Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States and
one of the most highly regarded American generals of World War
II, died in Washington, D.C., at the age of 78.
In 1961, he retired with his wife, Mamie Doud Eisenhower, to his
farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He was buried on a family plot
in Abilene, Kansas.
MIKE GRACIA
Milton Berle (Mendel Berlinger)
(July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002)
Berle was an actor and comedian. His career
spanned over eight decades, first in silent
films and on stage as a child actor, then in
radio, movies and television.
As the host of NBC‘s Texaco Star Theatre
(1948–1953), he was the first major television
star and was known to millions of viewers as
"Uncle Miltie" and "Mr. Television" during the
first Golden Age of Television.
He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame for his work in both radio and TV.
The west Pacific volcanic island of Iwo Jima was declared
secured by the U.S. military after weeks of fiercely fighting
its Japanese defenders.
The Americans began applying pressure to the Japanese
defense of Iwo Jima in February 1944, when B-24 and B-25
bombers raided the island for 74 days straight.
It was the longest pre-invasion bombardment of the war,
necessary because of the extent to which the Japanese–
21,000 strong–fortified the island, above and below ground,
including a network of caves.
Underwater demolition teams (“frogmen”) were dispatched
by the Americans just before the actual invasion to clear the
shores of mines and any other obstacles that could obstruct
an invading force. In fact, the Japanese mistook the frogmen
for an invasion force and killed 170 of them.
When all was done, more than 6,000 Marines died fighting for the
island, along with almost all the 21,000 Japanese soldiers trying
to defend it.
On March 26, 1953, American medical researcher Dr. Jonas
Salk announced on a national radio program that he has
successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the
virus that causes the crippling disease of polio.
In 1952—an epidemic year for polio—there were 58,000 new
cases reported in the United States, and more than 3,000
died from the disease.
For his work in helping to eradicate the disease, which is
known as “infant paralysis” because it mainly affects young
children, Dr. Salk was celebrated as the great doctor-
benefactor of his time.
MIKE GRACIA
Sir Elton Hercules John (Reginald Kenneth Dwight) is a British
singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship
have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry,
and his songwriting partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin is
one of the most successful in history. John was the 19th
EGOT winner in history. He has sold over 300 million records
worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists
of all time. Elton John is 78 years old today.
