Andrew Biggio

Andrew Biggio is a Marine veteran and author of The Rifle. He spent years traveling around the country collecting the stories of America's last living World War II veterans, all of whom are now in their late 90s or early 100s.

Andrew Biggio is a Marine veteran and author of The Rifle. He spent years traveling around the country collecting the stories of America's last living World War II veterans, all of whom are now in their late 90s or early 100s.

Sure. And you asked me if I prefer to be called Andrew or Andy. And yes, my name is Andrew, but I go by Andy because... That was my grandfather's brother who was killed in World War II, Andy Biggio. And I'm named after him. So when I survived Iraq and Afghanistan, I was trying to figure out a good way to honor my great uncle. I came home from combat deployments, read his letters home.

Sure. And you asked me if I prefer to be called Andrew or Andy. And yes, my name is Andrew, but I go by Andy because... That was my grandfather's brother who was killed in World War II, Andy Biggio. And I'm named after him. So when I survived Iraq and Afghanistan, I was trying to figure out a good way to honor my great uncle. I came home from combat deployments, read his letters home.

And they really changed my life. And one of the letters he wrote home before he was killed in action in Italy was how much he enjoyed the M1 rifle, the rifle. So I went out and purchased one and then found myself traveling the country with it and putting it in hundreds and

And they really changed my life. And one of the letters he wrote home before he was killed in action in Italy was how much he enjoyed the M1 rifle, the rifle. So I went out and purchased one and then found myself traveling the country with it and putting it in hundreds and

hundreds of different World War II veterans' hands and arms and recording their story, recording their reaction and their memories. And little did I know, I was on this therapeutic journey for seven years meeting these men and women, over 500 World War II veterans.

hundreds of different World War II veterans' hands and arms and recording their story, recording their reaction and their memories. And little did I know, I was on this therapeutic journey for seven years meeting these men and women, over 500 World War II veterans.

90 what? No, 102.

90 what? No, 102.

Sure. There was once 16 million World War II veterans. The VA and the government judged that by the 16 million... medals given out, which were the World War II victory medals. So that doesn't even mean the 16 million that served may have even served in combat. They were just people who earned that medal. That's what the numbers they go by for World War II.

Sure. There was once 16 million World War II veterans. The VA and the government judged that by the 16 million... medals given out, which were the World War II victory medals. So that doesn't even mean the 16 million that served may have even served in combat. They were just people who earned that medal. That's what the numbers they go by for World War II.

I think the VA now thinks there's less than 120,000 World War II veterans nationwide of the 116 million.

I think the VA now thinks there's less than 120,000 World War II veterans nationwide of the 116 million.

Over the past year, it's hard to say, but I think of the 500 names featured on my rifle, because each veteran I had actually... sign their name on the rifle to remember them. I would say maybe there's 40 still alive of the 500 that I came close to know, and some closer than others. I have a funeral this Sunday for a gentleman who was really close to me. His name was Ed Cottrell.

Over the past year, it's hard to say, but I think of the 500 names featured on my rifle, because each veteran I had actually... sign their name on the rifle to remember them. I would say maybe there's 40 still alive of the 500 that I came close to know, and some closer than others. I have a funeral this Sunday for a gentleman who was really close to me. His name was Ed Cottrell.

He was one of America's last P-47 fighter pilots. He died at age 103. And I was the first person to bring him back to Belgium, where he flew his 65 missions during the Battle of the Bulge. And we found his old runway. We found the crash site of some of his wingmen with pieces of their planes still in the soil that the German farmers had dug up over the years that they collected it in barns.

He was one of America's last P-47 fighter pilots. He died at age 103. And I was the first person to bring him back to Belgium, where he flew his 65 missions during the Battle of the Bulge. And we found his old runway. We found the crash site of some of his wingmen with pieces of their planes still in the soil that the German farmers had dug up over the years that they collected it in barns.

Oh, amazing. We located his wingman's grave, who was buried in Holland. And we took him to see his wingman, his best friend, Ted Smith's grave for the first time in 80 years.

Oh, amazing. We located his wingman's grave, who was buried in Holland. And we took him to see his wingman, his best friend, Ted Smith's grave for the first time in 80 years.