The greatest generation. This man exemplifies it. Modest but dedicated. My uncle was a Marine on Iwo and he carried a BAR. He owned a lot of guns and even brought home a Samurai sword that he had taken from an officer during battle. When I first saw that sword in his glass front gun case (nobody had gun safes) I asked about it. And if I could hold it? He said ok, but don’t pull the sword out of the sheath. So he laid the sword across my two hands. I examined it and was in complete awe. He then slowly took it back. I asked him if he would take out the sword out? He said he would but not to touch the blade, that it’s sharper than any knife you will ever see. He slowly pulled the sword from the sheath and it actually made that sound you see in the movies. I looked at the edge blade up close and it was so thin that it almost seemed transparent. Simply amazing craftsmanship. You knew that many people died by the edge of this blade. My cousin has it now. Not sure what will happen to it but my uncle was offered $100k for it. He turned down the offer.
Loved this video. My grandpa was a BAR man in Company G, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He once told me that he'd melted the barrel of his BAR during the Battle of the Bulge from all the shooting that he did. He said that his sergeant told him "You really did it this time" and had to go off and find a replacement BAR for my grandpa to use.
It actually frightens me. Think about it. They are still 20 in thier mind but stuck in that prison of an aging body. No disrespect intended of course but it's always been an aspect of mortality that truly disturbs me
@@physetermacrocephalus2209 Yes! I am blessed with a 40 year old mind and am trapped in this 78 year old body that won't let me do much anymore. Sucks!
Some of them. My elderly relatives suffered through the isolation of Covid and it didn't do them any good at all. Memory problems and Alzeimers diagnosis etc
My pap was first wave Iwo Jima and he was a bar man also he loved his weapon the only downside he had was keeping it clean in volcanic ash and it’s weight but he was also carrying his own ammo because his ammo man found a bar from a fallen marine so they figured two was better then one
@ awsome they where definitely special people to go threw all that and be completely stable and head strong Amazing still think of him when I think I can’t do something
@ ya pops said officers flamethrowers machine gunners bar men then targets of opportunity he said you could find 1911’s everywhere that the officers got rid of so they didn’t stick out
You would be shocked how many actors served. Lee Marvin, Eddy Albert, Bronson, Stewart, Garner… it is a remarkable list. Like how he smiled when they gave him the rifle.
God bless you Mr Shipe and wishing you a very merry Christmas!! Forever thankful for the service and sacrifice of those who answered the call to action for our great nation and so thankful to be able to hear their stories
Thank you Sir, you may not consider yourself a hero. But, not 1 day of my life goes bye without the greatest admiration for the greatest generation! I am forever grateful to all who sacrificed and served!
My grandfather was an MG gunner in WWI and he told my dad he always respected he’ll out of the BAR - don’t think he was issues one but he spoke to my dad about it’s reliability and portability ( probably compared to his heavy water cooled MG.). It was still on service in the 50s when my Dad was in the Marines and he said same thing. Despite its shortcomings I never heard anyone say it wasn’t a solid reliable weapon - just heavy and the 20 rd mag wasn’t enough in a firefight...
I own a live-firing BAR and with a 20 round loaded mag, the thing is a pig. Its so damn heavy. I cannot imagine carrying it during combat with all that additional ammo and my other equipment. Some of these men were like 5'6 -5'7, 150lbs, carrying a 20lb rifle with 200+ rounds of ammo and all their equipment... That is a wild thing to think about.
This is what a real man looks like. Thank you sir for fighting for, defending and securing our freedom. May we learn to be more like you in heart, deed and spirit. 🦅🇺🇸❤️
Absolutely. I'd pay to sit around guys like this in awe of their experience but also out of respect. Nobody told them you have to go, they knew the calling
Its incredible seeing these guys who are so old, but still sharp as a tack mentally. This dude recalls what happened 79 years ago, I forgot what I ate for breakfast....
We do. It's called a "squad automatic weapon". It was replaced by the SAW M249 which is a badass weapon. They just switched over to the XM250. The light machine gun role absolutely did not disappear after the BAR was retired.
My Dad was a combat veteran in Korea from 1952-53. He was in the 2nd ID, 38 Inf. Reg, 8th Army. He told me the BAR was a crucial weapon for them on top of the hill outpost Princeton. Nothing better he said. Only slight drawback was the weight.
My Dad, was a BAR man in Italy. Though his stature was small with the weapon was nearly as tall as he was, he like it because he did not have to carry his ammo which was assigned to another man. He landed at Anzio but was wounded outside of Pizza. After getting, by himself, to the forward aid station his wounds were so great that he was put into an induced coma until April of '45 after the surgery.
@@hanoitripper1809 I would have to assume so, it wouldn't of made sense for them to be completely unarmed. I'm guessing they had some type of lighter gun like an M1 carbine or a Thompson as to not weigh them down too much.
5:57 "There was no more time for bullsh- for that" 😂 I love how you can know how they talked in the field but in public or around women/children they were taught to use respectful language!
My father carried a BAR on Okinawa in Company I 382nd Regiment of the 96th Infantry Division. If you’ve seen the movie “Hacksaw Ridge”, it depicts the EXACT time my father was in combat with the Japanese. He was one of many, many replacements in that division as it took horrendous casualties. He joined the division when it was pulled off the line for rest and replacements in early May 1945. They moved back to the front lines around May 10th. It is a miracle he survived Okinawa. The replacements got slaughtered because they were poorly trained and had no combat experience.
Wow. Great interview. Amazing how happy he seemed to hold a BAR again almost 80 years after he said he had lost held one while serving in World War 2. Great that he seems very healthy with great recall of his WW2 experiences and a good sense of humor. 👍
The marching cadence song went, 'I don't want a BAR, honey'. I was told that's because you became the enemy's primary target to neutralize. This fellow was brave, and he had the grit and determination enough to carry that 20 lb weapon with heaps of ammo. Wow. Boys were men back then.
I had a chance to shoot a full auto BAR once. There is a range in Las Vegas where you can rent one, and an armorer will come out to the during line with you to keep an eye on you. When this gentleman said "almost no recoil" my first thought was "Jesus, he's way tougher than me, I had a hard time controlling the BAR". Well, he's a WWII vet, so it goes without saying he's still way tougher than me, but when he said *if you put it in a table it would move forward", I realized he had as right. It wasn't tough to control because it was pushing me back or jumping up, it may ved forward, which was the last thing I was prepared for, like any full auto weapon firing a full sized rifle cartridge, I was leaning into the gun. A neat lesson in how the BAR actually works, and if he can make it out to Las Vegas, I believe he can rent one and put a magazine through it for about $50
Thinking by comparison the only weapon equal to this would be the FN-FAL Light machine gun, which came out some time later, but is still in service in some countries today. (30 round magazine on the BAR would have won the war on it's own!)
The British Bren gun (and the Czech weapons it was based off ) was better in nearly every category. Quick change barrel, 30 round top mount magazine etc. The BAR was cool as hell but a very primitive weapons.
I have so much respect for these guys... My daddy was a gunner in a tank destroyer, he fought in France and Germany... He made it back or I would not be here.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Join the fight and help honor our military heroes' sacrifice at the Purple Heart Foundation - purpleheartfoundation.org/
On Christmas Eve of 2024 we still have veterans like this that we should should be eternally thankful for!
Very few, unfortunately. Even the Korea vets are in their 90s now.
Trump's "losers" are amazing, last great generation. Both my GPs...
Hell ya!!! This is what it is about.
Man has never forgotten!
@@bdpage2023 Your the loser lib.
Hell yeah ! He’s a true hero
The smile on his face when he held it again is priceless.
This man is living history. Bob hope you found peace in life after the war.
Dude is 96 years old...crisp and clear headed still
This fine Gentleman, ROCKS! Thank you dear Sir for your Great Service ♥️🫶🕯🇺🇲🕯🫶♥️
Thank you sir for your service and your story.
The greatest generation. This man exemplifies it. Modest but dedicated. My uncle was a Marine on Iwo and he carried a BAR. He owned a lot of guns and even brought home a Samurai sword that he had taken from an officer during battle. When I first saw that sword in his glass front gun case (nobody had gun safes) I asked about it. And if I could hold it? He said ok, but don’t pull the sword out of the sheath. So he laid the sword across my two hands. I examined it and was in complete awe. He then slowly took it back. I asked him if he would take out the sword out? He said he would but not to touch the blade, that it’s sharper than any knife you will ever see.
He slowly pulled the sword from the sheath and it actually made that sound you see in the movies. I looked at the edge blade up close and it was so thin that it almost seemed transparent. Simply amazing craftsmanship. You knew that many people died by the edge of this blade. My cousin has it now. Not sure what will happen to it but my uncle was offered $100k for it. He turned down the offer.
Loved this video. My grandpa was a BAR man in Company G, 109th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. He once told me that he'd melted the barrel of his BAR during the Battle of the Bulge from all the shooting that he did. He said that his sergeant told him "You really did it this time" and had to go off and find a replacement BAR for my grandpa to use.
Saw that with the saw it’s no lie. Gets so hot it turns white and you can see the flashes of black flying through the barrel.
I started my army career with the M-60. Some people hated it, some loved it. I was no fan of its weight, but it was awesome for firepower.
They heavy but kicks ass
He’s a proud veteran . And he should be proud . These people
Need to be cherished
It always amazes me how sharp their memories are.
Me too my mom was born during the war and can’t remember what she had for breakfast
It actually frightens me. Think about it. They are still 20 in thier mind but stuck in that prison of an aging body. No disrespect intended of course but it's always been an aspect of mortality that truly disturbs me
@@physetermacrocephalus2209 Yes! I am blessed with a 40 year old mind and am trapped in this 78 year old body that won't let me do much anymore. Sucks!
Experiences like these, you don't ever forget.
Some of them. My elderly relatives suffered through the isolation of Covid and it didn't do them any good at all. Memory problems and Alzeimers diagnosis etc
The veneration for the weapon that his life depended on. God bless this man for all the sacrifices.
What an amazing American hero!!
Yes
Hey, @@joshwelner1951 nice to see you here, have a Merry Christmas!
@seth1704 Merry Christmas to you and family as well
My pap was first wave Iwo Jima and he was a bar man also he loved his weapon the only downside he had was keeping it clean in volcanic ash and it’s weight but he was also carrying his own ammo because his ammo man found a bar from a fallen marine so they figured two was better then one
My Dad was on Iwo too. He was a BAR man too.
@ awsome they where definitely special people to go threw all that and be completely stable and head strong Amazing still think of him when I think I can’t do something
Yes 2 bars are better than one.
A BAR man who was in the pacific said you didn't want to run them wide open because the Japanese would kmow you had one and take you out first.
@ ya pops said officers flamethrowers machine gunners bar men then targets of opportunity he said you could find 1911’s everywhere that the officers got rid of so they didn’t stick out
No politician, no sports star, no rock star, no billionaire tech dude can hold a candle to this man…thank you sir
You would be shocked how many actors served. Lee Marvin, Eddy Albert, Bronson, Stewart, Garner… it is a remarkable list. Like how he smiled when they gave him the rifle.
Thank you, sir!
Thank ya'all for serving. Merry Christmas ya'all! 💚 ❤️ ❤️💚❤️💚
God bless you Mr Shipe and wishing you a very merry Christmas!! Forever thankful for the service and sacrifice of those who answered the call to action for our great nation and so thankful to be able to hear their stories
Thank you for this holiday season!
God bless you sir.
Merry Christmas to everyone as well ❤️
putting together a gun blindfolded. :o wow that's impressive.
Eyes lit up when he held it again! Love that generation.
Thanks to all our Veterans who served. Semper Fi.
Thank you Sir, you may not consider yourself a hero. But, not 1 day of my life goes bye without the greatest admiration for the greatest generation! I am forever grateful to all who sacrificed and served!
Genuinely thankful for your service. Badass
You don’t forget the means that kept you alive, and saved the lives of others … he knows it inside and out… God bless…
You don't forget the lives you had to take either i would assume.
This is fantastic! Merry Christmas 🎄
My grandfather was an MG gunner in WWI and he told my dad he always respected he’ll out of the BAR - don’t think he was issues one but he spoke to my dad about it’s reliability and portability ( probably compared to his heavy water cooled MG.). It was still on service in the 50s when my Dad was in the Marines and he said same thing. Despite its shortcomings I never heard anyone say it wasn’t a solid reliable weapon - just heavy and the 20 rd mag wasn’t enough in a firefight...
BAR was a turd...
I own a live-firing BAR and with a 20 round loaded mag, the thing is a pig. Its so damn heavy. I cannot imagine carrying it during combat with all that additional ammo and my other equipment. Some of these men were like 5'6 -5'7, 150lbs, carrying a 20lb rifle with 200+ rounds of ammo and all their equipment... That is a wild thing to think about.
Thank You so much for your service and lovely dedications to Our Beautiful USA Dear American Sir.🥰😍🤗❤🤍💙💯
Thanks!
Fabulous man. Fabulous interview.
This is what a real man looks like. Thank you sir for fighting for, defending and securing our freedom. May we learn to be more like you in heart, deed and spirit. 🦅🇺🇸❤️
Absolutely. I'd pay to sit around guys like this in awe of their experience but also out of respect. Nobody told them you have to go, they knew the calling
Its incredible seeing these guys who are so old, but still sharp as a tack mentally. This dude recalls what happened 79 years ago, I forgot what I ate for breakfast....
it needs a bigger magazine and quick change barrel
then it's an lmg, not an automatic rifle. it seems silly to make that distinction, but that's where our doctrine was at the time.
Wonderful weapon...U.S. Army ...ret.
Thanks for all these videos, guys.
Wish we still had BAR men! Respect to this badass legend and hero! Americas finest!
@@Onlyusemesuede every soldier is a BAR man now, given the firepower each soldier possesses.
We do. It's called a "squad automatic weapon". It was replaced by the SAW M249 which is a badass weapon. They just switched over to the XM250.
The light machine gun role absolutely did not disappear after the BAR was retired.
@@brad238899 M60 mostly replaced the BAR way before the M249
Thank you for your service!
My Dad was a combat veteran in Korea from 1952-53. He was in the 2nd ID, 38 Inf. Reg, 8th Army. He told me the BAR was a crucial weapon for them on top of the hill outpost Princeton. Nothing better he said. Only slight drawback was the weight.
thank you Sir, for all you have done for us
A true American warrior.
The 97th Infantry Division of the United States Army was nicknamed the "Trident Division".
Merry Christmas and thank you for your bravery and service.
My Dad, was a BAR man in Italy. Though his stature was small with the weapon was nearly as tall as he was, he like it because he did not have to carry his ammo which was assigned to another man. He landed at Anzio but was wounded outside of Pizza. After getting, by himself, to the forward aid station his wounds were so great that he was put into an induced coma until April of '45 after the surgery.
Did the ammo carriers also have their own rifle of some kind?
@@hanoitripper1809 I would have to assume so, it wouldn't of made sense for them to be completely unarmed. I'm guessing they had some type of lighter gun like an M1 carbine or a Thompson as to not weigh them down too much.
@@hanoitripper1809 Usually he carried his M1.
Thanks for your service. Surprised he could hear the questions.
God bless this man !!
RESPECT SIR
A hero.
Thank you, sir, for fighting for America's freedom.
I love this man's spirit. He's sharp as a tack and has a good sense of humor.
Merry Christmas Mr Shipe, thank you for your service to America. 🇺🇸
5:57 "There was no more time for bullsh- for that" 😂 I love how you can know how they talked in the field but in public or around women/children they were taught to use respectful language!
I caught that too. As his memories of that time came back, so did the language. Now a gentleman, he caught it. “I wish I could take it home with me!”
Handing him the gun ruined the illusion that he just carries a BAR with him everywhere he goes.
I really can't wish these men any better verbally, as there are no words to describe how much I love these men and how they served out nation.
Outstanding video. Direct from the horses mouth. 20 lbs plus ammo. That gun takes a man.
My dad was a Thomson sub machine gun but he said he and his buddy had BAR and put them to together and not much could get by.
Wow just thank them all
Thank you sir
What a great interview! What a great American, Bob is! Thank you for sharing this with us!
As a 130lb Marine I fam fired the BAR it dragged me past the firing line and I got my ass kicked for advancing without orders.
20lbs !!! Damn! 🫡
20lbs unloaded.. about 24-26lbs with the 20 round magazine and another 3-5lbs with a bipod added. Plus additional ammo lol
Merry Christmas everyone
That gentleman helped keep the whole world safe thank you for your service
I hope he did take it home!! Thank you sir.
That weapon will save your life in a firefight
I had a BAR in semi for a while. Very well made and accurate but very heavy.
Great story and sense of humor
absolutely astounding the heroism of these MEN.
Imagine if they had the 240 b back then.
0:56 "Hello old friend."
Thank you Mr Shipe for your service!!!!
I want one! :) God Bless our Veterans!
No doubt, the greatest generation. Happy Holidays and God Bless
So grateful to this great man.
My father carried a BAR on Okinawa in Company I 382nd Regiment of the 96th Infantry Division. If you’ve seen the movie “Hacksaw Ridge”, it depicts the EXACT time my father was in combat with the Japanese. He was one of many, many replacements in that division as it took horrendous casualties. He joined the division when it was pulled off the line for rest and replacements in early May 1945. They moved back to the front lines around May 10th. It is a miracle he survived Okinawa. The replacements got slaughtered because they were poorly trained and had no combat experience.
thank you sir
Thank you for your service!! 🙏 You are an invaluable source of information to the men in their twenties and thirties right now
Wow. Great interview. Amazing how happy he seemed to hold a BAR again almost 80 years after he said he had lost held one while serving in World War 2. Great that he seems very healthy with great recall of his WW2 experiences and a good sense of humor. 👍
This gentleman still sounds as sharp as ever. You would think he was a Vietnam vet not WW2 based off his looks. Incredible.
Respect
The marching cadence song went, 'I don't want a BAR, honey'. I was told that's because you became the enemy's primary target to neutralize. This fellow was brave, and he had the grit and determination enough to carry that 20 lb weapon with heaps of ammo. Wow. Boys were men back then.
HI, YOUR SO GREAT! WWII BUFF, NEVER IN MY LIFE( OR PROBABLY EVEN LOOK) WOULD OF THOUGHT! GOES TO SHOW HOW THE WORLD IS FULL OF SURPRISES...
Thank you Mr. Shipe.
We should buy him one!
I got a chance to fire the BAR , A great weapon but never seen one in vietnam always a TONKA/ Matel, or M-60.
3:44
The Infantry.....I swear.....
I had a chance to shoot a full auto BAR once. There is a range in Las Vegas where you can rent one, and an armorer will come out to the during line with you to keep an eye on you. When this gentleman said "almost no recoil" my first thought was "Jesus, he's way tougher than me, I had a hard time controlling the BAR". Well, he's a WWII vet, so it goes without saying he's still way tougher than me, but when he said *if you put it in a table it would move forward", I realized he had as right. It wasn't tough to control because it was pushing me back or jumping up, it may ved forward, which was the last thing I was prepared for, like any full auto weapon firing a full sized rifle cartridge, I was leaning into the gun. A neat lesson in how the BAR actually works, and if he can make it out to Las Vegas, I believe he can rent one and put a magazine through it for about $50
Gotta love this guy !
Funny how some people say the BAR sucks but men like this gentlemen and my grandfather would always say: the BAR saved their lives.
Thinking by comparison the only weapon equal to this would be the FN-FAL Light machine gun, which came out some time later, but is still in service in some countries today. (30 round magazine on the BAR would have won the war on it's own!)
The British Bren gun (and the Czech weapons it was based off ) was better in nearly every category. Quick change barrel, 30 round top mount magazine etc.
The BAR was cool as hell but a very primitive weapons.
This young man, and many others like him, is the reason they're called The Greatest Generation
Great story, Bob. Your generation changed the world for the better.
My grandpa was in the 97th infantry in WW2
I fired a full auto BAR on fast auto and it is a great weapon.
God Bless you Sir
He is sharp as a tack!
I have so much respect for these guys... My daddy was a gunner in a tank destroyer, he fought in France and Germany... He made it back or I would not be here.
I met an old Marine BAR Man
He was on Iwo and said he had a Navy Machinist who put 2 mags together for 40 rounds
John Moses Browning was 1 Genius Gun Smith Engineer...
Respect!!!