› added 6 years ago

87

TIL Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro is the Only Coast Guard Medal of Honor Recipient and helped save 500 Marines at Guadalcanal. He died while getting the last Marines out. His last words were “Did they get off?” referring to the last of the Marines.

Read more dodlive.mil

via reddit.com

GYpbJ TIL that during WWII 15% of the steel production in the US--180 tons an hour--went across the Hot Metal Bridge in Pittsburgh--as molten steel in huge crucibles built into special rail cars.
XNvj TIL that watching Home Alone is a national tradition in Poland at Christmastime. When the network owning the rights opted not to show it in 2010, there were national protests. Over 10% of the population of Poland will watch this broadcast live annually.
dDZZB TIL that after the Mongols destroyed the Khwarazmian Empire, Western Xia's military commander Asha Gambhu mocked them and challenged them to war, resulting in Western Xia's later destruction.
LQeGQ TIL in Serbia, the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses, known as “Mućke” (meaning “shady deals”), achieved cult status in the 90s, resonating deeply with audiences. The characters’ spirit & escapades struck a chord, reflecting the socio-economic conditions familiar to many Serbians.
5bLk TIL that writer Walt Whitman volunteered during the American Civil War by writing countless letters on behalf of soldiers, some of whom were illiterate or were dying, back home to their loved ones