Page 41 - History of War - Issue 25-16

10 DEADLIEST SNIPERS

06.Carlos Hathcock

For more than 30 years, US Marine Gunnery Sergeant Carlos
Hathcock held the record for the world’s longest distance sniper kill
A top competitive rileman and member of the trail. Hathcock and his spotter picked their
Marine Corps Rile Team, Carlos Hathcock targets and ired simultaneously, killing two
deployed to Vietnam for his irst tour in 1966 NVA oficers. The Vietnamese soldiers threw
as a military policeman. Soon he was made themselves into what cover they could ind.
an instructor at the irst Marine sniper school, Several who tried to run were killed.
which had been operating since World War II. The remaining NVA decided to wait until
Hathcock was not content with instructing darkness fell before attempting their escape.
young snipers and instead deployed Hathcock requested illumination lares to be
on dozens of operations, including the ired and he and his spotter caught seven
assassination of a North Vietnamese general. more. The NVA ended up being pinned down
Camoulaged in a Ghillie suit, Hathcock slowly for four days, and every time one exposed Vietnam veteran,
the late Gunnery
stalked his prey for 1,500 metres through himself, he was killed. Eventually, the Marines,
Sergeant Carlos
jungle guarded by NVA patrols. At one point, low on water and ammunition, withdrew as Hathcock is
an NVA soldier almost stepped on him, but he silently as they had arrived. recognised as
waited until the conditions were optimal and Hathcock’s greatest feat was still yet to the father of
modern sniping
ired a single round, killing the general. come. Realising that his .30-06 Winchester
The North Vietnamese organised a cell of Model 70 did not have the range to target one
their own snipers with the express purpose of troublesome Vietnamese forward observer,
hunting Hathcock down. They nicknamed him Hathcock looked to a .50-cal M2 Browning
‘White Feather’ because he habitually wore heavy machine gun. Knowing that the bullet
one in his boonie hat. Hathcock killed one of would reach at least 2,000 metres, he added
these snipers in a tense duel that saw him the scope from his rile to the machine gun
famously shoot his enemy through his own and made his world record 2,286-metre shot.
telescopic scope as he was lining up a shot
to kill him. “HATHCOCKKILLEDONEOFTHESESNIPERSINATENSEDUEL
On another operation, Hathcock and
his spotter deployed into a camoulaged THATSAWHIMFAMOUSLYSHOOTHISENEMYTHROUGHHISOWN
hide to watch a trail well known for troop
soon appeared moving cautiously along the TELESCOPICSCOPEASHEWASLININGUPASHOT”
movements. Sure enough, an NVA company

Confirmed kills: 93

Unconfirmed kills: 200+
Longest shot: 2,286 metres (2,500 yards)
BOUNTY: $30,000

Hatchcock attached his scope to an
M2 Browning like, the one seen here,
to make his 2,286-metre shot

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