Greatest sniper during Viet Nam

[Bob Wright]

Chuck Mawhinney, deadliest sniper in US Marine Corps history, dies at 75

Chuck Mawhinney, the most deadly sniper in US Marine Corps history, passed away earlier this week at his home in Baker City, Oregon. He had 103 confirmed kills.

www.foxnews.com

Thank you for your service.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

Rest in Peace, Sergeant Mawhinney.
The Men that grew up with long iron in hand sure made effective marksman and stalkers and were proficient in the art of concealment.
The unknown number of American troops he saved has to be staggering.

 

[comfisherman]

Passed on the 12th. Seemed too young.

Many moons ago, a guy from church who was a bit of a character in his own right used to take me hunting. Chuck was one of the guys he hunted with, but only introduced as a vet (back then maybe a quarter of my friends had dad's who were Vietnam vets so didn't really think much of that). I was told that if he shoots the same time as you at a squirrel or coyote chances are it was him that hit it and not you. Fact that'd be the running joke in the truck with all the old guys on our way to meet up to hunt. It was just fun to sit in the back of the old jeep and listen to the stories while we meanederd through sage and fields on old ranch roads.

Didn't really understand who he was till college, sitting in the dorm watching History Channel avoiding homework. Watching an episode about snipers... and went "hey I know that guy". In a world of self promotion and blow hards all I knew up until that point was my friends dads think this guy's special. Credit to his character, shot squeaks with him a couple times and did a couple coyote hunts... took a TV for me to learn he was a living legend. Wish the world had more men like that....


Have one superhuman coyote shot I remember, I'll try and get to a computer to type up.

 

[Reemty J]

Bob, Carlos Hathcock has to rate right up there also!

 

[Bob Wright]

Bob, Carlos Hathcock has to rate right up there also!

Carlos Hathcock was all I knew from that era.
This marine, Sgt Mawhinney, I have only now just heard of. Another remarkable American!

 

[Ol' Red]

I read an article about Sgt Mawhinney years ago. He seemed to be a down to earth person. @comfisherman- it would be a interesting to have hunted with guy. May he rest in peace.

 

[milestown]

RIP Thank you for your service and the sacrifices you made.
Thank you for the lives you saved and no way of knowing the good ripple effect you caused in people's lives.

Hal

 

[Gunin4m]

I believe that Carlos Hathcock wrote about Chuck Mawhinney in his book Marine Sniper. Been a long time since I've read that book though.

 

[comfisherman]

I read an article about Sgt Mawhinney years ago. He seemed to be a down to earth person. @comfisherman- it would be a interesting to have hunted with guy. May he rest in peace.

It's funny, what I remember most is how unassuming of a person he was. Only indicator of who he was was how men his age treated him.

Remember one day my brother and I got invited to go with a group ground squirrel hunting. Mind you this was not an uncommon occurrence, couple of dads and a gaggle of boys armed the teeth with 22s. Usually we would post up in rolling fields near the irrigation line and they would let us boys go and get all the stupid ones in close. Then the men would pull out the real rifles and shoot the longer range ones. Us boys would help spot or keep looking for a close squirrel...or learn patience.

At any rate I'm prone laying under a wheel line scanning with my lousy scope trying to manifest a squirrel out of the dirt. One of the men kicked my foot to get my attention, and said "come watch, Chucks shooting". Honestly I don't remember the shooting prowess as much as the fact that we all stopped and gathered round to watch. Probably due to the fact that kids process things they don't understand by watching the adults around them, Or there was the other possibility that I didn't have binoculars and he was shooting so far My eyes couldn't see what was actually happening...


More people solo circumnavigated the globe on a sailboat, or walked across the south pole than duplicated his record. Even so he was probably 50 before showing up on TV and in his 60s before he started telling his story. As a millennial raised in a generation of self promotion, I'll remember his humility and pass that memory on to future generations even more than the memory of his shooting prowess.

 

[Bob Wright]

As I research a bit more, he used a std issue M40 sniper rifle with a 3x9-40 Redfield scope. That must have been pretty durable for then, but not much for dialing. Cheapest bidder wins back then as well. Quite a feat.

 

[Recon$$]

Ordered the new book yesterday. Don't know as much as I should. I'm still speechless they shutdown the school house. @Gunin4m I think you are right but it's been 23 years since I read the book as well.

 

[Recon$$]

Arrived today, I liked the format. More like you had a couple beers and he told stories. Not terribly detailed, but what do you expect 50 years later. Good read.

 

[Turkeytider]

I`ve always found it interesting that the public knows so little about Chuck Mawhinney and absolutely nothing about Adelbert ( Bert ) Waldron, US Army, the top scoring sniper for the war. All of them no doubt had more kills than was recorded and confirmed.

 

[Wetwrk]

Before the movie "Sniper" came out in 1993 most soldiers hated snipers. They ate alone, slept alone and were generally treated as spooky psychos. I doubt its changed much. When Mr. Mawhinney got back he mentioned what he did over there and suddenly nobody would talk to him anymore. So he stopped telling folks. Thinking snipers are cool is really a new thing. I didn't get a chance to meet Mr. Hawhinney but his kid Donny and my wife grew up together.