I had the extreme pleasure of meeting and talking with Mr. Doohan at a rally for (of all people) Jerry Brown for President. Warm, friendly man - that was almost 15 years ago.
James Doohan was a bonafide war hero. An enlisted man who rose to captain in the Royal Canadian Artillery, he was in the frontlines on D-Day, where he was shot seven times, with an eighth bullet lodging in his metal cigarette case. Three bullets shredded the middle finger of his right hand. Eventually, the finger was amputated, which is occasionally noticeable in Star Trek episodes and movies.