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Physically deteriorated, but mentally, a sharp, sharp man. I can't believe there aren't many left. It will be a sad day when we lose our last hero from that generation.
Which is why we must educate our children, and they educate their children about the greatest generation to ever live. The brave allied forces who fought for our current way of life.
Venting to myself, What do you mean by this? Do you mean they might’ve killed kids that the Nazis used as soldiers? Because they had every right to kill them. It is tragic that the Nazis did that. It was nearing the end of the war and they were getting desperate. But ultimately, those kids were enemy combatants trying to kill them, it was self defense. Of course I doubt there were any us troops who wanted to or were happy to kill kids. When it gets down to it, if somebody is firing a gun at you, you don’t really care.
Thats the lie we were told. In reality it was a group of young men slaughtering each other for international banking cartels. Both world wars were totally unecessary when you start to do real research.
llzermll , those quotes you refer to were not invented nor written for the movie Full Metal Jacket. The Marine Corps actually used those Quotes. Long before the movie ever came out.
And it got him through them.... alive. That's a powerful bond. And of course, so did his fellow marines, but squad members change over time. That gun was with him the whole time and I bet it never once failed on him. Looks like everyone who had it kept it very clean and well-cared for.
And probably his most proud days as well. These are the men we left the safety of this nation too. And now people want communism here on our soil?!?! DISGUSTING!!!!
Silence and let the man speak, it's hard to not speak when holding the camera and "filling the silence" but the production is so much better when you do. The camera holding person's words imposes too much on the scene as they are close to the built in mic. Try using a mic on your main subject, not on the phone/camera.
wherever he is now… thank you sir, for everything. for fighting for freedom while risking your life. on behalf of myself and whoever hasn’t said it, thank you.
Love when he starts talking about it/sharing details/memories. So many make the mistake of "babying" or trying to explain things to older people when they know/remember/understand more than the rest of us.
It has to be weird becoming old. To hate the idea and being told you're too old to do certain stuff while also realizing you're too old to be doing certain stuff
You know what's really sad? Some people dont want to hear about those ol stories or care about those old medals. My Grandfather used to pick me up from work and take me to lunch and he would tell me stories about the war and his life that he had never told anyone else...because I wanted to hear it. I always wanted to know more about him. When he passed. He left me a lot. Including his photo albums and medals from the war. The most important thing I was left was the memories he shared with me and being happy I spent so much time with him.
J A his dad kept all the paper work on it from what i can tell . He probably googled the model and serial and it so happened to pop up some how . see at the end where he started to look at his paper work yeah he probably used that luckily his dad kept it
This old vets humility and heroism. As a nurse who has had the privilege to care for these heroes it breaks my heart how fast they are leaving us. God bless these soldiers who laid it all on the line for us living a comfortable life today.
I could listen to this marine’s war story’s all day long. God bless him and his family. In this mans day there was no room for snowflakes, only grit and determination. Thank you marine for all you’ve done and for your service. 👏👏👏
@@ashtonfitzgerald1445 no, that describes those that have no regard for those brave men who sacrificed to give them the freedom to down our country and hate it. Your overreaction to the term makes the whole case for using the term.
Bram he said it takes him back to the corps. I don’t want to be that dick who corrects people but I thought you should know :) still beautiful nonetheless
I love the way the kid just doesn't release the rifle without checking first his grandpa could hold the weight without being harmed, that's a real family caring boy.
I lost my WW2 vet grandfather in 2007. Back in the 90s, as a boy in his early teens, I remember sitting by his side listening to his war stories. I would just sit there listening even if it took all day. I never got tired of his stories even if they got repeated a lot. i miss my grandfather and this video reminds me of him. Thank you!
You never forget your rifle. I left the Marines in 1993. I can still remember the feel, the smell, the bounce of the recoil in my shoulder. Every vivid detail... Salute to the family for reuniting these two old friends.
It's actually a very common occurrence.. Same with old musicians, dancers etc.. When they hear, see, feel something that was such a big or significant thing of their lives.. Its like synapses that are dormant/damaged all of the sudden start "working properly" again.. With people that have Alzheimers.. It can sometimes help them to prolong their moments of clarity, depending of the severity ofcourse.. For the really far along cases, its like they snap back during what reminds them.. Once it's removed from their presence they go back to the demented state. Sadly..
When the kid reaches out at about 4:29 to feel the wood of the old handguard... I dunno how many of these rifles retained their original wood after those rebuilds, but that physical connection to his family's history you just can't put a price on.
What pisses me off is that politicians take it upon themselves to have these literal pieces of history destroyed, and do it with pride. It breaks my heart.
my sks was captured in nam. then recaptured by the north when the usa left. it then went into storage then to canada for 30 years before the boxes were found and ship[ped to a few gunstores here. man. this gun is staying with me forever. and same with grandpas gun he carried in ww2
It breaks mine too. My great grandpa fought in the war as well, but in Japan. He brought back some fine pieces, firearms and other things, all Japanese, and i they our prized possessions, or at least to me. It takes a special person to understand the depth of the history of an object, especially a rifle.
@@rattyratstuff7125 I wouldn't trust communist manufactured weapons from that war, only because of US operations that involved booby trapping the weapons and ammunition they captured from NVA caches and then redistributing it along the ho chi minh trail. Even to this day you can still unknowingly buy left over eldest son ammunition if you buy surplus 7.62. Cool rifle though.
We are losing more and more of these men everyday. Soon, when they're all gone, vietnam vets will be as old as they are and the cycle will continue. Let's honor every generation of our fighting men!
@Stavros S. but your leaders werent? bitch please your countries were on the brink of falling apart and they saw the war against the fascists as an excuse to unite their people.
US joined the war only when they realized Stalin already defeated Hitler , and did not want to let whole Europe to be liberated by communists, WW2 was won in the Stalingrad battle and not on the fake battles of America
They may be older, but they’re still the sharpest around. My great grandfather was sharp as a tack til he passed in 1998. They’re definitely the greatest generation to ever exist.
My friend has one that belonged to his grandfather but the funny thing is, he got it from a Soviet who found it on the battlefield and traded it for a Mosin he found on the battlefield.
I dunno, I think marines -as one myself- should let their weapon be used by the new guys coming in. But when that rifle is being circulated out, I think it should be given to the marine who had it first.
I agree, this country blows money on nothing all the time. It's worth having a new one made to let our fighting men and women keep theirs imo. If they choose to.
Channel Yes, you are correct. What I meant by my comment was that any marine that was issued a rifle should be given the option to keep that rifle upon honorably being discharged of his/her service. There are some marines that may choose to not take the rifle if the option were given. I know marines that didn’t take anything but their civies back home with them. They chose to close that chapter in their lives as they left the base and headed for home. They stepped off the plane in the states and nobody would have known that no more than 24 hours ago they were even in the marines.
“A story...a man fires a rifle for many years, then goes off to war. And afterwards he turns the rifle in at the armory and he realizes that no matter what else he might do with his hands...build a house....love a woman.....change his sons diaper....his hands will always remember the rifle”
You do not understand the bond between an old warrior and his issued weapon. It's different now. Back then that rifle was your best friend, your lover, your protector, and your provider.
He explicitly told them from the go that he really couldn't give that much of a shit. You could feel the ripple in the room as he took the wind out of the big production they'd made out of it all, and they had to quickly remind him how actually he does care and here's his rifle, get ready for a big hoop-la and a speech. He looked like he'd been handed a log he once painted a face on. He made an effort to be into it but he looked like he'd be a lot happier doing something else than dealing with that heavy-ass thing, yet again, thanks. Couldn't wait to get rid of it.... Lol.
The reviver is his ORIGINAL M1 but the wood is all replaced. It’s basically a classic car with a modern motor in it. Great family! We appreciate your service and I salute you sir!
It pisses me off that most people today don't even want to comprehend what was asked of that man and his generation. God bless you sir and all those who went on before you.
I couldn't agree more. Unbelievable that all this happened just 75 years ago. We need to teach our kids as much as we can about ww2. All the wars for that matter .
When I got back from Iraq the first time I went, me and my buddy went to the mall to pick up some much needed supplies. Walking around without my rifle was so weird at first. I can't imagine what it was like for this gentleman. It looks like he took great care of it.
Did anyone else notice how he mimicked reloading whe he explained how to reload the rifle? After all the years he still has his muscle memory for reloading. Beautiful video. Thank you for sharing thi part of your family's story. God bless you all!
I was doing an A.C. service call at a little beauty shop. As I was putting some tools in my truck the owners husband noticed the rifle case on my back seat. He asked if I was a hunter. I told him not really that it was an M1 Garand I had just purchased. His eyes were the size of silver dollars. " An M1 you say?" "You mind opening the case?" I opened the door and opened the case. He stood there looking like he'd just seen his first pair of boobs. He started motioning like he was picking it up. "May I?" I told him yes, go right ahead. He picked it up and in a crisp military manner came to attention and cycled the action. He had the biggest grin on his face. " Lemme show you something young man" he placed his hand in the operating handle and released the bolt. "If ya don't keep that thumb against your finger like your saluting you're gonna get an M1 Thumb". After all those years he could still operate that rifle in his sleep! I used to love going over there and talking with him. He has since passed and is sorely missed
Revolver Ocelot I really do wonder why and how the voice types changed because there is a huge difference in how people from the 40s/50s talked than they do now
So sorry for your loss. Lost my pops August 30. Left a emptiness that will always be painful. Love them while you have them folks. When they are gone it's over until you both journey to paradise. RIP DAD. I LOVE YOU.
My dad was issued an M1 in the early 60s when he was in the Marines, he was also a bar man, then they made him fire team leader. He made the transition to the M14. He said the M1 was his favorite though. Later in life he could still remember his rifle serial number and how many clicks of elevation to hit targets 200, 300, and 500 yards. They gave him a 21 gun salute with M1s at his funeral.
The local American Legion gave him the rifle salute, the Marines had an honor guard there too. They folded the flag and presented it to his wife. I'm sorry about the confusion between a 21 gun salute & a rifle salute.
That's really cool.What a sweet, wonderful gesture. I can't imagine how much that would mean to me to get my rifle I carried in Afghanistan back after 50 years.
If memory serves, they used a top feeding system called stripper clips ( ammunition on a strip of metal ) that they'd fit into a groove on the top, and press the ammunition into the rifle.
It's a shame that there's so few of these old boys left to tell their stories, my dad's uncle was a mid upper gunner on a halifax for the RCAF and I got to spend a lot of time with him which was really lucky
My Dad was a Bombardier on a B17. The crew used to "joke", as they watched other ships shot up and going down, '...at least we aren't in the Infantry'.
My grandfather was in the infantry and had a sort of a great time, he wasn’t having fun when he and his buddies were getting bombed shot up with German MG fire on Omaha Beach on D-Day, but he was a ruthless killer and showed no mercy to the nazi scum. Unless they surrendered of course.
@@kmeddow2002 Your grandfather seems to be a very honorable man, a ferocious fighter to his enemy but honorable if the enemy surrenders, we need people like that nowadays, most people don't have honor or devotion to duty anymore.
As soon as they opened the bolt, he came alive and his eyes looked young as ever again, and he started opening up about the gun as if it was all just yesterday.
I was at Parris Island in 1982 and we used the same pit to mark and raise the targets. We shot I believe at 500 yards. We had the M16. That M1 does look heavy. Semper Fi Brother. Oorah !
What an incredible and selfless man. He immediately prioritized and worried over your finances, and insisted that the rifle stay in your home for his kids, grandkids, and future generations of shooters. Outstanding.
I would had never let my kids handle a rifle until the age of 17 . I don't mind keeping the rifle but I would put it on someplace safe , that's bad parenting
My great, great, grandfather carried the m1 garand for 2 years during WW2. I wish I could have found his before he died. I have a M1 garand, I wish it was his. He served his country well. Thank you Veterans. God bless.
Watching this video brings back memories with my grandpa.. He served in the Navy during WW2 and wore his Navy cap with honor everyday. My dad also took him to Washington DC with his fellow US veterans 5 years ago. My grandpa was speechless when he saw the WW2 Memorial and the naval yard.
@@fraskf6765 Even the men who fought on the axis side were brave men. *This does not count any of them who commited war crimes*. Putting your life on the line is an incredible sacrifice.
Monier boudhedda what did they achieve just by randomly been put out of there moms vaginas the right moment? What did they do for that which would be so great? Back in the days there definitely where giant assholes just like great great people. Can you please argue otherwise? Also I don't get why anyone would glorify war and soldiers, in WW 2 they did what was needed, and that's nice and all, some died, some killed, but that doesn't make any soldier into a hero, and probably some didn't even rly got before army what army means, just manipulated in all sides into thinking that problems which weren't theirs were theirs. And if I respect US soldiers so hardcore, than I need to respect anyone which went by the same principles, like any soldier around the world, who probably thought they're doing right. I rly don't get why I should waste my time honoring soldiers who killed each other, but humans in general, understanding and learning from war, shure, awesome, but all the honoring is just necessary for a soldier who doesn't know by him self what's great and bad, and need the honor to know he's doing absolutely great stuff. Switch my mind.
@@Southernguitar74 And I go with the "Australopithecus afarensis" which lived 3.9-2.9 million years ago before any of the things you guys are talking about, I will build a memorial for him, do restoration @ stone age tools, and than I will honor him daily, and thank him for his great service, without I couldn't exist today! And that I respect him so much for his living skill back in the day, rly respect for those great caves and for not completely dying and killing the human race with him, oh and did I mention the great Roman Empire? Thanks for the pipes that transport my shit in hygienic ways, so we aren't all getting I'll and dying from it. Just cause I can't live like a human million years ago I don't honor him, interesting and all, definitely, but just like I couldn't live back in the day he probably couldn't live that good in our age and all, and he did what was needed to have today what we have, maybe if he did other stuff today would be different, maybe better, maybe less good, idfk. Also we don't know, maybe if the Germans won the world, after that we would maybe got a Revolution, and restarted an even better and greater USA, who knows? That's to theoretical to safely say everything which happened with our war generation for example is so nice, we have no idea what COULD'VE HAPPENED.
I think he thought he needed to play along so he doesn't disappoint his family, cause he respects their work, but who the hell needs such a old rifle/tool with such a bloody story if not a historian, archiver or collector? He didn't even wanted to keep it, i think cause he thought his family likes the thing more than he does, he didn't looked that euphoric when he got asked to hang it over his bed. Not that all of this would be bad, just my thought, lot of older people I know care less and less about materialistic stuff, putting everything away (gifts/trash), so nobody need to clean there stuff when dead, just keeping what they definitely need to live, and seeing all other stuff as unnecessary which could get ballast.
M1's aren't that expensive really. But because Gpa comes from that era, anything over 500$ would be considered insane. I own a WWII M1 and only paid 750$. Historical rifles like this aren't that expensive at all really, I even have a Russian SVT-41 that I got for 800. Mind you this in Canada, so this guy probably got it for a good 200 less then I did.
Pickled Sausages you didn’t get it, this gun is precious to him because he used it to defend himself against enemy during WWII. Also it brought great memories to him.
Such an amazing video. My grandfather is 96. He flew P38 lightnings. I just bought a CMP national match Navy M1 1945. Mk2 1965 nato conversion 7.62x51. It will be in my hand tomorrow. The history and story of these rifles are truly amazing. God Bless your dad, I did 10 years in the Army, 4 tours in Afghanistan. And my family history is all service related. From WWII till present day.
I didn't find it that surprising, only heart him talk by him self about reloading, would expect to not forget that, otherwise, did I miss anything? Is there anything bad with accepting of age and degrading brains?
@@georgohls281 its amazing for me because I don't know many people of that era. Some people I meant where just souless bodies... Final stage of demencia or even alzheimer. There where very few to talk. Sadly.
Talk about getting back memories from objects! Like for example, being a World War 2 veteran and getting your M1 Garand after years and years and years. I think it is beautiful.
This gentleman is a National Treasure. A part of our Greatest generation. Thank You for your Service Sir. It is obvious that he has been a Special person in life and it is reflected in the Love that his family shows for him. God Bless him and his entire family
Umm my grategranddad was a w11 vet and died last year i meet him 2 time and he showed me the meatals it was honestly a huge honor to hear his storys and stuff
God bless that man. I have so much respect for him. Give him a hug or a handshake, whatever you feel like. Watching him see the rifle really made my day
You have no clue what is coming in the future. In the 80's they thought we'd have flying cars by now, but we're still pretty similar to then. (Not including the internet) but you never know what's to come whether glorious or tragic.
I found this to be a very beautiful moment. Everything coming into full circle. I can listen to this man's stories for hours, days, weeks. I have the utmost highest respect for the men and women who fought during the war of wars. I salute you sir and I'm happy your family went all that way to reunite you with a long lost friend.
