Ask Mr. Know-It-All: A monument to courage
Q: The Marine Corps War Memorial depicts five U.S. Marines and one sailor raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima during World War II. What inspired the sculpture? Who posed for the men? When was the monument created? — C.M., Tampa Bay, Fla. A: Felix de Weldon (1907-2003), an American sculptor born in Vienna, Austria, created the work based on a Pulitzer-winning photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press on Feb. 23, 1945. De Weldon used three of the six men as models; the other three died in combat — they were sculpted from photographs. The 32-foot-high figures are shown raising a 60-foot-tall flagpole on which a cloth flag flies. Dedicated on Nov. 10, 1954, the bronze monument is located near Arlington National Cemetery.
Q: Some of William Faulkner’s novels were set in an unusual county. What is the county’s name? Where is it located? — C.B., Lynn, Mass. A: Yoknapatawpha County is a fictional place created by novelist William Faulkner. Many believe it is based on Lafayette County, Miss., the author's home for most of his life.
Q: When and where was children’s-book author and illustrator Beatrix Potter born? — N.H., Santa Rosa, Calif. A: Helen Beatrix Potter entered the world on July 28, 1866, in South Kensington, London, England. At an early age, she developed a love for animals and landscape. She published more than 20 children’s books; her most famous character, of course, was Peter Rabbit. She died in 1943.
Q: In my music library, I have several CDs of singer Patsy Cline. I know she died at a young age — from what? — J.L.B., Lansing, Mich. A: Born Virginia Patterson Hensley on Sept. 8, 1932, in Winchester, Va., Patsy Cline started singing on local C&W radio shows during the 1950s. Her big break occurred in 1957, when she won “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” with her rendition of “Walkin’ After Midnight.” She soon moved to Nashville, Tenn., and national attention came quickly after that. She lost her life in a plane crash in 1963.
Q: I.M. Pei is one of the better-known architects in the world today. Where was he born? What do the initials stand for? — T.L., Pittsburgh, Pa. A: Ieoh Ming Pei was born on April 26, 1917, in Guangzhou, China. The scion of an affluent banking family, he moved to the United States in 1935 to study architecture; he attended the University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. The Louvre Pyramid (Paris), Bank of China Tower (Hong Kong) and Javits Convention Center (New York) are among his significant works.
Q: Cu is the chemical symbol for copper. How did they come up with this one? — N.W., Atlantic City, N.J. A: Cuprum is the Latin name for copper.
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