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TIL for over 70 years, allied navy ships in the Pacific fought over a photo of actress Esther Williams. Ships officers would steal or take it by force, and display it in their ship’s officers mess. It was retired in 2013 after Esther Williams died.

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OoWNR TIL In 1978, Grave Robbers Dug Up Film Star Charlie Chaplin’s Body For Ransom. Chaplin's widow Oona refused to pay. "Charlie would have thought it rather ridiculous," she said. After 2+ unsuccessful months, the thieves were caught, and eventually wrote letters of apology to Oona.
XEYvD TIL Lyndon B. Johnson gave interviews from the bathroom because he didn't want the conversation to stop [said presidential biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin]
M7onm TIL Eclipses May Generate Atmospheric Shocks
NDVQ TIL of French diplomat and spy to England a Russia Chevalier d'Éon. Once retired, he revealed that he had actually been a woman. She was henceforth made to wear gender appropriate clothing for the rest of her life. When she died, they found out she was actually a man. He was double crossdressing.
WV04 TIL that Pyotr Nesterov was both the first pilot to fly a loop in an airplane and the first to destroy an enemy aircraft in flight. He died during the latter attempt because planes did not have weapons and he had to ram it.