Remembrances

On June 5, 1944, Jake McNiece (right) led a group of paratroopers in World War II. After he shaved his head and painted his face before dropping behind German lines for D-Day, the look caught on with his men.

National

Jake McNiece, WWII Hero And Self-Described 'Troublemaker'

7:14pm May 27, 2013

by NPR Staff

Jake McNiece was the leader of a crack U.S. Army paratrooper unit that dropped behind German lines on D-Day. With their wild antics, McNiece's group was known as "The Filthy Thirteen" and inspired Robert Aldrich's macho film classic The Dirty Dozen.

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Ray Manzarek (far right) stands with fellow members of The Doors Jim Morrison (from right), Robby Krieger and John Densmore in 1968. Manzarek died Monday in Germany. He was 74.

Music & Culture

The Doors' Keyboard Counterpoint Goes Silent: Remembering Ray Manzarek

1:43pm May 21, 2013

by Mandalit del Barco

Raised on the South Side, Manzarek brought Chicago sound to L.A.'s beaches with the trailblazing band. He died Monday at age 74.

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Mothers somehow know when we've been bad, but when times are tough, they also have our back.

Health & Safety

Mom's X-Ray Vision Also Sees The Best In Us

2:10pm May 11, 2013

by Scott Simon

Mothers know us better — sometimes better than we know ourselves. As any child will tell you, they really do have eyes in the back of their heads. When times are tough, they also have our back.

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Medusa from 1981's Clash of the Titans is among legendary animator Ray Harryhausen's many creations.

Arts

Remembering Monster-Maker Ray Harryhausen

2:19pm May 09, 2013

The legendary Hollywood FX man died Tuesday at age 92. Known for creating the monsters in such films as Mighty Joe Young and Jason and the Argonauts, Harryhausen spoke with Fresh Air in 2003 about studying animals in nature to create the monsters of our imaginations.

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George Jones: Remembering One Of Country Music's Greats

3:57pm April 27, 2013

Country music legend George Jones, known for "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and a long string of other hits, died on Friday. He was 81 years old. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon has this rembrance of the music star.

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Music & Culture

'Talk Of The Nation' Remembers Folk Singer Richie Havens

6:44pm April 23, 2013

Legendary folk singer Richie Havens died Monday at the age of 72. The Brooklyn-born singer is famous opening act at the 1969 Woodstock music festival. Talk of the Nation remembers him by listening back to a 2004 performance chat around the release of his 26th album Grace of the Sun.

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The crowd at Richie Havens' Woodstock-opening set on Aug. 15, 1969.

Music & Culture

Richie Havens, Folk Singer Who Opened Woodstock, Has Died

3:05pm April 23, 2013

by Tom Cole

Richie Havens had a long career as a musician, but he's still most famous for one set he played to hundreds of thousands in New York in 1969.

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MIT campus police officer Sean Collier, 26, was shot and killed during an altercation with the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects Thursday night.

National

MIT Officer Died Protecting His Community, In Job He Loved

5:30pm April 20, 2013

by Jim Zarroli

The grisly week that began at the Boston Marathon on Monday left a police officer dead. Sean Collier, an officer with the MIT campus police, was pronounced dead Thursday night. He's remembered as passionate and dedicated to his profession.

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Remembering The Man Who Gave The Nation A Newspaper

1:57pm April 20, 2013

Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon remembers USA Today founder Al Neuharth, who died on Friday at his home in Cocoa Beach, Fla. Neuharth was 89.

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Arts

Remembering Annette Funicello, America's Mouseketeer

2:05pm April 09, 2013

Handpicked by Walt Disney to be one of the original Mouseketeers, Annette Funicello was America's girl next door. She spoke to Fresh Air in 1994 about Mickey Mouse ears and why she went public with her multiple sclerosis diagnosis. She died Monday at age 70 from complications of the disease.

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