The warrior mythos of both the army and marine corps took serious hits in vietnam, despite some notable victories for both branches. The gomorrah principle a vietnam sniper story rick destefanis. The snipers task usually include, but are not limited to, countersniping operations, killing enemy commanders, and demoralizing the enemy, killing their ability to wage war. The maritime evacuation of south vietnam and cambodia.
He served in the united states marine corps, third marine division, as a sniper. Prior to the publication of fellow marine sniper joseph wards book, dear mom. 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. And each time, he emerged from the jungle having done his duty. Aug 02, 2012 in the past months i have written a bit about the use of and primary rifles used by the usmc for sniping use in the vietnam war. This marine was the american sniper of the vietnam war carlos hathcock taking aim in vietnam. This detailed examination of iii maf explores its infantry, armor, artillery, aviation, service and engineer elements. His company was sent into the jungle to protect an artillery unit at fire base maxwell 80 miles south of an hoa. Carlos hathcock vietnam sniper charlie company vietnam 1966. He taught himself to shoot as a boy, just like alvin york and audie murphy before him. You cant get into this sniper unit if you havent read it, said sergeant barrett, who has been a marine sniper for six years. Carlos hathcock ii had 93 confirmed kills during the vietnam war. He lives with his wife and their family in spring, texas.
During the vietnam war, hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of pavn and viet cong personnel. The m1c sniper rifle with m82 sight was reasonably effective from 400600 yards, but not beyond. He tells about his chronological experiences in the jungles of vietnam where he was deployed for a year. Russell established the first marine sniper school in vietnam but, he was a capt. 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. Carlos hathcock wore a white feather in his bush hat as he wormed his way through the jungle, following north vietnam army personnel during the vietnam war and daring the nva to spot him. Point of impact by stephen hunter marine sniper by charles henderson time to hunt by stephen hunter the day of the jackal by. He is the recipient of two purple hearts and the vietnamese cross of gallantry. Us marine rifleman in vietnam 196573 osprey publishing.
Much of that portion of the cold war era is now declassified, illuminating the contributions of the naval intelligence establishment. The defining year, 1968 by jack shulimson available from rakuten kobo. Carlos norman hathcock ii may 20, 1942 february 22, 1999 was a united states marine. With most of the korean peninsula covered by a complicated array of hills and ridges, much of the action necessarily took place between those ridges, especially after the war had settled into a static defense of fortified positions. With 98 confirmed kills within six months of action, he is one of the five american snipers with most kills in the vietnam war. But wards account of mawhinneys 101 kills, most accomplished with his primary m40 modified remington 40x bolt action rifle with a redfield 39x accurange scope. Mawhinney, the son of a world war ii marine corps veteran, was born in. The gomorrah principle a vietnam sniper story rick. Dec 12, 2017 12122017 an interview with master sgt. Jul 10, 2011 there were many marine snipers in vietnam. A marine snipers twoyear odyssey in the vietnam war. But there has only been one sergeant carlos hathcock. Dogs were used by international forces to deliver vital messages.
The author of the bestselling vietnam war memoir marine sniper continues the incredible true story. He is the author of a dozen things i learned about life as a marine sniper in vietnam. Jan 01, 1999 kugler, a former marine scout sniper for two years, writes of his hell which was called vietnam. We would like to salute every marine and american who served in vietnam and dedicate this. Readers weighed in on the best books about 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. The explosive true story of sergeant carlos hathcock, a legendary marine sniper in the vietnam war. Marine sniper in vietnam one mans story of serving as a marine sniper during the early days of americas involvement in vietnam. Navy and the vietnam war series are available online for free download as 508compliant pdf files, mobi versions for kindle devices, and the epub for most other readers. Witnessed by lieutenant homer johnson, the distance was later plotted on a map. While most of these memoirs are worth reading, darned few are as good as thomas keiths seal warrior.
The book begins with his high school years and the decisions which led to his enlistment. He was honorably discharged from the united states marine corps in 1970. Ed kugler, robert russell, jim land, jim gularte, owen gray, chuck mckenzie, and chuck mawhinney were a few of the most wellknown. Vietnam war carlos hathcock was a united states marine corps gunnery sergeant sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. 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.
Hathcock is the subject of a number of books including. Navy and the vietnam war series are available online for free download as 508compliant pdf files, mobi versions for kindle devices, and the epub for most other. Vietnam war project kit veterans history project, american folklife center, library of congress. One, i love war books and two, i love history books marine sniper is set in the vietnam war. To eliminate the japanese jungle fighter, the corps had to formulate innovative tactics even more efficient than those successfully implemented by the scouts, observers and snipers of world war i. During the vietnam war, how was the draft handled for the. In 1962, he became the alltime long range champion. High mobility and standdown, 1969 this is the sixth volume in a planned ninevolume operational and chronological series covering the marine corps participation in the vietnam war. The year 1968 was the year of the tet offensive including khe sanh and hue city. Layers of political organization, military strategy, offensive tactics, and logistical operations shaded the struggle to win in south vietnam. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to historical and even dark comedy.
Usmc archives long before chris kyle penned american sniper, carlos hathcock was already a legend. A separate functional series will complement the operational histories. Author alex lee commanded the third force reconnaissance company in vietnam from 1969 to 1970. The plot opens with four famous antivietnam war protestors being killed by a sniper. 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.
A former marine scout sniper, ed kugler served two tours in vietnam as a sniper and sergeant with the 4th marines in i corps. Hathcocks record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the u. The marine snipers vietnam story continues and millions of other books are available for instant access. Kugler, a former marine scoutsniper for two years, writes of his hell which was called vietnam. Marine corps aided its country in the final chapter of the vietnam war, the evacuation of american citizens, thirdcountry nationals, and as many south vietnamese as conditions permitted. Sure enough, an enemy sniper rose to the bait, plinking a shot at the marine linesand taking in return a deadon shot that ended his sniping career. Pages in category united states marine corps in the vietnam war the following 100 pages are in this category, out of 100 total. No other marine sniper in vietnam had more confirmed kills of viet cong and north. Corps aided its country in the final chapter of the vietnam war, the.
In the dense and steamy jungle warfare present in the vietnam war, the uses for a highly trained sniper were many. This list may not reflect recent changes learn more. Hathcocks son, carlos hathcock iii, later enlisted in the u. An american sniper in korea soldier of fortune magazine. Tells the exciting true story of sergeant carlos hathcock, a legendary marine sniper in the vietnam war. Scout sniper mos 0317, formerly 8541 is a specialist in the united states marine corps whose mission is to deny the enemy freedom of movement by neutralizing enemy leaders, crewserved weapons operators, radiomen, observers, messengers, and other key personnel with single, wellaimed shots. 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. The marine corps confirmed in early april that its snipers would get the mk mod 7 sniper rifle to replace the m40 rifle, versions of which the corps snipers have been carrying since the early. Jun 27, 2006 this book covers the us marine corps in the vietnam war, centring on the structure and function of the two fleet marine force fmf divisions and the corps command level, iii marine amphibious force iii maf.
Official kills had to be witnessed by an accompanying officer as well as the spotter. In the past months i have written a bit about the use of and primary rifles used by the usmc for sniping use in the vietnam war. A marine snipers twoyear odyssey in the vietnam war ed kugler on. Military units and formations of the united states marine corps in the vietnam war. Among other conflicts, his service included the war in vietnam.
Chuck mawhinney was probably born to be a marine sniper. The corps set about training and fielding a new breed of combat specialist. 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. The only book snipers all seem familiar with other than the bible is marine sniper. How naval intelligence shaped the vietnam war government.
Other snipers have written books or had books written about them. I started shooting at a very young age, and he taught me to shoot like the. Now i would like to talk a little about them again along with some of the supporting spotter weapons and equipment used by typical sniper teams during the. Turner wrote a book, phantom of phu bai, about him. Carlos hathcock wore a white feather in his bush hat as he wormed his way through the jungle, following north vietnam army.
From 1986, he was a writer with the marine corps historical centre and a working member of the marine corps uniform board. He was a screwup as a recruit but later saw brief action in the dominican republic. Marine corps deploying mk sniper rifle business insider. He stalked the viet cong behind enemy lineson their own ground. The defining year, 1968 this is the last volume vol 5, although published out of chronological sequence, in the ninevolume operational history series covering the marine corps participation in the vietnam war. Approximately 5,000 us war dogs served in the vietnam war the us army did not retain records prior to 1968. The first american ground forces deployed against the viet cong and the nva were the us marines, who came ashore at da nang on the coast of south vietnam on. I am not very interested in the war itself, but rather the stories of the people who fight the wars.
In fact, i would rank only lone survivor ahead of this book as being of general interest to readers and, by far, seal warrior is the best book ive read on vietnam seal ops. He does this by placing himself as a marine lieutenant directly before. Wayne king of rotunda west was a shorttimer in 1968 when he survived the worst of his ninemonths tour during the vietnam war. Marines, that company conducted longrange patrols deep in northern i corps including the infamous ashau valley to gather intelligence about the north vietnamese army. The corps set about training and fielding a new breed of combat. Read more usmc scout sniper weapons of the vietnam war. This marine was the american sniper of the vietnam war. Feb 20, 2017 the first american ground forces deployed against the viet cong and the nva were the us marines, who came ashore at da nang on the coast of south vietnam on march 8th 1965. Dead center exposes the nasty reality of war and should be read by todays youth around the world. Oct 30, 2009 while most of these memoirs are worth reading, darned few are as good as thomas keiths seal warrior.
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