On December 7, 1941 Kermit Tyler was an army lieutenant on a temporary assignment at a radar facility at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. Two Army privates brought to his attention a large cluster of objects on a radar screen. He quickly dismissed their concern by indicating that it was a group of American planes flying in from San Francisco. It turned out to be the first wave of 180 Japanese bombers on their way to attack the U.S. naval fleet at Pearl Harbor.
Mr. Tyler, 96, died on January 23, 2010 at his home in San Diego, California. He had suffered from two strokes in recent years.
After the attack, he was cleared by military and congressional inquiries in his role that day. There had been a group of American B-17's scheduled to land at Hickman Field.
He later flew combat mission in the South Pacific during the war. He stayed in the military, retiring in 1961 as a lieutenant colonel. He later became a real estate investor.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Dale Hawkins - Singer Wrote "Susie Q"
Dale Hawkins, a Louisiana rockabilly singer and producer, wrote the 1957 hit song "Susie Q". It became a rock 'n' roll standard and was a hit in the 1960's for Creedance Clearwater Revival.
Mr Hawkins died of colon cancer on February 13, 2010 at the age of 73 at a hospital near his home in Little Rock, Arkansas.
His version was recorded with guitarists James Burton and Roy Buchanan. Rolling Stone magazine called it "the first rock 'n' roll song where the guitar counted more than the song itself".
Mr Hawkins grew up Louisiana plantation and was raised by his grandparents. He lied about his age to join the Navy at 16. Upon his return, he formed a band with Burton.
After one failed hit, a local disc jockey took a demo of "Susie Q" to Jerry Wexler of Atlanta Records. As apart of the agreement to promote it, Hawkins was forced to assign credit to Nashville DJ Gene Nobles. This cost him future royalties.
Mr Hawkins toured with his band over the next several years where they played in mostly Black venues where he was the only white performer.
During the 1960's he became a record producer, working on hits that included "Judy in Disguise". He later joined RCA Records, working with singer-song writers Mike Nesmith and Harry Nilsson.
After completing a drug rehab program the the 1980's , he opened up a crisis intervention program in Louisiana.
Mr Hawkins died of colon cancer on February 13, 2010 at the age of 73 at a hospital near his home in Little Rock, Arkansas.
His version was recorded with guitarists James Burton and Roy Buchanan. Rolling Stone magazine called it "the first rock 'n' roll song where the guitar counted more than the song itself".
Mr Hawkins grew up Louisiana plantation and was raised by his grandparents. He lied about his age to join the Navy at 16. Upon his return, he formed a band with Burton.
After one failed hit, a local disc jockey took a demo of "Susie Q" to Jerry Wexler of Atlanta Records. As apart of the agreement to promote it, Hawkins was forced to assign credit to Nashville DJ Gene Nobles. This cost him future royalties.
Mr Hawkins toured with his band over the next several years where they played in mostly Black venues where he was the only white performer.
During the 1960's he became a record producer, working on hits that included "Judy in Disguise". He later joined RCA Records, working with singer-song writers Mike Nesmith and Harry Nilsson.
After completing a drug rehab program the the 1980's , he opened up a crisis intervention program in Louisiana.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
John Kibler - National League Umpire
During a career that spanned from 1963-1989, John Kibler worked as a baseball umpire in the National League. He called four World Series, four National League Championship series, one first-round playoff and four All-Star games.
No game was bigger than when he worked as the first base umpire in Game 6 of the 1986 World series when Mookie Wilson's two-out grounder rolled between Bill Buckner's legs. Although it was near the foul line, Kibler ruled the ball fair and the New York Mets rallied for a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox. He was behind the plate for Game 7 when the Mets clinched the series and title.
Mr Kibler died on February 18, 2010 in Palo Alto, CA after suffering a heart attack at the age of 81. He served in the Navy during the Korean War and later left the New York State Police to attend umpiring school. He served as a minor league umpire in the late 1950's before joining Major League Baseball and became a umpire crew chief in 1977.
No game was bigger than when he worked as the first base umpire in Game 6 of the 1986 World series when Mookie Wilson's two-out grounder rolled between Bill Buckner's legs. Although it was near the foul line, Kibler ruled the ball fair and the New York Mets rallied for a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox. He was behind the plate for Game 7 when the Mets clinched the series and title.
Mr Kibler died on February 18, 2010 in Palo Alto, CA after suffering a heart attack at the age of 81. He served in the Navy during the Korean War and later left the New York State Police to attend umpiring school. He served as a minor league umpire in the late 1950's before joining Major League Baseball and became a umpire crew chief in 1977.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sylvia Pressler - Judge
Sylvia Pressler had a trailblazing ruling in 1973 which opened Little League baseball to girls. While serving as a hearings examiner with the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights, she ruled that a 12 year old girl should have been allowed to play on a Little League team.
Her ruling was protested by the organization, but upheld on appeal. New Jersey became the first state to prohibit sex bias in Little League. The following year, Little League amended its charter to allow girls and created a softball division.
Ms Pressler,75, died of lymphoma on February 15, 2010 at her home in Sparta, NJ.
She earned her law degree from Rutgers in 1959 and was one of the first women in the state to clerk for an appellate judge.
Her ruling was protested by the organization, but upheld on appeal. New Jersey became the first state to prohibit sex bias in Little League. The following year, Little League amended its charter to allow girls and created a softball division.
Ms Pressler,75, died of lymphoma on February 15, 2010 at her home in Sparta, NJ.
She earned her law degree from Rutgers in 1959 and was one of the first women in the state to clerk for an appellate judge.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Pernell Roberts - "Bonanza" & "Trapper John" Star
Pernell Roberts, former star in the television series "Bonanza" and "Trapper John M.D." died on January 24, 2010 at his home in Malibu, California. He was 81 and suffering from cancer.
In 1959, he was cast as Adam Cartwright in the western "Bonanza". The show was a big hit, but Roberts felt that his character was stifled by the show's writers. He played one of three adult sons in the Cartwright family who owned a ranch in Nevada in the 1880's. After his original six year contract expired, he walked away from the show.
Many told him it would be a career killer. For the next 14 years, he appeared on various television shows including' Hawaii Five-O", "Mission Impossible" "Mannix" and "Marcus Welby M.D."
In 1979, he finally got a break when he got the lead role in "Trapper John M.D." The series aired until 1986. He played the role of chief of surgery in a San Francisco Hospital. He later narrated "FBI: The Untold Stories" from 1991-1993.
In 1959, he was cast as Adam Cartwright in the western "Bonanza". The show was a big hit, but Roberts felt that his character was stifled by the show's writers. He played one of three adult sons in the Cartwright family who owned a ranch in Nevada in the 1880's. After his original six year contract expired, he walked away from the show.
Many told him it would be a career killer. For the next 14 years, he appeared on various television shows including' Hawaii Five-O", "Mission Impossible" "Mannix" and "Marcus Welby M.D."
In 1979, he finally got a break when he got the lead role in "Trapper John M.D." The series aired until 1986. He played the role of chief of surgery in a San Francisco Hospital. He later narrated "FBI: The Untold Stories" from 1991-1993.
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