Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills

Outstanding read. Very enlightening about Hathcock’s sevice in Viet Nam.

I liked because it was based on a real person. Not everyone could do his job

Having read many military- subject related books, this one puts you right there with the sniper and spotter in the environmental soup. I recommend the book to anyone who's interested in knowing what it was like to be a sniper. A very good read with the ability to summon certain emotional elements.

Reading

Before the American Sniper Chris Kyle there was another deadly sniper. His name was Carlos Hathcock. He was a Marine sniper during the Vietnam War. He was deadly as wellas daring. His enemies, the Vietnamese nicknamed him Long Tra'ng or white feather. He was one of the first snipers to use the 50 caliber as a sniper weapon. He was fromthe state of Arkansas. He first came into prominence by winning the Wimbledon Cup of shooting. At an event held August 25,1965 at Camp Perry, Ohio he was the winning shooter.He promptly joined the Marine Corps and became a sniper. This began a series of fantastic shooting events that literally established him as a legend.His firstshooting success was at Elephant Valley. Hathcock and another sniper pinned 100 Viet Cong soldiers down for 5 days. This saved the lives of many American soldiers. Therewas another evil force that Hathcock also dealt with. This was a Vietnamese female officer who was known as the Apache. This war one of the most sadistic and viciousindividuals that America had to deal with in the Vietnamese War. She had skinned one American soldier alive. Another had a basket tied on his head and had a rat sewed upin the basket. The Apache also castrated an American soldier who bled to death. Hathcock shot her dead center and killed her.Her days of torturing American soldiers wereended. On another project called Rio Blanco Hathcock was given the assignment of killing a master interrogator. He was a Frenchman named Jacques. Hathcock intercepted him on the way to interrogate two American airmen.There was also a talented Vietnamese sniper who was having incredible luck killing Americans. Hathcock finally caught up withhim and killed him. Hathcock was given an assignment to kill a Vietnamese general. This general was well guarded and nearly impossible to reach. Through shrewd planningHathcock finally killed him. Hathcock became such a terror that the Viet Cong finally put a bounty on his head of $10,000. Hathcock upon retirement had 93 kills. That record was not surpassed until Chris Kyle. He finally got out of the field of combat after being stricken with multiple sclorosis. This was an outstanding book about anoutstanding Marine. Be sure to read this book.

To use a quote I learned as a young boy while watching The Sand Lot, “Hero’s live forever, but legends never die”. I first read this book after pulling it off the shelf in my family’s library. It was a book bought by or gifted to my father, I never did find out which. The young boy I was who wanted to be a warrior and a Marine some day saw the figure crouched low in the undergrowth and was instantly intrigued. I read that book from cover to cover in a whirl of colors and sounds as my imagination created and played the story in my head in the way it does that cause the pages to disappear. Only good books, well written by versed story tellers do that and aren’t a chore. This book is one of them.I eventually did serve as a Navy Hospital Corpsman, and was stationed with a Marine Infantry platoon in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I served with 2nd Battalion 9nth Marines, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. I only say this because I know firsthand the love and brotherhood that comes with being not only a warrior, but a warrior among many who together become something greater than themselves. To me, this book went from an incredible legend and story to one of an even personal and chilling level.After my enlistment and time in the Navy was over, I worked as a Medical Assistant, and had and have the pleasure of working with a man who got to attend some special training during his time of service, the guest speaker at which was none other than the Hero of this book and a Marine Corps. Legend, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock. On the back of a paddle this man I work with received as a token of gratitude for his time spent at one of his commands, is the signature of Hathcock, in black sharpie written onto the wood. To have held that paddle and seen with my own eyes the signature written by that man was an awesome experience.This book is worth every second spent in its pages, and will definitely make you wish it never ended, although it does a graceful job of doing so.

Excellent insight into a task that few can understand. And more importantly into the men that are able to perform it for the greater good.

The enemy offered a reward equal to 3-years wages to kill the “White Feather”, Carlos Hathaway’s formidable name and his singular decoration. He clearly demonstrated the essential and basic need for specially trained riflemen to a military branch, the United States Marines, known for its common denominator as riflemen. Hathaway took the need to an entirely new level by coupling accuracy at distances of 1,000 yards and more with a fresh appreciation for stealth and patience and woodcraft on the battlefield for both solo and dual member teams. Hard to put down….this is a remarkable and easily read recounting of the life of this distinguished warrior and Marine icon. Well worth the time.

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A really good book liked it only reason for the four star is it feels a bit dated would've liked more of Carlos own words and descriptions of kills and operations he was on but it seemed the ghost writer just sort of skipped ahead of them and just gives it in quick broadstrokes still a good book and still a hero

This book isn't the first sniper based book I've bought and read but is certainly the one which I love the most.The book details Carlos Hathcock's multiple tours of Vietnam and his eventual life in retirement after his injuries in the field.The missions undertaken by this man are simply unbelievable and if it wasn't for the corroborative evidence and genuine quality of this book I'd have trouble believing them. This man has done it all as a sniper and helped to make the USMC snipers who they are today; they simply wouldn't have been trained if he hadn't done these feats.The sniper shot in "Saving Private Ryan" where the guy gets hit through the scope in the eye; the Tom Berringer bit of creeping through a field in a gillie suit full of guards undetected in Sniper. Well those are two films who have taken direct inspiration from Carlos's amazing life. I don't want to give further details but it's worth a look for those.If you like war books, true stories, etc this is worth a read. Whatever your country and allegiances this is a fascinating book. It also benefits from having information from both sides of the line, from the USMC and Carlos himself to the Vietnamese records and soldiers.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book - Gunny Sgt Carlos Hathway was a national hero who played a key role in Vietnam as a pioneer of sniping in eliminating some high profile enemy and wreaking havoc on VC and NVA.

I had often heard of the sniper lore tales of Gunny Sergeant Hathcock during the Vietnam War but to read about his exploits was a revelation. Here is the story of a rare individual who managed to combine the latent talent of a top match sharpshooter with that of a skilled woodsman...the result is a historical overview of one of the most famed snipers of all time. The book is well written and outlines Hathcock's shooting career and then his subsequent deployment to Vietnam where he carries out the most audacious sniper missions to become not only a legendary sniper but a legendary marine. Hatchock eventually has to overcome horrific injuries sustained in an enemy ambush during his second Vietnam tour and it is only these injuries that terminate his sniper 'killing' career. Whether you like the thought of human hunting human is one thing but I personally think this soldier was one brave and very skilled man...an excellent read!