Greatest sniper during Viet Nam

[Bob Wright]

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.

It's almost like a baseball dugout where no one wants to disturb the pitcher by talking and distracting. I can only imagine that snipers must have had a lot of things running in their heads. Getting caught, torture and revenge taken upon them. Most I would imagine were running out there with serious bounties placed on them. Would this be their day?

 

[Turkeytider]

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.

Where I live ( outside of Savannah), we have a pretty big military presence with Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield nearby. On occasion at our club range, some of the guys in the sniper team that`s a part of the Ranger unit at Hunter will come out to shoot. I have to say that they are some of the nicest, most unassuming young men you`d ever want to meet. And the toys!! They were all seemingly excited to talk to an old man about shooting and gave me tips. I told one of them that they really don`t have much of an excuse to miss with the gear that they have and one of them just smiled and winked.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I don't know where everyone gets their stories from. I was in/at the end of the Viet Nam War right up until April/May 1975. Previous it was call "Frequent Wind and alsoed

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.

I have to disagree with everything that you referred to. I was in the Marines in the early 70s and was in the in the 1st Marine Air Wing calling in air strikes, then 2nd Marine Div Force Troops Recon. Also went to Quantico and played with Scout Snipers. I knew a lot of Scout Sniper teams and never had another Marine "Hate" another Marie in Recon or a Scout Sniper. We always consider every Marine a "Brother" and still to this day call another Marine my Brother. Everyone inter acted and the only time slept alone was when we didn't have a woman in bed. As far as treated "Spooky Psychos" I think that all us Marines thought we were "Spooky Psychos". We talked to each other about what we did, but never to an outsider.
The only people that didn't like us Marines or other Service men & women were the Liberal News Media and Hippies. This was the 70s. The Viet Nam War really didn't end until 1975 after Operations "Eagle Pull" and "Frequent Wind". That was when the evac of Saigon in April 1975.

 

[Recon$$]

I'm 2 generations later and not on a trigger anymore. Len, I have to agree with you. Vietnam fascinates me because the missions would never have flown in my day. Different Era, different War (kinda). In my time, not to long ago in consideration, I'd say the attitudes were much different. Amongst service members it was either respect, some form of admiration, or just envy. By envy I mean you'd you'd have some random command staff just come jump up your *** cause they could hide behind their rockers or bars until your own entered the fight, usually over gear, appearance, some bs crap their boys couldnt do. I have to say, even working in the leo world now, I truly cherish my brief time i occasionally have with my usmc brothers. Were all lunatics faking it till we make it. I remember when I got hired at my current gig, an old ranger came up to me who had read my resume. He told me two things. It's a good job, but you'll never work with the people you used to and its not that. He wasn't wrong. There's definitely some members on here that could weigh in, hope they do.

 

[cohunt]

What about Master seargent Jerry "mad dog" Shriver--- he was the "hero" of almost any SF guy after Vietnam-- my good friend (27 years "retired" in the Army/SF) holds the highest regards for him

 

[cajun]

Look up SOG cast on spotify or wherever you listen. Might even be on youtube. Great stories told by sf sog guys from Nam.Those guys had brass kahunas.
I saw a special on snipers that had Chuck on it. Seemed like a very un assuming guy. They talked about how he took out a bunch of vc crossing a river at night with an m14 and a starlight scope.

 

[Recon$$]

Look up SOG cast on spotify or wherever you listen. Might even be on youtube. Great stories told by sf sog guys from Nam.Those guys had brass kahunas.
I saw a special on snipers that had Chuck on it. Seemed like a very un assuming guy. They talked about how he took out a bunch of vc crossing a river at night with an m14 and a starlight scope.

He made it very clear he wanted to book to represent his stories in complete truth. At least what was printed. After reading it, I believe the author was true to his wish. Wish he went into a little more detail on that encounter. He let a scout cross and return, to let them go to the main element and give the gtg before he started pulling the trigger.

 

[DirectDrive]

Starlight scope, 6lb optic

 

[FEENIX]

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.

Same here!

https://allthatsinteresting.com/adelbert-waldron

https://www.historynet.com/adelbert-waldron-top-sniper-vietnam/

 

[Turkeytider]

Same here!

https://allthatsinteresting.com/adelbert-waldron

https://www.historynet.com/adelbert-waldron-top-sniper-vietnam/

Waldron just flat owned the night. Man, he must have just been oblivious to snakes! That alone would have had me a nervous wreck, much less the enemy!

 

[Bravo 4]

We are all standing on the shoulders of giants. I got to spend some time with a living legend from that error, Major John Plastor.

 

[Turkeytider]

We are all standing on the shoulders of giants. I got to spend some time with a living legend from that error, Major John Plastor. View attachment 554043

Bravo, I think you meant " era " instead of " error " ? LOL!

 

[Bravo 4]

Bravo, I think you meant " era " instead of " error " ? LOL!

Dang autocorrect got me again!