Carlos Hathcock: The White Feather Sniper
Carlos Hathcock: The White Feather Sniper
Carlos Hathcock, the Whitefeather Sniper, is best known for his exploits during the Vietnam War. He personally describes his role as a military sniper in the following interview excerpt:
“Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.” He copied Hemingway’s words on a piece of paper. “He got that right,” Carlos Hathcock said. “It was the hunt, not the killing.”[17] Hathcock said in a book written about his career as a sniper: “I like shooting, and I love hunting. But I never did enjoy killing anybody. It’s my job. If I don’t get those bastards, then they’re gonna kill a lot of these kids dressed up like Marines. That’s the way I look at it.” (source)
This week’s article shines a spotlight on a man well-known in the military, but relatively unknown by the general populace. He was a small town boy turned military legend. In the aftermath of his time in the military he was best known for his kill count and the personal nature of his profession: the hunting of men.
Carlos Hathcock addressed the nature of his business in an interview by fervently writting down the following words on a scrap of paper, “Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.” After he had copied Hemingway’s words on a piece he said, “He got that right.” He continued with, “It was the hunt, not the killing.”[wiki] Hathcock elaborated more on this in a book written about his career as a sniper, “I like shooting, and I love hunting. But I never did enjoy killing anybody. It’s my job. If I don’t get those bastards, then they’re gonna kill a lot of these kids dressed up like Marines. That’s the way I look at it.” To understand the man and the legend we will need to travel back to his upbringing in Arkansas, United States.
Early Life
Carlos Norman Hathcock II (Carlos Hathcock) was born May 20, 1942 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Carlos Hathcock spent much of his youth living in the boondocks of Arkansas. He would also visit family in Mississippi and go hunting. He would “play Marine” during his youth hunting imaginary enemies in the wide open flatlands near his home. It was during this time that he gained a love for marksmanship, hunting, and the Marine Corps. On May 29, 1959 he turned 17 and fulfilled his dream of becoming a United States Marine. After his initial training he gained a reputation as a particularly skilled marksman by winning shooting competitions including the prestigious Wimbledon Cup in 1965 as a Lance Corporal. A year later he would be deployed to Vietnam.
It was there, in the perilous jungles of Vietnam, that Carlos Norman Hathcock II became a legend to all those who would follow his footsteps in the military, and a deadly jungle specter for those who tried desperately to kill him. He was deployed as a military police officer, but was recruited to be a sniper by Captain Edward James Land due to Hathcock’s shooting prowess. He was transferred to the 1st Marine Division Sniper Platoon stationed at Hill 55. During the Vietnam ware in order for one to get a “confirmed kill” you needed to be viewed by a third party who must be an officer. Mr. Hathcock ended his time in Vietnam with 93 confirmed kills. He estimates that he may have killed anywhere between 300-400 enemies during the Vietnam war.
Carlos Hathcock is an individual which at first glance seems as if they he sprung from the script of some Hollywood movie. Reality has a way of being much stranger than the art that imitates it.
#1 Right Through the Scope
While stalking an enemy (who had been sent specifically to kill him near Hill 55) Carlos Hathcock and his spotter John Roland Burke, made history. We have all seen some action movie protagonist shoot someone straight through their scope in the movies. But, hold you caps ladies and gentleman, this man actually did it. While stalking the sniper known by their nickname, ‘Cobra,’ Mr. Hathcock and Mr. Burke played a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Carlos Hathcock had a few close calls before finally getting his chance. He saw a flash of light reflecting off of a scope, he aimed and pulled the trigger.
“We worked around to where he was,” Carlos Hathcock said. “I took his old spot, he took my old spot, which was bad news for him because he was facing the sun and glinted off the lens of his scope, I saw the glint and shot the glint… I was just quicker on the trigger otherwise he would have killed me,” Carlos Hathcock said. “I shot right straight through his scope, didn’t touch the sides…And it didn’t do his eyesight no good either.” (Source)
The bullet went straight through their scope killing them. Now, before we finish this one it should be noted this was tested on Mythbusters and although the first time it was deemed a busted myth upon being revisited it was deemed plausible. It’s a once in a lifetime shot.
#2 To Kill a General
Imagine being the best sniper alive. Your commanding officer comes to you with a mission so perilous that you have to accept it before they tell you anything about it. Carlos Hathcock lived through this scenario. For four days and three nights he inched 1500 yards closer to his target. He didn’t sleep, didn’t eat and kept his mind completely on his mission. Finally, once he was within 700 yards of his target he waited to take the shot. He hit a Vietnamese General right through the heart. After the shot had been taken the enemy quickly rushed to the treeline in search of the sniper not knowing they were nearly running right on top of him. They searched for him for three days as Mr. Hathcock slowly inched his way home.
#3 Apache
Our final tale of this legend stems from a female enemy sniper by the name of “Apache.” Now this woman was as evil as humans come. Not only was she known as a proficient sniper, but also as someone who had a taste for torture. She enjoyed torturing Americans; even to the point of death. Mr. Hathcock made it his personal mission to take this woman out. After a particularly infamous incident in which “Apache” caught, tortured, skinned, and castrated a Private Mr. Hathcock had had enough of the nonsense. Sometime after the skinning incident he and his spotter finally got their chance to take her out. She stepped off to the side of the road to pee and Mr. Hathcock took the shot. He called it the best shot he’d ever taken.
Nowadays there is a lore surrounding Carlos Hathcock making him somewhat of a Marine saint. Regardless if you are a Marine, a civilian, or just a history buff this is one man you should definitely know at least little about! If you want to know more you can check out the books written about him below (you can click on them)! I hope you enjoyed this article. If you liked it check out our other historical figures click HERE.
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Written by: Karl Vanzant
Approved by: Jneebs
