Novelist Roald Dahl served as fighter pilot in WWII

British novelist and short story writer Roald Dahl served as a fighter pilot in Britain's Royal Air Force during World War II. The author of children's books, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has sold over 250 million books worldwide since his first publication in 1943. Notably, September 13, 2016, marks the 100th birth anniversary of the novelist.