The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Ernest Hemingway Went Rogue as War Correspondent

From the May 21, 2014, Listverse "10 Incredible Facts About Ernest Hemingway" by Aaron Short.

He went rogue while carrying out war correspondence in 1944 for Collier's Magazine.

He was present at D-Day, but made to stay aboard the ship because he was considered too "precious" to lose.

Later, he was attached to the 22nd regiment and somehow obtained permission to run an intelligence operation in the town of Rambouillet, France, where he became the leader of a group made up pf a secret agent, several french soldiers and civilians who followed his orders and called him "Papa," "Captain" or even "Le Grande Capitan."

The group was described as a band of cutthroats who idolized Hemingway and even copied his mannerisms and style.  Eventually they numbered in the hundreds.  They did carry out surveillance and Hemingway even wore a colonel's uniform and led them into battle several times.

This was in direct violation of the Geneva Conventions.   Eventually, there was a court martial but Hemingway lied his way out of it and went back to his "command."  They took part in a battle at the German border and two years after the war, he received a Bronze Star.

Interesting Story.  --GreGen

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