Based on the life and times of sergeant carlos hathcock an american soldier who apparently eventually became the posterboy of the marine sniper program the book seemed an interesting prospect at first. Vietnam, the making of a sniper by jerry melvin mitchem. Hathcock said in a book written about his career as a sniper. Determine which of the sniper equipment evaluated is most suitable. Carlos norman hathcock ii may 20, 1942 february 22, 1999 was a united states marine. There was a gun shop in phoenix gunsmoke gun shop who carried a lot of militaria. This sniper program was initiated in the states and was set in motion as. Oct 16, 2009 read the book, vietnam sniper, 94 confirmed kills. In april 1970, 22yearold james speed hensinger, an enlisted man in the u. The 5th marine snipers in vietnam reissue by culbertson, john j. I was looking for the book and i cant remember the snipers name but he left after numerous tours in vietnam and helped reconstruct what we know today as the sniper school. The world record sniper shot still holds today by a 3006. In the january 2018 issue of american rifleman, louis garavaglia writes a brief article on american snipers in the vietnam conflict. Ken went to vietnam the way many did involuntarily.
With a record of 93 confirmed kills but an estimated body count of between 300 400 enemy soldiers, hathcock terrorized the north vietnamese army nva and the viet cong. Because of these exploits, he was honored by having a rifle named after him the springfield armory m25 white feather, so called for the nickname that nva men gave him. Apr 02, 2009 ken went to vietnam the way many did involuntarily. Whether fighting their way out of a viet cong kill zone or battling superior numbers of nva crack troops, the sniper teams were at the cutting edge in the art of jungle warfare, showing the patience, stealth, combat marksmanship, and raw courage that made the unit the most decorated regimental sniper platoon in the vietnam war. He deployed in 1966 as a military policeman, but immediately volunteered for combat and was soon transferred to the 1st marine division sniper platoon, stationed at hill 55, south of da nang. Culbertson, a former 5th marine sniper himself, presents the riveting true stories of young americans who fought with bolt rifles and bounties on their heads during the fiercest combat of the war, from 1967 through the desperate tet battle for hue in early. Marines and soldiers of arvn army of the republic of viet nam. This book presents a rich overview of the infinite range of. Burke, formed a team and began spending all of their time in the jungle away from camp, where hundreds of vietnamese of dubious. Charles hendersons marine sniper is a dramatized account of the life of a vietnam war sniper.
The marine snipers vietnam story continues 9780425188644. The garand was a great infantry rifle, but it didnt do as well for sniping. Mawhinney, the son of a world war ii marine corps veteran, was born in 1949 in lakeview, oregon, and was. He stalked the viet cong behind enemy lineson their own ground. For a large part of the year and a half he was there, the u. Armys 173rd airborne brigade, was stationed at a compound in phu tai, west of the coastal city of qui nhon, vietnam. This marine sniper left vietnam with 103 confirmed kills. Someone whose sole job was to psychologically dismantle the enemy, to play mind games with them, to instill fear in them not by killing them in mass but to select a few within the. Voir plus didees sur le theme guerre du vietnam, vietnam et guerre. There is some gritty reading in the book and an insight to a snipers life in combat. I sometimes feel that part calling me back, back to the rain and the blood. Vietnam sniper who shot an enemy sniper through the enemy. Aug 02, 2012 it was the common issued jungle pack during the war but was by no means the only ruck used.
This is why so many of the m14m21 rifles have been brought out of mothball storage, updated and shipped to combat in iraq and afghanistan. After a platoon of vietnamese snipers was sent to hunt down white feather, many marines in the same area donned white. My vietnam sniper rifle and equipment m14 series of. Some sniper teams used captured nva rucks or the indig arvn packs. He is the author of the critically acclaimed military classics marine sniper and silent warrior, which first chronicled the exploits of usmc sniper carlos hathcock. The shot may have been farther than 2500, i cant remember. In the book marine sniper 93 confirmed kills by charles henderson the author of silent warrior is an explosive true story on how staff sergeant hathcock became americas deadliest sniper. See more ideas about vietnam, vietnam war photos and vietnam war.
If the sorrow of war by bao ninh is one of the masterpieces of the viet nam war literary garden, dear mom by joe ward is firmly planted there as well. I thought i would share a photo of my vietnam sniper rifle and equipment. In his recently published book, mg ira h hunt, who as a col was chief of staff of the 9th infantry division under mg julian ewell, continues adding to the myth of bert waldron super sniper. Long exposure photos show the terrifying firepower unleashed against a single viet cong sniper. After returning from viet nam, deono went thru his own healing period, then started working with many veterans, schools and. Charles benjamin chuck mawhinney born 1949 is a former united states marine who holds the corps record for the most confirmed sniper kills, having recorded 103 confirmed kills and 216 probable kills in 16 months during the vietnam war. One day orders came down that there was an opportunity to go to long range firing training for those who were classified as an expert rifleman. The book is well written and outlines hathcocks shooting career and then his subsequent deployment to vietnam where he carries out the most audacious sniper. The only good war story i know about viet nam capture sniper rifles were the two i passed up in 1975.
Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author. The author of the bestselling vietnam war memoir marine sniper continues the incredible true story of sergeant carlos hathcock. August 20, 20 september 22, 20 sniper ghost posts army sniper, vietnam war in the spring of 1969 9th infantry divisions most successful ambush tactic was the sniper mode. It is said that she emasculated her victims and a detailed account of such an event was given by henderson in his biography of hathcock. For a long time it was suspected that carlos hathcocks record of 93 confirmed kills had never been matched but a book written by ward credits 101 kills to a marine sniper named mawhinney. This site is dedicated to veterans and family members who served with alpha company 15 cavalry during the vietnam war. The results of field testing in actual combat conditions were positive, and thus that sniper rifle was subsequently adopted. Objective 2 oreanionand doctrin determine sniper organizational and doctrinal concepts for. On pages 6768 of the 9th infantry division in vietnam. There is however a few aspects of the book which i thought detracted from what was an enjoyable read. He managed to set a record for the longest documented sniper kill at 2,500 yards 1. This page is in no way intended to glorify the amount of people these soldiers have killed, it is intended to recognize the manner in which these soldiers excelled at accomplishing the misson assigned to them in a time of war. There are various versions that say he was a sniper in vietnam and decorated for his service.
The explosive true story of sergeant carlos hathcock, a legendary marine sniper in the vietnam war. The united states marine corps usmc first acquired a role in south vietnam in the early 1960s, but only deployed in large numbers in 1965, which is the date associated with this set. Usmc sniper teams used a wide variety of equipment during the war in asia with this being a small part. By the end of the war in viet nam, most snipers were using some form of m14xm21m21 sniper rifle in 7. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In the spring of 1969 9th infantry divisions most successful ambush tactic was the sniper mode. And each time, he emerged from the jungle having done his duty.
I believe the authors purpose on why he wrote this book is because he wanted to tell the story of one of the best marine snipers to ever live and to let. The m21 sniper weapon system sws in the us army is a national match grade m14 rifle, selected for accuracy, and renamed the m21 rifle. Someone whose sole job was to psychologically dismantle the enemy, to play mind games with them, to instill fear in. Above an m40 rests across a jungle ruck with the spotters m14 and m49 off to the side. No other single force in vietnam put as much fear into the hearts of the enemy nor gained his respect more then the american snipers. After returning from viet nam, deono went thru his own healing period, then started working with many veterans, schools and organizations where he spoke, displayed articles and shared his experiences with others to help the healing process and give people a better understanding of the war in viet nam. Evaluate current employment of sniper personnel and equipment in vietnam. Charles henderson is a veteran of more than twentythree years in the united states marine corps, with a distinguished career spanning from vietnam to the gulf war, after which he retired as a chief warrant officer.
Hathcocks record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the u. Was there ever a picture of the female sniper apache, the. It was the common issued jungle pack during the war but was by no means the only ruck used. A vietnam war sniper crawled for 3 days across 2000m of open. Sniper elite vietnam, or iraqafghanistan sniper elite. Us army sniper program charlie company vietnam 19661972. Neil, along with me, was a member of the second graduating class of the 9th infantry division sniper school at bear cat, rvn, november 1968. This marine was the american sniper of the vietnam war.
Carlos norman hathcock ii may 20, 1942 february 22, 1999 was a united states marine corps usmc sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. In the book she was describe as attractive but i doubt if she is or she must be aged by the war and hostile environment. This was an interesting memoir from the perspective of a sniper in the vietnam war, written as a narrated epistolary. This marine sniper left vietnam with 103 confirmed kills military times.
Unparalled and unequalled, hunt again describes waldrons supposed exploits and there is a photo. Legendary sniper carlos norman hathcock ii shot an enemy. This is a story about one such marine sniper team, in 196465 deltatwo foxtrot who helped blazed the trail, gave their best, who hunted the. There is no evidence that john denver ever served in the military. Apache was a female viet cong sniper, known for her sadistic nature and for torturing her victims. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. In the united states marine corps, the most dangerous job in combat is that of the sniper. National match m14, m84 scope, cheek piece sent to me from my dad, starlight scope rolled up in poncho, jet pilots knife, bandoleer, canteen, magazines, my regular boonie hat and my road march red clay boonie hat.
The last marine combat units left in 1971, by which time the corps had suffered over 100,000 dead and wounded. Some who read his story and poetry believe he should be silent about his exploits as a sniper. The protagonist of stephen hunters bob lee swagger thriller series, comprising the novels point of impact 1993, black light, time to hunt 1999, and i, sniper 2009, is loosely based on carlos hathcock hathcock is alluded to in the book as gunny sgt carl hitchcock. Usmc scoutsnipers in vietnam, paladin press, 1996, 372 p.
An exciting new thriller filled with gripping tension and espionage the gomorrah principle hooks readers from the opening pages, with its ambitious story, multilayered. He tells about his chronological experiences in the jungles of vietnam where he was deployed for a year. The sniper story during our humping through the boonies the nva could hear us a mile away and we would sometimes be caught in an ambush. That it was written as letters to his mother hence the title, with additional text after each, made it more poignant as you feel some of the tension and fears of a teenager sent halfway around the world into the worst of human situations. A vietnam war sniper crawled for 3 days across 2000m of. Modernising any shooter game will automatically turn it into another cod whether you like it or not. This road was heading out of dong tam, but dont ask me where it lead to. Feb 14, 2009 after watch a copy of ultimate sniper by maj. Still other accounts claim a sniper named aldelbert waldron ii was the most successful sniper in the vietnam conflict, with 109 confirmed kills. But there has only been one sergeant carlos hathcock. This sniper program was initiated in the states and was set in motion as result of a visit to fort benning in january 1968. This is a discussion on a sniper s choice in vietnam within the the m14 forums, part of the m14 m1a forum category. Was there ever a picture of the female sniper apache.