Episode 609: The Rifle 2 – Combat Stories from America’s Last WWII Veterans
Newt's World
Gingrich 360
4.6 • 6.4K Ratings
🗓️ 23 September 2023
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
When Iraq and Afghanistan Marine veteran Andrew Biggio purchased a 1945 M1 Garand rifle, the same rifle his uncle had used in World War II, it led him on a journey to find the last living World War II veterans and document their stories and have them sign his rifle. Newt’s guest is Andrew Biggio, author of “The Rifle 2: Back to the Battlefield”.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | On this episode of Newt's World, when Andrew Bigeo returned from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan |
| 0:10.1 | with US Marines, he had huge questions about the price of war. |
| 0:14.4 | He decided to ask those who he knew would understand, veterans of World War II. |
| 0:20.2 | His journey began when he bought a 1945 M1 Grand Rifle and handed it to his neighbor, World |
| 0:27.1 | War II veteran corporal, Joseph Drago. |
| 0:30.2 | The rifle unlocked memories that Drago had kept on spoken for 50 years. |
| 0:35.0 | Now, over 100 veteran signatures cover Bigeo's M1 Grand Rifle and he has heard both the |
| 0:41.0 | heroics and pain of the stories behind them. |
| 0:43.7 | He began sharing these veteran stories with the world in his first book, The Rifle. |
| 0:49.0 | And now he is back to share more in the highly anticipated sequel, The Rifle II, back |
| 0:55.0 | to the battlefield. |
| 0:56.5 | So I'm really pleased to welcome back my guest, Andrew Bigeo. |
| 1:00.3 | He served as an infantry sergeant in the US Marine Corps and is a veteran of Iraq and |
| 1:04.6 | Afghanistan. |
| 1:05.6 | He currently serves on the police force in Boston, Massachusetts and as president of New |
| 1:11.1 | England's wounded veterans' ink. |
| 1:21.8 | Andrew, welcome back and thank you for joining me again on Newt's World. |
| 1:25.8 | Thanks for having me again. |
| 1:27.5 | It's awesome to be back and never thought this project would spawn a second book. |
| 1:31.8 | You did a remarkable job. |
| 1:33.0 | You know, you last joined me on Newt's World in June of 2021. |
| 1:37.6 | To talk about your first book, The Rifle, Combat Stories from America's last World War |
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