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TIL that in WWII the US military built a full-scale mockup of a Japanese cruiser out of lumber and chicken wire on the dry lake bed that would later become the home of Edwards AFB. It was used as a practice target for bomber crews in training.

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Z84LQ TIL about George Welch and Kenneth Taylor who were some of the only U.S. pilots to get in the air during the attack on Pearl Harbor. They are reported to have raced back to the airbase that morning after playing an all-night poker game. They managed to shoot down at least six Japanese planes.
rRwBy TIL Excavations for a new subway line in Mexico City have turned up 500-year-old skeletons of roughly 50 Aztec children and 10 adults, as well as numerous artifacts dating back as far as 2000 B.C.
9w8RQ TIL Bruce Springsteen originally wrote the song "Hungry Heart" for the Ramones at the request of Joey Ramone, but ended up keeping and recording the song himself on the advice of his producer and manager, Jon Landau. It became Springsteen's first big hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #5.
e9eb TIL that monarchism is still active in France. Some want to bring back Napoleon’s family (Bonapartists) to rule; others prefer the original royal family (Legitimists and Orleanists).
GY1WJ TIL Ed Sheeran’s childhood friend was struggling financially and asked him to put one of her songs on his then-nearly completed album “X”. Instead they wrote “Thinking Out Loud” together which was released as a single and hit #1. She’ll never have to worry about money again.