Retired USAMU shooter selected as US Olympic Hall of Fame Finalist

Paula J. Randall U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Accessions Support Brigade

FORT BENNING, Ga. - A former U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit shooter is as a finalist for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. He is the first Olympic shooter ever selected as a finalist.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Lones W. Wigger Jr. was selected to four U.S. Olympic Teams and won three Olympic Medals. During his shooting career, Wigger won 111 medals (65 Gold, 38 Silver and eight Bronze) and set 29 world records in international competition - more than any other shooter in the world. He is a member of the USA Shooting Hall of Fame, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Hall of Fame and was also honored in 1996 by the USOC as a "Golden Olympian." 1964 50-Meter 3-Position Gold Medal Awards Ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics Wigger, 70, of USA Shooting of Colorado Springs, Colo., is among the 18 individual Olympian Hall of Fame finalists announced by the USOC. He is a two-tour Vietnam Veteran and spent 25 years on active duty.

To vote, go to www.USOlympicHallofFame.com.

As a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Wigger competed at the 1964 in Tokyo, the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where he won a combined two Gold Medals and one Silver Medal. He also qualified for the 1980 Olympic Team.

Wigger also competed on five Pan-American Games teams, where he won five Silver and 13 Gold medals. At the 1982, 1978, 1974 and 1970 World Championships, Wigger won 12 medals - two Gold, six Silver and four Bronze.

He started shooting with his father in Montana. At Montana State College, he was a four-time All-American and enrolled in Army ROTC. He joined the Army in 1960 and after his basic course was assigned to the Army Marksmanship Unit. Wigger shot for the USAMU International Rifle Team until 1967. After a tour in Vietnam, he returned to the Marksmanship Unit and shot until 1970. Wigger again deployed to Vietnam and served as the officer in charge of the 23rd Infantry Division Sniper School. He then returned to the USAMU in 1972 and stayed until his retirement in 1987.

After he retired from the Army, Wigger served as the director of the U.S. Shooting Team until 1992. He now is a member of the USA Shooting Staff as a coach and representative and works as a match director.

"Lones Wigger was my role model and the reason I joined the Army," said USAMU International Rifle shooter and 1996 Olympian Lt. Col. Robert E. Harbison. "As a youngster, he inspired me to set high goals and open my eyes to the fact that the Army can help us achieve our goals. I encourage everyone to vote for him."

The U.S. Olympic Committee announced Feb. 27 the finalists for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2008 and invited the public to vote online at www.USOlympicHallofFame.com to determine who will comprise the next class of inductees.

USOC Hall of Fame voting continues through March 28. Six individual Olympians, one Olympic team and one Paralympian, along with a coach, a veteran and a special contributor, will be honored during the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Presented by Allstate. The awards-show style ceremony will take place at 7 p.m.

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2008 Finalists are:

• Individual Finalists - Six to be inducted: Lones Wigger, Shooting Greg Barton, Canoe/Kayak , Wrestling, freestyle Joan Benoit, Jeff Blatnick, Wrestling Brian Boitano, Figure Skating Valerie Brisco, Track and Field Oscar de la Hoya, Boxing Teresa Edwards, Basketball Karch Kiraly, Volleyball Mary T. Meagher, Swimming Sheila Young Ochowicz, Speedskating Darrell Pace, Archery J. Michael Plumb, Equestrian David Robinson, Basketball , Wrestling Amy Van Dyken, Swimming Peter Westbrook, Fencing

* Teams - One to be inducted 1976 Women's Swimming 4x100 Freestyle Relay 1992 Men's Basketball Team 1996 Synchronized Swimming Team 1996 Women's Gymnastics Team 1998 Women's Ice Hockey Team

* Paralympians - One to be inducted Ross Davis, Track and Field Jean Driscoll, Track and Field Sharon Hedrick, Track and Field Jim Mastro, Judo/Wrestling/Track and Field/Goalball John Morgan, Swimming

(Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the U.S. Army, the Army Marksmanship Unit is assigned to the Accessions Support Brigade of the U.S. Army Accessions Command. The Marksmanship Unit trains its Soldiers to win competitions and enhances combat readiness through train-the-trainer clinics, research and development. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, [email protected] or www.USAMU.com. USA Shooting is recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Shooting Sport Federation as the national governing body for the Olympic and international shooting sports in the . For more information on USA Shooting, contact Public Relations Manager Mary Beth Vorwerk at (719) 866-4896, [email protected] or http://www.USAShooting.com.)