Armand H. Beard, a free-lance cartoonist and retired industrial engineer, died Tuesday of complications of a stroke at his home in Jacksonville, Fla. The former Baltimorean was 77.
He retired in 1983 after 44 years with Westinghouse Electric Corp., where he began his career in Baltimore in 1939, and he was later transferred to Florida.
His cartoon, "Emcee," which targeted Maryland personalities and events, was published on the op-ed pages of The Evening Sun for 15 years beginning in 1979.
The cartoon featured a caricature of Mr. Beard's brother, Gordon Beard of Baltimore, a retired Associated Press correspondent who wrote the captions for the drawings.
The brothers also teamed to produce "Basic Baltimorese," a cartoon book that detailed the distinctive dialect of Baltimoreans. It sold 25,000 copies. In 1990, "Basic Baltimorese II," was published in collaboration with artist Mike Ricigliano.
Born and reared in South Baltimore, Armand Beard attended Southern High School. In his youth, he rowed for the Arundel Boat Club and played soccer and baseball.
In the mid-1930s, he twice went to Florida for spring training tryouts for a Washington Senators farm team and, on the second try, made the team.
"But on Opening Day, while pitching batting practice," his brother said, Mr. Beard severely injured his knee and his baseball career was ended.
Armand Beard enlisted in the Army in 1943 and was subsequently commissioned a second lieutenant. He was assigned to the famous 42nd Infantry Division -- the Rainbow Division. On D-Day he was attached to the 29th Division and was in the second wave of troops to land on Omaha Beach, where he suffered a concussion from a "friendly-fire" shell. He was evacuated to a hospital in England and, after recovering, returned to France and active duty.
"He never talked to family members about his combat service. It was a miracle that he survived D-Day," said Gordon Beard. "However, he did recall how he learned of the death of Clay Gillece, a close friend from his South Baltimore neighborhood.
"He said a courier arrived one day with a letter from Mr. Gillece, who wrote about the Orioles winning the Little World Series in 1944 and the St. Louis Browns playing their first World Series. 'This must be a year of miracles,' he wrote. 'Maybe the war will end tomorrow.'
"After he finished reading the letter, the courier informed him that the war, indeed, had ended for Mr. Gillece the day after he wrote the letter as he was killed in action near St. Lo."
Armand Beard was released from active duty in 1946 and was recalled during the Korean War. He was released in 1953 with the rank of captain.
He returned to Baltimore where he coached high school rowing teams at the Arundel Boat Club. In 1946, he coached a combined crew of students from Polytechnic Institute and Patterson High School and competed in the Middle States Regatta, winning the junior and intermediate races.
Other survivors include his wife of 40 years, the former Frances Munroe; a son, Armand H. Beard III of Arnold; a stepson, Jud Munroe of Jacksonville; and two grandchildren.
There were no services.