocalist and appeared with different orchestras.

Jacobs, Raymond
b. 1925 d. January 29, 2008
World War II United States Marine. He was one of the six United States Marines who raised the first American flag on Mount Surabachi on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. This flag was later replaced by the flag in the famous flag raising photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press. He was the last survivor of either group of flag raisers.

Heydt, Louis Jean
b. April 17, 1903 d. January 29, 1960
American character actor with dozens of film credtis including "Gone With the Wind" (1939), "They Were Expendable" (1945), and "The Big Sleep" (1946).

Okubo, James
b. May 30, 1920 d. January 29, 1967
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Served as a Medic, Technician Fifth Grade with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team near Biffontaine, France. Under constant barrages of German small arms and machine gun fire, he treated 17 men on October 28 and eight more on October 29, 1944. On November 4, 1944, he ran 75 yards under machine gun fire to reach a wounded crewman of a damaged tank. He treated and evacuated the seriously wounded crewman from the burning tank, saving his life.

Fowler, Art
b. July 3, 1922 d. January 29, 2007
Professional Baseball Player. As a right hander pitcher, he played in the majors for nine seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Anaheim Angels. He was on the Los Angeles Dodgers' 1959 championship team and in his career pitched in 362 games, mostly in relief, with a record of 54-51, 539 strikeouts, 32 saves and a 4.03 ERA. He worked as a pitching coach for 14 years with the Yankees, Minnesota, Detroit, Texas and Oakland.

Teasdale, Sara
b. August 8, 1884 d. January 29, 1933
Poet. Won the first Pulitzer prize.

Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis)
b. September 12, 1880 d. January 29, 1956
Journalist, critic, author, and essayist. His insightful and humorous skepticism about American life and letters, expressed with penetrating style, made him one of the most influential critics of the 1920s and 1930s. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, he seemed destined ('doomed', in his words) to join the family tobacco and cigar business.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Died On This Date - January 28

McAuliffe, Christa (Sharon)
b. September 2, 1948 d. January 28, 1986
Astronaut, Educator. She was a teacher, and was slated to be the first civilian in space, assigned to fly about the ill-fated space shuttle “USS Challenger”. The image of her jaunty stride and exuberant wave as she entered Challenger spacecraft shortly before the ill-fated mission ended in tragedy has become an icon of the 20th century.

McNair, Ronald Erwin 'Ron'
b. October 12, 1950 d. January 28, 1986
US Astronaut. Killed in the space shuttle Challenger explosion.

Onizuka, Ellison
b. June 24, 1946 d. January 28, 1986
US Astronaut / Died in Challenger Accident.

Resnik, Judith A.
b. April 5, 1949 d. January 28, 1986
Astronaut. Killed in the space shuttle Challenger explosion.

Yeats, William Butler
b. June 13, 1865 d. January 28, 1939
Poet, Playwright. Irish nationalist who successfully agitated to develop Irish literature and culture. Amongst his most famous poems are those relating to the 1916 Easter Rising. Admirer of Maud Gonne, but at the age of 52 married the 15-year old Georgie. Became a Senator of Irish Free State. Nobel Prize for Literature 1923. In the twenties and thirties his politics took him well to the right. Died in France.

Smith, Michael John
b. April 30, 1945 d. January 28, 1986
Astronaut. Mike Smith was the pilot of the ill-fated space shuttle Challenger. From the time he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1967, he had an accomplished Navy career which lasted almost 20 years. He earned a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1968 and completed flight training in 1969. He served as an instructor in the jet training command, and then completed a two year Vietnam cruise with Attack Squadron 52.

Drake, Sir. Francis
b. 1540 d. January 28, 1596
Elizabethan seaman, born at Crowndale Farm, near Tavistock, Devon, SW England, UK. In 1567 he commanded the Judith in his kinsman John Hawkyns's ill-fated expedition to the West Indies, and returned there several times to recover the losses sustained from the Spaniards, his exploits gaining him great popularity in England.

Keeble, Woodrow Wilson
b. May 16, 1917 d. January 28, 1982
Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was the first Sioux Indian to earn the award, which was awarded to him posthumously, more than twenty years after his death and almost six decades after his heroic actions. On October 20, 1951 he was near Kumsong battling the Chinese. With his fellow soldiers pinned down by heavy enemy gunfire Keeble, already wounded, made his way up a hill and single-handedly took out four machine gun bunkers, killing nine enemy soldiers.

Jarvis, Gregory B.
b. August 24, 1944 d. January 28, 1986
The International Forest of Friendship is a living, growing memorial to the World History of Aviation and Aerospace. The space shuttle Challenger exploded Jan 28, 1986, all seven aboard perished. Names of those pioneers of space exploration, along with three other astronauts who also gave their lives, are immortalized in the inner circle around the Moon Tree. This tree was grown from a seed taken to the moon by the late Command Module pilot, Col. Stuart Roosa, in Apollo 14, 1971.

Smith, Harold 'Hal'
b. August 24, 1916 d. January 28, 1994
American screen, television, and voice actor of the 1940s through the 1990s. Widely recognized for his portrayal of 'Otis Campbell' on "The Andy Griffith Show" of the 1960s.

Banner, John
b. January 28, 1910 d. January 28, 1973
Actor. Fondly remembered for his role of 'Sergeant Schultz' in the classic 1960s television sitcom "Hogan's Heroes" (1965 - 1971). An Austrian actor of Jewish descent in his hometown of Vienna, he was forced to leave when Germany and Austria unified in 1938, at the age of 28, during the Anschluss (union) between the two countries. There are reports that he spent time in a German Concentration Camp, but these are unconfirmed.

Jarvis, Gregory B. 'Greg'
b. August 24, 1944 d. January 28, 1986
Payload specialist and astronaut on the Challenger.

Scobee, Francis R. 'Dick'
b. May 19, 1939 d. January 28, 1986
Space Shuttle Challenger Pilot. Francis Scobee was born in Cle Elum, Washington. Enlisting in the Air Force in 1957 as an engine mechanic, he attended college in his off-duty hours and was eventually awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1965. He was made an officer the same year and attended flight school, earning his wings as a combat aviator in 1966 during the Vietnam War. On his return stateside, he attended the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Died On This Date - January 27

Verdi, Giuseppe
b. October 10, 1813 d. January 27, 1901
Composer. He was the leading figure of Italian music in the nineteenth century and made important contributions to the development of opera. Hi was born in the village of Roncole in the province of Parma. His family recognized and encouraged his talents early and he received a good basic education in the nearby town of Busseto. He studied in Milan and returned to Busseto to take the position of musical director for the town.

Jackson, Mahalia
b. October 26, 1911 d. January 27, 1972
Gospel performer and singer who had a powerful and expressive contralto voice. Her concerts and recordings gained worldwide recognition for African-American religious music. Her singing combined powerful vitality with dignity and strong religious beliefts. She disliked being identified with nonreligious music, though her singing style revealed the influence of jazz.

Roussimoff, André 'The Giant'
b. May 19, 1946 d. January 27, 1993
Professional Wrestler and Actor. Andre "The Giant" was one of the largest athletes to participate in any sport. At his peak, he stood 7' 4" tall and weighed over 500 pounds. He was the first wrestler to gain national fame and was largely responsible for the immense popularity of wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s. Born Andre Rene Roussimoff in the village of Grenoble, France, he suffered from acromegaly, a disease that results in an over abundance of growth hormones.

Grissom, Virgil
b. April 3, 1926 d. January 27, 1967
Astronaut. Grissom was a native of Mitchell, Indiana and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with cluster for his Korean service, two NASA Distinguished Service medals and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the Air Force Command Astronaut Wings. He received his wings in March 1951. He flew 100 combat missions in Korea in F-86s with the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

Crapper, Thomas
b. September, 1836 d. January 27, 1910
Inventor. Crapper was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1836 or 1837, but his exact birthdate is unknown. Crapper was thought to have been an urban legend and not a real person at all. He was credited with the invention of the 'Water Closet' or 'Flush Toilet' but in fact he only helped to improve it by inventing the 'Silent Valveless Water Waste Preventer' a ball and suction device that allows an efficient flush with a minimum of water and also shuts off the flow to the tank.

Horton, William Franklin "Bill"
b. December 25, 1929 d. January 27, 1995
Musician. A native of Hickory, North Carolina, Horton was the lead singer for the early rhythm and blues/doo wop musical group, The Silhouettes. They are best remembered for their 1957 hit "Get A Job", which sold over 2 million copies. Horton left the group in 1958, but continued singing with his former band members off and on until his death. His other recordings with The Silhouettes include "Voodoo Eyes", "Vision In The Night", "Bing Bong", "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman", and "Miss Thing".

Audubon, John James
b. April 26, 1785 d. January 27, 1851
Artist. Indelibly linked with the painting of birds, Audubon was the son of a French sea captain and his Creole mistress. Educated in his father's native France, he had spent a disastrous year at a military school before studying art in Paris with the great David. At age 18 he emigrated to the United States, where he set out for the frontier. An excellent shot and horseman, Audubon could also dance with grace and perform parlor tricks, but his one obsession was painting birds.

Chaffee, Roger
b. February 15, 1935 d. January 27, 1967
Astronaut. He was killed, along with Edward White and Gus Grissom, when their Apollo 1 command module had a flash fire on their launching pad.

Walsh, Bill
b. September 30, 1913 d. January 27, 1975
Renowned motion picture writer/producer of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Wrote and/or produced many wholesome family movies for Walt Disney, among them "The Shaggy Dog," "The Absent-Minded Professor," "Mary Poppins," "That Darn Cat!,"The Love Bug," "Bednobs and Broomsticks," and "Herbie Rides Again," plus many others. He won the Writer's Guild of America award for 'Best Written American Musical' ("Mary Poppins").

White II, Edward H.
b. November 14, 1930 d. January 27, 1967
Astronaut. He made the United States' first spacewalk on June 3, 1965, during the Gemini 4 mission. He was killed when the Apollo 1 command module had a flash fire on the launch pad.

Bly (Cochrane), Nellie (Elizabeth)
b. May 5, 1864 d. January 27, 1922
Reporter. Extraordinary pioneer of investigative journalism. Her vagabond career with the Pittsburgh Dispatch was the first of many papers and magazines which gave her employment in her lifetime. Elizabeth took a pen name from Stephen Foster's song "Nellie Bly". She exposed abuses in politics, employment and dereliction of duty in hospitals and prisons. She feigned insanity to get herself committed to an asylum to be able to get the "inside story." By pre-arrangement, friends won her.

Fuqua, Samuel Glenn
b. October 15, 1899 d. January 27, 1987
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was known as "Sam" and was a 1923 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. His citation reads "For distinguished conduct in action, outstanding heroism, and utter disregard of his own safety above and beyond the call of duty during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Upon the commencement of the attack, Lt. Comdr. Fuqua rushed to the quarterdeck of the U.S.S. Arizona to which he was attached.

Hays, Pvt. John H.
b. August 4, 1844 d. January 27, 1904
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Served as a Private, Company F, 4th Iowa Cavalry. At the Battle of Columbus Georgia April 16, 1865, Private Hays was with the lead assault on Austin’s Battery (C.S.A.). As his Company over took the position he not only captured the enemy flag but the bearer as well. A bloody battle said to have been unnecessary, if only people had known the war had ended at Appomatox Courthouse two weeks before. So this battle became known as the "Last Battle".

Emerson, Edward Kramer 'Eddie'
b. March 11, 1892 d. January 27, 1970
Professional Football Player. A native of Georgia, Emerson played for the Ottawa Rough Riders football team for a total record of 26 years. Emerson began playing for the team as a flying wing and then a linebacker in 1909, and from 1925 to 1926 he played for the Rough Riders Grey Cup champions. After his playing career he became an officer and president of the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1930 to 1931, and also from 1947 to 1951. For another 25 years he served as executive of the Big Four Football.

Coates, Jefferson
b. August 24, 1843 d. January 27, 1880
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the Civil War as a Sergeant in Company H, 7th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which was part of the Army of the Potomac’s famous “Iron Brigade”. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery on the First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, (July 1, 1863). His citation reads “Unsurpassed courage in battle, where he had both eyes shot out”. His Medal was awarded to him on June 29, 1866. Runyon, Theodore b. October 25, 1822 d. January 27, 1896
Civil War Union Brigadier General. A prominent New Jersey political figure, he facilitated the raising and equipping of four regiments of New Jersey militia immediately after President Abraham Lincoln called for troops to defend Washington, DC after the bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1861. He was commissioned a Union Brigadier General for 3 months, and commanded the reserve division of New Jersey Volunteer and Militia troops at the Battle of First Bull Run (July 1861).

Akins, Claude
b. May 25, 1926 d. January 27, 1994
Actor. A graduate of Northwestern University, he served with the United States Army Signal Corps in World War II in Burma and the Phillipines. He was a popular motion picture and television figure who appeared in many classic television series. He played the title role in the series "Sheriff Lobo."

Paar, Jack
b. May 1, 1918 d. January 27, 2004
Legendary talk-show host and television personality. Started off in broadcasting as a radio announcer in Cleveland and the Midwest. During World War II he entertained troops in the South Pacific with his parodies of military brass, but didn't become a radio star until the post-war years as a summer replacement on Jack Benny's radio show. He hosted "The Tonight Show" from 1957-1962. He even quit the show briefly in 1960 as a matter of principle, after NBC edited out a joke that used the term ".

Chauncey, Isaac
b. February 20, 1777 d. January 27, 1840
War of 1812 United States Naval Officer. Served in the Barbary Wars before rising to prominence in the War of 1812. Under his direction, the United States Naval forces on Lake Ontario became a powerful fighting force. Despite its participation in successful raids, however, the fleet was used main as troop transportation, much to Commodore Chauncey's ire. This disappointment contributed to his lack of support for General Jacob Brown's unsuccessful Autumn 1814 campaign against Montreal.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Died On This Date - January 26

Robinson, Edward (Emanuel Goldenberg) G.
b. December 12, 1893 d. January 26, 1973
Actor. He had a strong screen presence and is remembered for his roles as gangsters, which set standards for future tough guy actors. He attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts then began appearing in summer stock after he changed his name to Edward G. Robinson. He debuted on stage in 1915 and became a noted stage actor for many years before becoming a motion picture actor. The 1931 film "Little Cesar" brought him to the attention of the American public and his popularity increased.

Bryant, Paul 'Bear'
b. September 11, 1913 d. January 26, 1983
College Football Coach. He retired as the winningest coach of all time (323-85 -17 record). Coached at four colleges over 38 years, but was known best for leading the University of Alabama to six national titles (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979). He also recorded 15 bowl wins, including eight Sugar Bowls.

McGuire, Al
b. September 7, 1928 d. January 26, 2001
Professional Basketball Player, Coach. He captained the 1951 University of St. John's team that went 26-5 and finished 3rd in the National Invitational Tournament. Following college he played professional ball with the National Basketball Assocatiaon New York Knicks and Baltimore Bullets. But his biggest impact was as the coach of Marquette University's basketball team from 1964 to 1977 capping off his last year by winning the NCAA championship. He later did color commentary for NBC and CBS.

Finney, William Wood
b. May 16, 1829 d. January 26, 1910
Pony Express Co-Founder, Civil War Confederate Army Officer. Born at "Prospect Hill." Graduated Virginia Military Institute. Served as assistant principal of Warrenton Male Academy in North Carolina until 1850 when he went west for gold. He took up engineering and surveyed for the railroad in Vera Cruz, Mexico. In 1858 he returned to the United States and with Major B.F. Ficklin developed what became the Pony Express.

Ferrer, Jose
b. January 8, 1909 d. January 26, 1992
Oscar-winning actor (Cyrano de Bergerac-1952). Married to actress Uta Hagen and singer Rosemary Clooney. Father of actor Miguel Ferrer; uncle to actor George Clooney.

Moore, Grace
b. December 5, 1898 d. January 26, 1947
Opera Singer and actress. It is claimed that Elvis' Graceland mansion was named after her.

Wrigley Jr., William
b. September 30, 1861 d. January 26, 1932
Industrialist, Entrepreneur. The Philadelphia born youngster was put to work in his father's soap factory after being expelled from grammar school doing menial labor. At age thirteen William left home and sold his father's soap door-to-door from a two horse wagon in rural Pennsylvania, New York and New England. After years of giving away free gum with purchases of soap and realizing that gum was the customers preference, he went into the gum manufacturing in Chicago.

Harrison, Bolden Reush
b. April 26, 1886 d. January 26, 1952
Action against Outlaws in the Philippines Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a seaman in the United States Navy. His citation reads "While attached to the USS Pampang, Harrison was one of a shore party moving in to capture Mundang, on the island of Basilan, P.I., 24 September 1911. Harrison instantly responded to the calls for help when the advance scout party investigating a group of nipa huts close to the trail was suddenly taken under point-blank fire.

Oyler, Raymond Francis 'Ray'
b. August 4, 1938 d. January 26, 1981
Professional Baseball Player. Oyler was born on August 4, 1938, in Indianapolis, Indiana. At 5'11", and 165lbs, he made his major league debut on April 18, 1965. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers as a free agent in 1960. Oyler played for the Detroit Tigers from 1965 to 1968, Seattle Pilots in 1969, and the California Angels in 1970.

Schroeder, Henry Frank
b. December 7, 1874 d. January 26, 1959
Philippine Insurrection Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Sergeant in Company L, 16th US Infantry. On September 14, 1900, Sergeant Schroeder's company was in actions at Carig, Philippine Islands. With only 22 men, he defeated 400 insurgents, killing 36 and wounding 90. For distinguished service in the face of the enemy, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 10, 1902 and later achivied the rank of Major.

Doubleday, Abner
b. June 26, 1819 d. January 26, 1893
Civil War Union Major General. Known more for the myth that he invented Modern Baseball than for his accomplishments as a Union General. He took over the I Corps at Gettysburg after Gen. John Reynolds was killed, and held the Federal left during much of the first day of battle. Although his troops were eventually pushed back to Cemetery Hill in retreat, he held the Confederates off long enough to allow substantial amounts of the Union Army come on the scene of the battle.

Lucania, Salvatore 'Lucky Luciano'
b. November 24, 1897 d. January 26, 1962
Mafia Figure. Died of a heart attack at the Naples, Italy airport.

Davila, Rudolph B.
b. April 27, 1916 d. January 26, 2002
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the Medal of Honor 56 years after he prevented a 130-man American rife company from being slaughtered in a German ambush in Italy during World War II. His citation reads "Staff Sergeant Rudolph B. Davila distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action, on 28 May 1944, near Artena, Italy. During the offensive which broke through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the Anzio beachhead.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Died On This Date - January 25

Gardner, Ava Lavinia
b. December 24, 1922 d. January 25, 1990Actress. Born in a small town in North Carolina, after traveling to Virginia with her family for part of her childhood, she returned to the area to enjoy her teen years. After seeing a photo taken by her brother-in-law, who was a professional photographer, her looks caught the attention of MGM scouts and she was signed in 1940 to a contract with the studio. Initially her roles were very small and her salary equally paltry, but soon her talent proved her to be one of the most formidable leading.lady.

Capone, Alphonse 'Al'
b. January 17, 1899 d. January 25, 1947
Organized Crime Figure, Chicago Gangster. Probably the best know of the 1920s gangsters, he controlled Chicago until brought down by FBI Agent Elliott Ness. Ness later wrote a book "The Untouchables" which detailed his efforts to jail Capone. Capone was the largest of the racketeers, and captured the American public's imagination as few ever did. Born Alphonse Capone in Brooklyn, New York, of Italian immigrant parents, Gabriele and Teresina Capone, the fourth of nine children.

Wedemeyer, Herman
b. May 20, 1924 d. January 25, 1999
Actor, politician, sportman. Best remembered for his roles as 'Edward D. 'Duk' Lukela' and 'Officer Ishi' on the television series, "Hawaii Five-O' from 1972 to 1980. Among his other roles was in the film, "The Hawaiians" (1970), as a fire chief, and appearances on television's "Magnum, P.I." Born in Hilo, Hawaii, on May 20, 1924, he also played football as a halfback/tailback for the Los Angeles Dons in 1948, the Baltimore Colts in 1949, of the All-America Football Conference.

Bois, Frank E.
b. September 13, 1841 d. January 25, 1920
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Entered the service at Northampton, Massachusetts at age 18 on June 21, 1861 and served in Co. C, 10th Massachusetts Infantry. He was mustered out of the Army on September 30, 1862 by virtue of a transfer to the Navy as Quartermaster, Signalman. On May 27, 1863 he was on board the U.S.S. Cincinnati during the attack on the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Thompson, William Fawcett
b. September 8, 1894 d. January 25, 1974
Character actor who appeared in numerous westerns movies and TV shows. Best remembered for his role on the 1950's TV series Fury, as Pete. Cause of death: circulation complications.

Fairchild, Harrison Stiles
b. August 4, 1820 d. January 25, 1901
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Before the war he was a banker and served as an officer in the "Rochester Light Guards," a part of the New York Militia. In 1861, the Governor of New York State, J. S. Dickenson, appointed him Colonel in command of the 89th Infantry Regiment, New York Volunteers. He served with the 89th the entire Civil War with Major General Ambrose Burnside in North Carolina and during the Peninsular Campaign, participating in the battles of South Mountain, and Antietam

Sladen, Joseph Alton
b. April 9, 1841 d. January 25, 1911
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Major in the Union Army. He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Private in Company A, 33rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry for action on May 14, 1864 at Resaca, Georgia. His citation reads "While detailed as clerk at headquarters, voluntarily engaged in action at a critical moment and personal example inspired the troops to repel the enemy."

McGonnigle, Andrew Jackson
b. March 4, 1829 d. January 25, 1901
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Colonel in the Union Army. He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Captain for action on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia. His citation reads "While acting as chief quartermaster of Gen. Sheridan's forces operating in the Shenandoah Valley, McGonnigle was severely wounded while voluntarily leading a brigade of infantry and was commended for the greatest galantry by Gen. Sheridan."

Peterson, Ray
b. April 23, 1939 d. January 25, 2005Rock Singer. A native of Denton, Texas, Peterson was a Teen Idol of the 1960s who had hits with such memorable songs as "Tell Laura I Love Her," "Corrina, Corinna," "The Wonder Of You," and "Answer Me," among others. Peterson who retired from recording music in the late 1960s, later became a talented songwriter for other artists, especially throughout the 1970s. Also during the 1980s and 1990s he often did the odd concert or two for fans.

Huber, William Russell
b. July 16, 1902 d. January 25, 1982
Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Huber served as a Machinist's Mate, in the United States Navy. He was awarded his medal for service while on board the U.S.S. Bruce at the Naval Station Shipyard, in Norfolk, Virginia, on June 11, 1928. His citation reads: For display of extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on 11 June 1928, after a boiler accident on the U.S.S. Bruce, then at the Naval Shipyard, Norfolk, Va.

Garrett, Thomas
b. August 21, 1789 d. January 25, 1871
Social Reformer. He served as one of the "Station Masters" on the Underground Railroad during the mid-1800's. Along with Harriet Tubman, he was responsible for the escape of hundreds of slaves to freedom. In 1848, Thomas Garrett and a fellow abolitionist John Hunn were tried and convicted in the New Castle Delaware Courthouse by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney for aiding in the escape of the Hawkins family, who had been slaves in Maryland. Both men were given considerable fines.

Kersey, Ron (Tyrone G.)
b. April 7, 1949 d. January 25, 2005
R&B/Soul Singer. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kersey was the keyboardist of the musical group, "The Trammps." The group formed in 1973 in Philadelphia and were together until the group disbanded in 1980. Originally known as "The Volcanoes," in the 1960s the band went through many changes and members before changing there name. The group recorded several songs including, 'Sixty Minute Man,' 'Rubber Band,' 'Hold Back The Night,' 'Benguin At The Big Apple,' 'Scruboard,' 'Tom's Song,'

Moran (Malone), Polly
b. June 28, 1883 d. January 25, 1952
American film actress with a long career spanning from 1915 to 1950.

Smith, Joseph Sewall
b. November 27, 1836 d. January 25, 1919
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was serving as Lieutenant Colonel and Commissary of Subsistence, in the 2nd Army Corps, at Hatchers Run, Virginia, on October 27, 1864, when he earned his Medal. His citation reads: Led a part of a brigade, saved 2 pieces of artillery, captured a flag, and secured a number of prisoners. His Medal was awarded on May 25, 1892.

Small, Edward
b. February 1, 1891 d. January 25, 1977
Motion Picture Producer. A former actor and talent agent, he began producing films in 1924. He formed Reliance Pictures in 1932 and Edward Small Productions in 1938. Working with moderate budgets and talent borrowed from other studios, he oversaw a number of commercially successful films, including "I Cover the Waterfront" (1933), "The Count of Monte Cristo" (1934), "The Man in the Iron Mask" (1939), "Raw Deal" (1948), and "Kansas City Confidential" (1952).

Moore, Colleen
b. August 19, 1900 d. January 25, 1988
Kathleen Morrison, known to millions as Colleen Moore, was the spirited brunette gamine of the silent era, one of Hollywood's leading stars of the mid and late 1920s. With her trademark short haircut and a pixie's high energy, Moore was a signature star of her era, summing up an entire generation of ambitious, smart and fun-loving flappers in films including "Ella Cinders" (1926), "Irene" (1926) and "Orchids and Ermine" (1928).

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Died On This Date - January 24

Churchill, Sir. Winston
b. November 30, 1874 d. January 24, 1965
British Prime Minister. He led Great Britain through the Second World War and during the first two years while the country was the sole resistance to German Nazi dictator Adolph Hitler while enduring intense fire bombings by Nazi Air force planes. With the war near its end, he helped broker the peace agreements which led to the partitioning of Europe by Russia and the west and it was Churchill who coined the term 'iron curtain', referring to the demarcation between east and west Europe.

Fine, Larry
b. October 5, 1902 d. January 24, 1975
Comedian. He was the frizzy-haired star of the legendary comedy team the The Three Stooges. Upstaged by the team's angry leader Moe Howard and the scene-stealing Curly Howard, Larry was indeed the comic "glue" between the two. Yet comedian Jerry Seinfeld once said that Larry, like his father, "never did anything but it wasn't the same without him."

Hayes, Ira Hamilton
b. January 12, 1923 d. January 24, 1955
United States Marine. He was one of the Flag Raiser at Iwo Jima during World War II. A Pima Indian, he was born on the Gila River Reservation, the oldest of eight children. In August of 1942, at the age of 19, he quit school and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. On February 19, 1945 a large contingent of Marines landed on the island of Iwo Jima facing a substantial army of Japanese defenders who were well dug in and camouflaged.

Wilson, William G. 'Bill'
b. November 26, 1895 d. January 24, 1971
American businessman and visionary, best known as a co-founder of the mutual-help group Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Together with Dr. Bob Smith, Wilson founded AA as a safe haven for those who suffered from alcoholism, and in so doing created one of the landmark organizations of modern times, which in the past 70 years has touched countless millions of lives. His wife, Lois Burnham Wilson, founded Al-Anon, a support group dedicated to the needs of the friends and families of alcoholics.

Nicholas, Fayard
b. October 20, 1914 d. January 24, 2006Dancer, Entertainer. Fayard and his brother Harold comprised the tap dancing team, The Nicholas Brothers. As children, they performed at the Cotton Club. Their dancing style was one of elegance combined with phenomenal athletic ability. One of their signature moves was to dance down a huge flight of broad stairs, leapfrogging over each other and landing in a complete split on each step.

Keese Jr., Oliver
b. July 9, 1830 d. January 24, 1889
Civil War Union Army Officer. He served during the Civil War as Colonel and commanding officer of the 118th New York Volunteer Infantry.

Cukor, George
b. July 7, 1899 d. January 24, 1983
Director. Born George Dewey Cukor in New York City to Hungarian immigrant parents, Victor F. and Helen Gross Cukor. He was graduated from De Witt Clinton High School in 1916, and spent a year with the Students Army Training Corps. He then obtained a job as an assistant stage manager for a Chicago theater company. After three years, he formed his own stock company in Rochester, New York in 1920, and worked there for seven years.

McCandless, Bruce
b. August 11, 1911 d. January 24, 1968World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He was a Rear Admiral in the US Navy. He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Commander on the USS San Francisco for action at Iron Bottom Sound, off Savo Island, Solomon Islands. His citation reads "For conspicuous gallantry and exceptionally distinguished service above and beyond the call of duty as communication officer of the USS San Francisco in combat with the Japanese forces in the battle off Savo Island, 12-13 November 1942.

Parrish, Laverne
b. July 16, 1918 d. January 24, 1945
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Served as a Technician 4th Grade, U.S. Army Medical Detachment, 161st Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. In the early hours of the January 24, 1945 his company, crossing an open field near San Manuel, Luzon, Philippine Islands encountered intense enemy fire. Ordered to withdraw to the cover, Technician Parrish observed two wounded still in the field and in two successive trips brought both men to safety.

Marshall, Thurgood
b. July 2, 1908 d. January 24, 1993
United States Supreme Court Justice. In addition to being a Supreme Court Justice, he was a leading Civil Rights leader. In 1938, as an attorney, Marshall became a special assistant to the NAACP. Marshall represented clients with civil rights cases all over the United States. He won thirty-two out of thirty-five cases taken to the Supreme Court. His reputation spread throughout the United States for his outstanding work.

Nelon, Rex
b. January 19, 1932 d. January 24, 2000
Rex Nelon gospel bass singer for the Rex Nelon singers and the Nelons and also part of the Gaither Homecoming concerts.

Brown, Uriah H.
b. July 4, 1841 d. January 24, 1927Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Private in the Union Army in Company G, 30th Ohio Infantry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on May 22, 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi. His citation reads "Despite the death of his captain at his side during the assault, he continued carrying his log to the defense ditch. While he was laying his log in place he was shot down and thrown into the water.

Wass, Ansel Dyer
b. November 12, 1832 d. January 24, 1889
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the 6th Massachusetts Militia at the start of the Civil War. He was subsequently commissioned Lieutenant Colonel first of the 19th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, then the 41st Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Finally, he became Colonel and commander of the 60th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, which was a 100-day enlistment militia regiment.

Gilbert, Alfred Carlton
b. February 15, 1884 d. January 24, 1961
A. C. Gilbert is best known as the inventor of the Erector Set. Aside from being an inventor, he had many other impressive achievements throughout his life. He was a gold medal winning pole vaulter at the 1908 Olympics in London and is credited with creating the modern pole vaulter's "box." Gilbert was well known as an outdoorsman and big game hunter. While a medical student at Yale University, he came to be known as an accomplished magician.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Died On This Date - January 23

Carson, Johnny
b. October 23, 1925 d. January 23, 2005
Entertainer/Television Host/Comedian. Born in Corning, Iowa, he moved with his family to nearby Norfolk, Nebraska when he was eight years old. At age 14, Carson began his act as the magician "The Great Carsoni" for the local Rotary Club in his hometown. He served in the Navy for two years as an Ensign during World War II. He was a radio/drama major at the University of Nebraska. He hosted his first radio program, "The Squirrel's Nest", at WOW in Omaha.

Dali, Salvador
b. May 11, 1904 d. January 23, 1989
Surrealist artist. His full name is Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dali i Domenech. He was born in Figueras, a small town near the French border. In 1917 he started to visit the School of Art and in 1925 he attended the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. That same year he held his exhibition in Barcelona. He became internationally known when three of his paintings were shown in the Carnegie International Exhibition in Pittsburgh in 1928.

Keeshan, Bob 'Captain Kangaroo'
b. June 27, 1927 d. January 23, 2004
Actor, Comedian, Entertainer, Television Producer. He is best remembered for his long running children's show as "Captain Kangaroo," which was named after his character's trademark red coat, which had large pockets (like a Kangaroo's) containing many interesting objects that he would display on the show. The "Captain Kangaroo Show" won six Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards. He was also elected to the Clown Hall of Fame.

Hobart, Harrison Carroll
b. January 31, 1815 d. January 23, 1902
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. He was successful lawyer and former Wisconsin State Senator at the start of the Civil War, when he enlisted and was commissioned a Captain in the 4th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry in April 1861. In 1862, he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in command of the newly formed 21st Wisconsin Regiment. He commanded the 21st Wisconsin in actions in Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee and was captured at Chickamauga and taken to Libby prison in Richmond, Virginia..

Collins, Allen Larkin
b. July 19, 1952 d. January 23, 1990
Musician. He was a guitarist and founding member of the Southern rock band "Lynyrd Skynyrd". He co-wrote with singer Ronnie Van Zant the band's most famous song "Freebird".

Dorsey, Thomas 'Georgia Tom'
b. July 1, 1899 d. January 23, 1993
African-American composer and arranger, the acknowledged "father of gospel music." Thomas Andrew Dorsey remains arguably the most influential figure ever to impact the genre. A versatile composer whose material shifted easily from energetic hard gospel to hymns. Dorsey penned many of the best known and familiar songs in gospel, among them "Precious Lord," "Peace In The Valley," "I Don't Know Why," "Search Me Lord," "Old Ship Of Zion," and "The Lord Will Make A Way."

Carter, Nell
b. September 13, 1948 d. January 23, 2003
Singer, Actress. She started out as a cabaret performer and later won a Tony Award in the musical revue "Aint Misbehavin'. She's continued a successful career in the theater, including a revival of "Annie," in which she won awards such as the Outer Circle Critics Award, the Obie, and the Drama Desk Award. Her TV career included recurring roles on the soap opera "Ryan's Hope" and the prime-time series "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo" as police sergeant Hildy Jones.

Williams, Paul Revere
b. February 18, 1894 d. January 23, 1980
Architect. In a career that spanned almost 60 years, he designed over 3000 projects. The "architect to the stars" created homes for celebrities such as Anthony Quinn, Bert Lahr, Danny Thomas, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Frank Sinatra, and Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. He also designed, either completely or in part, the following buildings in Los Angeles: the Shrine Auditorium, Hollywood YMCA, Sunset Plaza Apartments, a unit of L.A. General Hospital, and the L.A. County Court House.

Robeson, Paul Bustill
b. April 9, 1898 d. January 23, 1976
Social Reformer, Singer, Athlete, and Actor. Considered one of the great American “Renaissance men” and the son of an escaped slave, he was the 1919 valedictorian of Rutgers University, where he also won fifteen varsity letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track & field. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 1923, but soon left his practice to pursue a career in the performing arts.

Ory, Edward 'Kid'
b. December 25, 1886 d. January 23, 1973
Father of Dixieland Jazz.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Died On This Date - January 22

Victoria, Queen
b. May 24, 1819 d. January 22, 1901
English Monarch. Queen of Great Britain and Ireland (1837-1901) and (from 1876) Empress of India. One of the most famous rulers in English history, she was born in London at Kensington Palace in May of 1819. She was the only child of Edward Duke of Kent, Victoria Maria Louisa of Saxe-Coburg and grandaughter of George III. Queen Victoria's reign spanned more than half a century (the longest reign of any British monarch) in which Great Britain reached the height of its power.

Warner, Anna B.
b. 1820 d. January 22, 1915
Composer. She was the author of the "Jesus Loves Me" hymn. She conducted Bible studies for the cadets at the West Point Military Academy.

Ledger, Heath Andrew
b. April 4, 1979 d. January 22, 2008
Actor. He is best remembered for his role of Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain" (2005), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award Oscar as Best Actor. Born Heath Andrew Ledger in Perth, Western Australia, the son of Kim and Sally Ramshaw Ledger, of Scottish and Irish ancestry. He excelled in sports and drama while attending a private all-boys school called Guildford Grammar, and as he grew older, he decided he liked drama better than field hockey.

Savalas, Telly Aristotle
b. January 21, 1922 d. January 22, 1994
Motion Picture and Television Actor. He was born in Garden City, New York, to Greek immigrant parents. Telly Savalas dropped out of Columbia University, where he was studying psychology, and enlisted in the army during World War II receiving a purple Heart during his service. During the early 1950's he worked for ABC radio and became an executive producer of his own popular talk show, "Telly's Coffee House".

Kennedy, Rose
b. July 22, 1890 d. January 22, 1995
American socialite, best known as the matriarch of the politically prominent Kennedy family and mother of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President of the United States. She was born Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, the eldest child of John Francis "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, a prominent figure in Boston politics who served one term in Congress and later became the city's mayor.

Sijan, Lance Peter
b. April 13, 1942 d. January 22, 1968
Viet Nam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the United States Air Force during the War in Viet Nam as a Captain and pilot of an F-4C aircraft in the 4th Allied POW Wing. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. His citation reads "While on a flight over North Vietnam, Capt. Sijan ejected from his disabled aircraft and successfully evaded capture for more than 6 weeks.

Pitcher (McCauley), Molly (Mary Ludwig Hayes)
b. October 13, 1744 d. January 22, 1832
Revolutionary War Heroine. Born Mary Ludwig near Trenton, New Jersey, she was sent to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at a young age to become a servant in the home of Colonel William Irvine. In 1769, she married John Casper Hays, a young barber who lived in the village. In 1775, her husband enlisted in the First Pennsylvania Artillery as a gunner. He spent the winter of 1777 and 1778 at Valley Forge. As with many other soldier wives, Molly joined her husband in the camp, and helped by cooking, washing.

Kahanamoku, Duke P
b. August 24, 1890 d. January 22, 1968
Olympic Athlete, Actor. Participated in the 1912, 1920, 1924, 1928 and 1932 Olympics Games. Won one a gold medal in swimming in the 1912 games and two more gold medals in the 1920 games. He also won silver medals in swimming in the 1912 and 1924 games. In addition to his success as a swimmer, he popularized the sport of surfing in the U.S. and many other counties. In his later years he even appeared in several films, mostly portraying Hawaiian royalty.

Blue, Victor
b. December 6, 1865 d. January 22, 1928
Rear Admiral, United States Navy. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1887. He saw action in China during the Boxer Rebellion, and was advanced five numbers for his intelligence missions behind enemy lines in Cuba during the Spanish American War. He later served as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation for the United States Navy, and commanded the USS Texas from 1916 to 1919, which included duty in the British North Fleet. On April 1, 1919, he was made rear admiral, and he retired.

Johnson, Lyndon Baines
b. August 27, 1908 d. January 22, 1973
36th United States President, US Congressman, US Senator. His term, served from 1963 to January 1969, was marked by widespread unrest due to the unpopular war in Vietnam and by racial and political unrest at home. Born in a farmhouse near Gillespie, Texas, the oldest of five children of Samuel Ealy Johnson, a farmer and schoolteacher who served five terms in the Texas House of Representatives. His mother, Rebekah Baines Johnson, was also a schoolteacher.

Marshall, Herbert
b. May 23, 1890 d. January 22, 1966
British-born motion picture actor. He appeared in "Murder!" (1930), "Blonde Venus" (1932), "Trouble in Paradise" (1932), "Angel" (1937), "Foreign Correspondent" (1940), "The Letter" (1940), "The Little Foxes" (1941), "The Razor's Edge" (1946), "Duel in the Sun (1946), and "Angel Face" (1952).

Lee Sr., Daniel Warnel
b. June 23, 1919 d. January 22, 1985
World War II Congessional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army in Troop A, 117th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th Army. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on September 2, 1944 at Montreval, France. His citation in part reads "Armed with a rifle and grenades, he left his men on the high ground and crawled to within 30 yards of the mortars, where the enemy discovered him and unleashed machine-pistol fire which shattered his right thigh.

Miller, Ann
b. April 12, 1923 d. January 22, 2004
Actress and Dancer. She was born Johnnie Lucille Collier in Chireno, Texas, the first name dictated by her father, who had wanted a boy. After her parents divorced, she was called Annie, for reasons she never knew. Growing up in Houston, Annie suffered from rickets, and dancing lessons helped straighten her legs. Her mother was almost totally deaf and could not find work. By the age of 12, Annie was almost full grown at 5 feet 5, and she danced to support her mother and herself.

Morris, Lewis
b. April 8, 1726 d. January 22, 1798
Signer of the Declaration of Independence from New York. Born in what is now New York City, Lewis Morris was born to a rich and privileged family. His family’s estate, Morrisania, covered about 2000 acres, and resembled a small town, with farmers who rented land, blacksmiths, carpenters and others who worked the estate for wages. Lewis attended Yale College, but left without earning a degree.

Price, Samuel Woodson
b. August 5, 1828 d. January 22, 1918
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Served during the Civil War as Colonel and commander of the 27th Kentucky (Union) Volunteer Infantry. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers for "gallant and meritorious services during the war of the rebellion, and for personal gallantry in leading his regiment in the assault of the enemy's position on the Moulton and Dallas Road and Kennesaw Mountain, capturing and holding the position (although greatly outnumbered) until reinforced.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Died On This Date - January 21

DeMille, Cecil (Cecil Blount) B.
b. August 12, 1881 d. January 21, 1959
Legendary movie producer and director. Founder of the Mercury Aviation Company.

Weissmuller, Johnny
b. June 2, 1904 d. January 21, 1984
Olympic Champion, World Record Holder, Actor. Because he was foreign born, he gave his birthplace as Windber, Pennsylvania, and his brother, Peter Weissmuller’s birthdate to ensure his eligibility to compete as part of the United States Olympic team, and so he could be issued an American passport. Johnny started swimming at age 9 and made the YMCA swim team in 1916.

Orwell, George (Eric Arthur Blair)
b. June 25, 1903 d. January 21, 1950
Author. He was born in India where his father was civil servant in the opium department. In 1904 he moved with his mother to England where later he attended Eton. His first writings were published in college periodicals. After failing to win a scholarship to University in 1922, George went to Burma to serve in the Indian Imperial Police. After returned to Europe he lived as a tramp and beggar, working low paid jobs. In 1928 he had decided to become a writer.

Mruk, Joseph
b. November 6, 1903 d. January 21, 1995
US Congressman from New York. He graduated from South Park High School in 1920, spent several years working in the jewelry business, and opened his own store in 1926. He served as a district representative on the Buffalo City Council from 1937 to 1941. In 1941 he was elected as an at-large member of the City Council, serving until his resignation in December 1942. In 1942 he was elected to the US House as a Republican, serving from 1943 to 1945.

Louis XVI
b. August 23, 1754 d. January 21, 1793
French Monarch. Succeeded his grandfather, Louis XV, as King of France on May 10, 1774 at the age of 20. He was married to the Austrian archduchess Marie Antionette in 1770. The couple had four children. Louis was a shy, dull man whose character was not suited to providing the leadership needed to control the complex social and political conflicts raging in France.

Switzer, Carl 'Alfalfa'
b. August 7, 1927 d. January 21, 1959
Actor. He is best remembered for his role of ‘Alfalfa’ in the "Our Gang" series of comedies. His trademark off-key singing and straightened stuck-up hair endeared him to a generation of viewers. Born in Paris, Illinois, he was selected to play the role of ‘Alfalfa’ in the "Our Gang" comedies, which began in 1935 with "Beginner's Luck" and ended in 1940 with "The Big Premier."

Wilson, Jackie (Jack Leroy)
b. June 9, 1934 d. January 21, 1984
Singer. Born Jack Leroy Wilson in Detroit, Michigan, the only child of Jack and Eliza Wilson from Columbus, Mississippi. He grew up in Highland Park, Michigan. He started singing at the age of 6. At 12 he joined the "Ever Ready Gospel Singers". They became very popular in Detroit's black churches. Truancy during high school landed him in the Lansing Correctional Institute. While at Lansing he took up boxing.

Lee, Peggy
b. May 26, 1920 d. January 21, 2002
Singer, Songwriter and Actress. Best remembered for songs "Fever," "Lover," "Big Spender," and a host of other songs. Born Norma Dolores Egstrom, her mother died when she was 4, and her father, a railroad station agent, remarried, but later abandoned the new family, leaving Peggy with her stepmother, who physically abused her. Peggy would develop her singing as a means of escape, and at age 14, she began singing at local PTA meetings for 50 cents a night.

Joslyn, Allyn
b. July 21, 1901 d. January 21, 1981
Stage, Motion Picture, and Television Actor. He appeared in many popular films and television shows between the years 1937 and 1966. Among them, "Only Angels Have Wings" (1937), "I Wake Up Screaming" (1941), "Heaven Can Wait" (1943), "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim" (1947), and "Titanic" (1953). Classic television series appearances include, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Gunsmoke," "Rawhide," "The Addams Family," and "F-Troop."

Gehringer, Charlie
b. May 11, 1903 d. January 21, 1993
Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player.

Larsen, William
b. November 20, 1927 d. January 21, 1996
Actor. He appeared in the films "JFK" (1991), "Full Moon In Blue Water" (1988), "Five Days From Here" (1979), "Being There" (1979), "Heaven Can Wait" (1978), "Go West, Young Girl" (1978), "The Incredible Hulk" (1977), and "Delta County, U.S.A. (1977). He also appeared in the television show "Remington Steele" (1982-1987).

Woodward, Orator Francis
b. July 26, 1856 d. January 21, 1906
The man who made Jell-O a household name.

Melies, Georges
b. December 8, 1861 d. January 21, 1938
Motion-Picture Pioneer. The cinema's first great artist, he invented the fantasy film and was the father of motion-picture special effects. His most famous film, "A Trip to the Moon" (1902), still delights viewers with its quaint charm and humor, more than a century after it was first shown. Melies' influence on moviemaking around the world has been considerable.

Sheridan, Ann (Clara Lou)
b. February 21, 1915 d. January 21, 1967
Actress. The youngest of five children, the daughter of a Texas auto mechanic and a housewife, Ann Sheridan came to Hollywood as the 18-year-old winner of Paramount’s 1933 “Search for Beauty” contest, and made her film debut in a 1934 film of the same name. She was a college student at North Texas State Teacher’s College, when her sister thought she was beautiful enough to send in a picture of Ann in a bathing suit to Paramount Pictures.

Lundy, Antoine 'TCD'
d. January 21, 1998
R&B singer and part of the 1980s doo wop/hip hop group "Force Md's." It's members included brothers Stevie D and Antoine "TCD" Lundy, their uncle Jesse Lee Daniels, and friends Trisco Pearson and Charles "Mercury" Nelson. The group hooked up with DJ Dr. Rock, billing themselves as Dr. Rock and the MC's.

Lenin, Vladimir
b. April 22, 1870 d. January 21, 1924
Soviet Leader. Lenin's mausoleum was designed by Alexei Shchusev in 1924, during a period in which the strength of the Russian Avant-Garde had not yet been decimated by Stalin's enforced return to heroic realism and conservative classicism. As a result, the founder of the Soviet state is blessed with a resting place that is a rare masterpiece of modern architectural simplicity.

Asboth, Alexander Sandor
b. December 18, 1811 d. January 21, 1868
Civil War Union Brigadier General. One of a number of Hungarians to reach high rank in the Union Army. Served in the Hungarian Army as a Cuirassier (Heavy Cavalry soldier) before allying himself with Revolutionary Louis Kossth, and participated as his Aide-de-Camp in the failed 1848 Revolt to separate the nation from the Imperial powers of Austria. Traveled in exile first to Turkey, then to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen.

Goethals, George Washington
b. June 29, 1858 d. January 21, 1928
United States Army General. He is most remembered as being the Chief Engineer in the construction of the Panama Canal, considered one of the seven modern Wonders of the World. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he attended the City College of New York, then applied for the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating second in the Class of 1880. Selecting the Corps of Engineers as his branch, he served as Assistant Professor of Engineering at West Point from 1885 to 1888.

Shaw, Clifford Huston
b. July 21, 1906 d. January 21, 1998
College football and basketball official whose call in the 1954 Cotton Bowl set a precedent still observed in the NCAA; when Alabama's Tommy Lewis came off the bench to tackle Rice halfback Dickie Moegle, Shaw awarded Rice a touchdown, causing the sport's rules committee to make the procedure a standard at their next meeting; once rated the top referee in the Southwest Conference, Shaw also co-hosted a weekly football highlight show for KARK-TV in Arkansas.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Who Died on this Date - Jan 20

Hepburn, Audrey
b. May 4, 1929 d. January 20, 1993
Actress. Her impressive career in film and theatre spanned 42 years, ending only with her death in 1993. A vastly influential person and notable humanitarian, she received over fifty awards and international distinctions for her work in film and, later, for her efforts on behalf of children everywhere. Born in Brussels, Belgium, as a child, she attended boarding school and took dancing lessons.


Stanwyck, Barbara
b. July 16, 1907 d. January 20, 1990
Actress, Films, Television and Broadway. She was a forerunner of a long line of actors and singers born in Brooklyn which at the time had many influencing live performance theatres and cultural centers which drew many with show business aspirations. Barbara Stanwyck was a four time Oscar-nominated motion picture actress whose career spanned from the 1920's beyond the 1980's.


Haney, Milton Lorenzi
b. January 23, 1825 d. January 20, 1922
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served during the Civil War as Chaplain on the 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery at Atlanta, Georgia on July 22, 1864. His citation reads "Voluntarily carried a musket in the ranks of his regiment and rendered heroic service in retaking the Federal works which had been captured by the enemy". His Medal was awarded to him on November 3, 1896. He was one of nine 55th Illinois Infantry soldiers to be awarded.


Lord (Ryan), Jack (John Joseph Patrick)
b. December 30, 1920 d. January 20, 1998
Actor. Born John Joseph Patrick Ryan, but called himself Jack Lord when he began acting in the early 1950s. He was an accomplished artist. Two of his paintings were acquired by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum of Modern Art by the time he was twenty. He became a member of the Actors Studio. He acted by night and sold cars by day.


Wheeler, George Huber
b. September 26, 1881 d. January 20, 1957
Interim Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was serving as a Shipfitter First Class in the United States Navy when he earned the CMOH. His citation reads: For bravery and extraordinary heroism displayed by him during a conflagration in Coquimbo, Chile, 20 January 1909. The CMOH was awarded on March 19, 1909.


Sigler, Franklin Earl
b. November 6, 1924 d. January 20, 1995
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. His citation reads: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands on 14 March 1945. Voluntarily taking command of his rifle squad when the leader became a casualty, Pvt. Sigler fearlessly led a bold charge against an enemy gun..


Red Jacket (Sagoyewatha)
b. 1752 d. January 20, 1830
Seneca Indian Chief. A persuasive orator who defended other Iroquois brothers in court, he was a a peace-loving man who advocated peace between the United States and the Indian Nations. He was awarded a silver medal by George Washington. In the war of 1812 he joined and fought for the United States Army. In later life he began to express concerns about the future of his people, and began rejecting schools and churches and other things associated with civilization.


Mifflin, Thomas
b. January 10, 1744 d. January 20, 1800
Revolutionary War Continental Major General, Signer of U.S. Constitution, First Governor of Pennsylvania, member of the Continental Congress. In spite of being born into a Quaker family this Philadelphia native was one of the Revolution's most radical promoters. After graduating, at the age of sixteen, from what is today the University of Pennsylvania, he became a successful entrepreneur and socially excelled becoming a member of the prestigious American Philosophical Society.


Freed, Alan
b. December 15, 1922 d. January 20, 1965
Radio Disc Jockey. He is known as “The Father of Rock and Roll” for his efforts to promote that music style. In March 1952, as an emcee of a television program on rhythm and blues records for TV station WXEL in Cleveland, Ohio, he referred to the new music sound as "rock and roll," thus being the first to coin the term. He played himself in five films, in cameo roles and bit parts; all of the films were made between 1956 and 1958 with teenagers as the targeted audience, and the films made Rock.


Kalakaua, King David
b. November 16, 1836 d. January 20, 1891
King of Hawaii (1874-1891). Royal prince was elected King by the Hawaii legislature. Brother of Queen Liliuokalani. Husband of Queen Kapiolani. "The Merry Monarch" was a patron of the arts, encouraged the resurgence of Hawaiian dance and customs that had earlier been prohibited by missionaries. Forced to grant U.S. Navy the rights to Pearl Harbor.


Behrman, Hank (Henry)
b. June 27, 1921 d. January 20, 1987
Major League Baseball Player. The right-handed pitcher had his best season as a rookie with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946 with an 11-5 record, a 2.93 earned run average and 150 innings pitched. On May 3, 1947, he was traded with pitchers Kirby Higbe and Cal McLish, infielder Gene Mauch and catcher Dixie Howell to the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Al Gionfriddo and $100,000. Then he was sent back to the Dodgers for cash on June 14 of that year.


King (Levy), Solomon (Allen Verner)
b. August 13, 1930 d. January 20, 2005
Country/Rock Musician. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, he was born Allen Verner Levy, but used the stage names of Solomon King, Levi Jackson, and Randy Leeds. He is best remembered for his hit songs, "She Wears My Ring", "My Oh My", "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die", and for his association with Elvis Presley's backing band, "The Jordanaires", of which he was a member. The 6'8, King was a true music fan from an early age.


Tinning, Joseph
b. January 10, 1970 d. January 20, 1972Victim of infanticide. One of nine siblings murdered by their mother, Mary Beth Tinning. She got away with it for years, using SIDS as a ruse. Finally caught , she was convicted in July of 1987 and sentenced to twenty years to life. She is still incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills, NY. The case is the subject of a 1989 book by Joyce Egginton entitled "From Cradle to Grave."

Monday, January 19, 2009

Died On This Date - January 19

Lamarr, Hedy
b. November 9, 1913 d. January 19, 2000
Actress. Daughter of a prominent Viennese banker, she gained notority as a teen for running through the woods nude in the 1933 Czech film "Ecstasy". She later married a wealthy arms manufacturer Fritz Mandl. After three years of marriage, and fearing the threat of Adolph Hitler, she left her husband and homeland of Austria in 1937. In London she met Louis B. Mayer of MGM, who signed her to a contract, and sent her to Hollywood.

Pleshette, Suzanne
b. January 31, 1937 d. January 19, 2008
Actress. Born in Brooklyn, New York the only child of Eugene and Geraldine Kaplan Pleshette, she entered the High School of the Performing Arts at twelve, and attended Syracuse University with a drama major. She made her Broadway debut in 1957's ‘Compulsion' which was followed by ‘Golden Fleecing' with Tom Poston in 1958. That same year saw her feature film debut in ‘The Geisha Boy.'

McGunigal, Patrick
b. May 30, 1876 d. January 19, 1936
World War I Congressional Medal Of Honor Recipient. Citation: For extraordinary heroism while attached to the Huntington. On the morning of 17 September 1917, while the U.S.S. Huntington was passing through the war zone, a kite balloon was sent up with Lt. (j.g.) H. W. Hoyt, U.S. Navy, as observer. When the balloon was about 400 feet in the air, the temperature suddenly dropped, causing the balloon to descend about 200 feet, when it was struck by a squall.

Pickett, Wilson
b. March 18, 1941 d. January 19, 2006
Legendary Soul Singer, Composer. He was dubbed “The Wicked Pickett” my radio DJ’s and fans, for his gruff power, raw groove and growling energy he brought to R & B music for over four decades. He first performed in the gospel harmony group the Violinaires in the 1950s and became a member of the Falcons in 1959. Their hit "I Found a Love" helped Pickett make a deal with Atlantic Records and the hook up with renowned producer Jerry Wexler at Stax Records.

Caselotti, Adriana
b. May 16, 1916 d. January 19, 1997
Actress. As a teenager in 1934, she won the role that would make her famous, the voice of "Snow White" in Walt Disney's first feature-length cartoon. She sang the song "Someday My Prince Will Come." According to studio history, Disney had been searching for a voice that was "ageless, friendly, natural and innocent."

Lawson, Ted W.
b. March 7, 1917 d. January 19, 1992
Military Aviator, Author. One of "Doolittle's Raiders". On April 18, 1942, Major Lawson piloted the Ruptured Duck, one of the 16 B-25 Mitchell Bombers in first air attack by the United States in World War 2 against mainland Japan. The raid was planned and led by General Jimmy Doolittle in response to the recent sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. Doolittle trained his 16 crews to take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier, which at the time was considered impossible.

Perkins, Carl
b. April 9, 1932 d. January 19, 1998
Rockabilly Pioneer. Friend of the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Cause of death: Complications from multiple strokes

Dickey, James Lafayette
b. February 2, 1923 d. January 19, 1997
He was a poet and novelist known for "The Firebombing" and "Deliverance". (Bio by: Ron Moody)

Mackenzie, Ranald Slidell
b. July 27, 1840 d. January 19, 1889Civil War Union Brigadier General. He was 1862 graduate of the United States Military Academy, where he was first in his class. Posted with the Engineers he served through most of the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, in July 1864 he was commissioned Colonel of the 2nd Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery. During Major General Philip Sheridan's 1864 "Valley" campaign he commanded a brigade in the 6th Corps and was wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek.

Russell, John
b. January 3, 1921 d. January 19, 1991
American motion picture and television actor of the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. Appeared as a memorable villian in Clint Eastwood's 1985 western drama "Pale Rider."

McGugin, Daniel Earle
b. July 29, 1879 d. January 19, 1936
Hall of Fame College Football Coach. For thirty years he led Vanderbilt University's team recording a record of 197 wins, 55 loses and 19 ties, acquiring a .762 winning percentage. Born in Tingley, Iowa he played his college ball at Drake University and the University of Michigan where he played guard in the first Rose Bowl game.

Day, Karl S.
b. May 30, 1896 d. January 19, 1973
United States Marine Corps General. An aviator, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves in 1917 and flew combat missions in World War I for which he earned the Navy Cross. After the war he joined American Airlines. He was recalled to active duty in 1940 and flew combat missions in the Pacific during World War II. He retired in 1957 with the rank of Lieutentant General.

Gillenwater, James Robert Lee
b. October 28, 1871 d. January 19, 1946
Philippine Insurrection Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was originally buried in Payne Cemetery, Rogersville, Tennessee. He served as a Corporal in the United States Army in Company A, 36th Infantry, US Volunteers. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on September 3, 1899 near Porac, Luzon, Philippine Islands.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Died On This Date - Jan 18

Howard (Horwitz), Curly (Jerome Lester)
b. October 22, 1903 d. January 18, 1952
Actor. He was the youngest of Jennie and Solomon Horwitz's five sons, and because of his status as family baby, his mother would often call him "My baby," leading his four much-older brothers to tease him by calling him Baby and later Babe, a nickname he later grew to like so much he often went by it. As a very young child he was already interested in performing, appearing in small home theatrical productions with his older brothers Moe and Shemp. Cause of death: Complications from a stroke

Kipling, Rudyard
b. December 30, 1865 d. January 18, 1936
Author. Born the son of John Lockwood Kipling, a teacher at the Jeejeebhoy School of Art, and Alice Macdonald Kipling in Bombay, India. His care was entrusted to his ayah who taught him Hidustani in the nursery. At six he was taken to England by his parents and for five years was left at a foster home in Southsea where he hated his treatment and his situation. In 1878 Kipling entered United Services College, a boarding school in Devon.

Horwood, Alec George
b. January 6, 1914 d. January 18, 1944
World War II Victoria Cross Medal Recipient. He served as a Lieutenant in the Queen's Royal Regiment, 1st Battalion, Northampshire Regiment. At Kyauchaw, Burma, on January 18, 1944, Lieutenant Horwood led a company into action with his forward mortar observation post. Throughout the day he was in an exposed position, under intense fire, but left to report most valuable information about the enemy and returned back at night to his unit.

Tompkins, Charles Henry
b. 1830 d. January 18, 1915
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the Union Army as a Brevet Brigadier General. He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a First Lieutenant in the 2d US Cavalry for action on June 1, 1861 at Fairfax, Virginia. His citation reads "Twice charged through the enemy's lines and, taking a carbine from an enlisted man, shot the enemy's captain."

Mangas-Coloradas
b. 1791 d. January 18, 1863Native American Tribal Chief. Eastern Chiricahua or Mimbreno Apache War Chief of Southwest. His Spanish name means "Red-Sleeves", so named because he always wore a red shirt. Standing over 6 feet, he was unusually tall for an Apache Indian. He was considered courageous, wise, generous, and always sought peace. Some believe he was a legend in his own time. Mangas Coloradas was a peaceful man until 1837 when the Mexican Government offered a $100 bounty for each Apache Indian scalp.

Izac, Edouard V. M.
b. December 18, 1891 d. January 18, 1990When the U.S.S. President Lincoln was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U-90, on 21 May 1918, Lt. Izac was second in command. German submarines were ordered to bring back proof of their "kills," and the sub came up to the surface, demanding the Captain of the ship. The US crew was afraid the Germans wanted to kill him, so they hid him and Lt. Izac told them that he died when the ship was hit. The Germans took Izac prisoner, as proof they had sunk the ship.

Margit, Szent
b. 1242 d. January 18, 1271
Roman Catholic Saint. Daughter of King Bela I of Hungary and his wife Marie Laskaris. In accordance with a vow which her parents made when Hungary was liberated from the Tatars that their next child should be dedicated to religion, she entered the Dominican Convent of Veszprem in 1245.

Greenstreet, Sydney
b. December 27, 1879 d. January 18, 1954
Legendary British-born stage and motion picture actor. Appeared in several cinema classics such as "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), in which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He played the memorable role of 'Senor Ferrari' in "Casablanca" (1942).

Tyler, John
b. March 29, 1790 d. January 18, 1862
United States President. John Tyler was born at Greenway plantation in Charles City County, Virginia. His mother died when he was 7 and he was raised by his father, a judge. He graduated from William and Mary then studied law with his father. He was elected to almost every office open to a professional politician:

Calugas, Jose
b. December 29, 1907 d. January 18, 1998
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. Served as a Mess Sergeant, US Army, Battery B, 88th Field Artillery, Philippine Scouts. At Culis, Bataan, Philippine Islands on January 16, 1942, a battery gun position was bombed by the enemy until put out of commission and all killed or wounded. He a mess sergeant of another battery, voluntarily and without orders ran 1,000 yards across the shell-swept area to the gun position.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Who Died on this Date - Jan 17

Koehler, Ted
b. July 18, 1894 d. January 17, 1973
Musical song lyricist. His chief collaborator was composer Harold Arlen, their most productive period being in the 1920s and 30s. Among the songs he contributed the words to include "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams," "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues," "Stormy Weather," "Let's Fall In Love," "Get Happy" and "Animal Crackers (In My Soup)."

Tiffany, Louis Comfort
b. February 18, 1848 d. January 17, 1933
Artist. He is most famous for his glass work, including lampshades, jewelry, tiles and vases.

Crenna, Richard
b. November 30, 1927 d. January 17, 2003
Actor. He was a veteran character actor of stage, film, and television, and film and television director. Born in Los Angeles, he began his acting career at age 10. Betweem 1950 and 2002 he appeared in over 115 films. His films include, "Last Dance" (1950), "Made In Paris" (1966), "Marooned" (1969), "Red Sky At Morning" (1971), "Honkytonk" (1974), "Stone Cold Dead" (1979), "Death Ship" (1980), "First Blood" (1982), Rambo: First Blood II" (1985), "Rambo III" (1988), "Hot Shots! Part Deux" (1993)...[Read More] (Bio by: Kris)Cause of death: Pancreatic cancer

Hagerman, Amber Rene
b. November 25, 1986 d. January 17, 1996
Murder Victim. She was riding her bike in the parking lot of a grocery store near her home with her little brother and he was the only witness to her kidnapping. Her nude body was found with her throat slashed 4 miles away at the bottom of a creek bed. Her rape and murder remain unsolved. As a result of her brutal murder, the state of Texas created the "Amber Plan" and "Amber Alert" to notify communities when a child in the area is abducted. Thusfar, the plan has helped return more than 50…

Bunker, Chang and Eng
b. May 11, 1811 d. January 17, 1874
Circus Entertainers. They were the most famous conjoined twins chiefly because they were the first conjoined twins that most of the world had ever seen due to their extreme rarity. They were born in Siam (now Thailand) in 1811 at a time when most conjoined twins died in childbirth due to the intense danger and difficulty of removing them from the womb. The six-inch band of tissue that joined Chang and Eng at the waist initially had them face to face but a doctor early in their lives taught.Cause of death: Bronchitis (Chang), Shock (Eng)