Best known as an author, Hemingway was, in fact, much more. He led a more interesting life, I dare say, than my good friend Mitgui. (Though she's not yet dead. There's still time.)
Hemingway was an ambulance driver for the Red Cross during World War I. He was also an alcoholic. Back then. friends did let friends drive ambulances while drunk. He became an ambulance driver after being turned down for the U.S. army due to poor eyesight. Blind, drunk, and a Red Cross ambulance driver. The Good Old Days.
But I haven't gotten to the interesting part yet. Hemingway was also involved in the invasion of Normandy that ended World War II. He still wasn't in the army, however. He simply got up and decided to fight. On the way there, it's been claimed, he gathered up a following up "undesirables" and stole a German tank. He entered Paris five days before the Allies and managed to liberate the Ritz and the Traveller's Club (his favourite hotel and favourite bar).
Hemingway died on July 2, 1961, shooting himself with his shotgun. It's believed that the gun was most likely loaded at the time of the shooting. Otherwise, he probably would have been just fine.