Only the best of the best of the Army's shooters get to wear the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit's (USAMU) coveted black hat. It signifies the wearer's extreme discipline, expertise and high professional standards. In March 2009, the unit bestowed one upon 84-year-old Ted Gundy, a World War II veteran who saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, Cologne Plains and Remagen Bridge with the 99th Infantry Division
There have only been eight recipients of the black hat who weren't members of the Marksmanship Unit. During a visit to Columbus, Georgia's National Infantry Museum, Gundy appeared wearing the Army uniform he wears to perform burial services for fellow WWII veterans. It was there that he received his black hat, one he earned by making a shot he thought was impossible.
