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In this follow-up to The Rifle, Andrew Biggio returns with more untold stories from the rapidly fading ranks of America’s World War II veterans.
What began as a simple discovery — the powerful emotional impact his M1 Garand had on the men who once carried it — became a mission. Biggio set out to place that rifle into the hands of as many veterans as possible, capturing the memories it stirred and the stories that poured out.
In this second volume, he shares unforgettable accounts from the men who fought in history’s most devastating conflict. Among them are Jake Ruser, Ed Cottrell, and Len Messineo — heroes who have all signed Valor Studios art.
We have a limited number of first-edition hardcovers, each featuring an exclusive bookplate signed by 4th ID medic Jake Ruser, the subject of Chapter 17, “A World of Hurt.” Secure your copy while supplies last.
Includes a COA // shipping added in checkout // ships bubble wrapped & boxed
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Andrew has had a passion for World War II history since a very young age. Tragically, both of his grandfathers lost a brother killed in action during the war. From childhood, Andrew was taught about sacrifice and service.
After graduating from Malden Catholic High School in 2006, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served as an infantry rifleman during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Andrew completed six years in the Marines, leaving the service as a sergeant. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Following college, Andrew felt called to continue serving. In 2015, he was sworn in as a police officer and continues to serve in Massachusetts law enforcement. In 2017, he earned a master’s degree in Homeland Security from Northeastern University in Boston.
Andrew is the founder of Boston’s Wounded Vet Run, New England’s largest motorcycle ride dedicated to severely wounded veterans. For the past decade, he has worked to assist soldiers, Marines, airmen, and sailors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with serious injuries. His nonprofit organization has provided housing modifications, transportation, financial support, and basic living assistance to some of America’s most severely wounded combat veterans. Andrew collects no salary from the nonprofit.
While serving his own generation of veterans, Andrew recognized the urgency of honoring World War II veterans as their numbers rapidly declined. He saw the importance of connecting their hard-earned lessons about life after combat with today’s veterans. That realization sparked a five-year journey.
After meeting with more than two hundred veterans, Andrew published his account of that experience in The Rifle. At an average age of ninety-four, there was one instrument that consistently brought these men and women back to World War II: the M1 Garand. As the standard-issue rifle of the era, each veteran carried distinct memories of the weapon. Simply placing their hands on it acted like a time machine, carrying them back more than seventy-five years — and through it, their most powerful stories were told.
