James M. Doohan: The Untold Hero Behind Star Trek’s Scotty

Before he was everyone’s favorite Scottish Engineer, he was a Certified Canadian Bada**.

Not many people know this, but before becoming an actor, James M. Doohan (you know him as “Scotty” on Star Trek) served with the 14th Field Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division during WW2.

James M. Doohan’s Role in WW2

Even more interesting, Lt. Doohan was there on Juno Beach on D-Day. During the advance inland, he shot two snipers while leading his men to higher ground through a field of anti-tank mines, where they eventually took defensive positions for the night. Crossing between command posts at 23:30 that night, Doohan was hit by six rounds fired from a Bren gun by a nervous Canadian sentry. Yep… he was a victim of “Friendly Fire” and got sent back to England due to his injuries, where his right middle finger had to be amputated.

You would not see it in the show, but if you look carefully, you would notice it.

From Battlefield to Pilot Training

Despite this, he would go on to graduate from the Air Observation Pilot Course and would eventually be labeled the “craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Force.” Mainly because during his training, he flew his Auster Mark IV aircraft between two telegraph poles “to prove it could be done,” earning himself a serious reprimand.