Posted on 09/06/2017 1:28:35 AM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
Without question, we here at Conservative Tribune have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for those now-grizzled, old men who, more than 70 years ago, put their lives on the line in the first flush of youth to defend freedom and liberty in World War II.
Our admiration and respect for one particular veteran of that war only grew after witnessing how, all these decades later, the man could still shoot a rifle with professionally trained precision, according to Veterans Today.
In 2009, then-84-year-old Ted Gundy, a veteran of the 1944 Battle of the Bulge who had served in the U.S. Army as a sniper, got in touch with the Shooting USA TV program to inquire about the 1,000-yard shots modern-day snipers make.
In response to his inquiry, the program set up a meeting with him to try his own hand at the shot, making all of the arrangements to bring him out to Fort Benning, Georgia, to meet with and be honored by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit.
Aside from getting a tour of the National Infantry Museum and receiving an honorary "black hat" representing the prestigious sniper unit, Gundy also received an exact replica of the scoped 1903 Springfield A4 bolt-action sniper rifle he had used in the war.
Taking three shots at 300 yards, pretty much the longest range snipers of his era trained for, the old vet rang steel with all three shots, placing his third bullet right in the smack dead center of the target.
Then Gundy got a chance to fire a modern sniper rifle, a custom Remington 700 bolt-action sniper rifle, and amazingly, considering it was his first time touching such a rifle or shooting at such distances, landed three headshots on a steel target 1,000 yards away.
You can watch the entire segment right here, including Gundy being honored, receiving his replica '03 Springfield, and dropping jaws with his stunning accuracy at a range he had never shot before.
You'll probably enjoy it. Almost 2.6 million YouTube users have watched it only to be amazed at the scene. The shooting starts about the 2:40 mark:
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVdqxkHd2RQ
Sadly, we are no longer blessed with Gundy's presence, as he passed away in 2015 at the age of 90-years-old in his hometown of Memphis, Missouri.
The WWII sniper who had served in the 99th Infantry Division, earning a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, got married and had six kids after the war, and continued to shoot for fun as he ran a gun shop out of his basement, while also serving as a Boy Scout troop leader and safety instructor for a Junior Rifle Club.
The old vet might be missed, but he will never be forgotten, especially after picking up a custom rifle he'd never handled before and ringing steel at a distance of more than three times what he had ever trained for.
Please share this on Facebook and Twitter so everyone can see an old WWII veteran sniper who could still shoot like he did in the war several decades later.
“73 years ago an 84 year old man would have been 11 years old. Something doesn’t compute”
#TechnicalCorrectnessMatters
2009-84=1925 he would have 19 in 1944.
Article states he was 84 in 2009 when this meeting took place. End of WW2 he would have been ~20 years old.
Sweet! Bump for later viewing...
“86-year-old veteran sniper still has perfect aim.”
There are a whole bunch of “old veterans” out here who aren’t to be trifled with.
FASCINATING STORY:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oBmy5trLZE
Hard to see the video...my eyes were a little...foggy.
Good shooting, sir!
6 Million Jaws.
Coffee. I need coffee. (I already had my glasses on.)
Ping for later viewing...
My trigger finger is the only thing that works anymore.
was referring to the headline in present tense - I noted headline error
Uhh, I think we are in the same boat.
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