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TIL a dentist in the US Army during World War II was shot 24 times while defending an aid station from the Japanese. Although he killed up to 98 attackers, allowing the wounded to be evacuated, his Medal of Honor was delayed because medical officers were not supposed to bear arms against the enemy.

5YKep TIL The song 'Glycerine' by the band Bush was written about Gavin Rossdale's relationship with his girlfriend at the time, a model named Jasmine Lewis. The title comes from the explosive applications of glycerine to stabilize nitro. Rossdale said the song was about how love was like a bomb.
xovo TIL that in 2010 an unlucky airline passenger was arrested in Ireland after Slovak security officials placed explosives in his luggage for training, then forgot to remove them before the plane took off.
Wk8o TIL celibacy rules for priests arose so the Church, not children, would inherit their money
p8GD8 TIL the founder of the Smithsonian, James Smithson, was a British scientist who willed his fortune to his nephew and in the event his nephew died with no heirs, to the US government to found an "Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men"; having never visited the US.
YkJZ TIL Winston Churchill said of Hitler “One may dislike Hitler’s system and yet admire his patriotic achievement. If our country were defeated, I hope we should find a champion as admirable to restore our courage and lead us back to our place among the nations.” 1937