Chuck Mawhinney, Camp Pendleton Marine who became deadliest sniper in corps history, dies at 75

[MarineCombatEngineer]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/chuck-mawhinney-camp-pendleton-marine-who-became-deadliest-sniper-in-corps-history-dies-at-75/ar-BB1irwY9

SAN DIEGO — Chuck Mawhinney, the Camp Pendleton Marine who became the deadliest sniper in the corps' history while serving in the Vietnam War, died on Monday at his home in Baker City, Oregon. He was 75.

The Marine Corps credited Mawhinney with 103 kills as well as 216 "probable" kills that could not be confirmed because of the dangerous conditions in which the shootings happened.

Mawhinney, who attended Camp Pendleton's Scout Sniper School, made the kills during a 16-month period that began in early 1968, when he was fighting the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong. He was a member of Camp Pendleton's 5th Marine Regiment at the time.

The Oregon native recorded all of the kills before he turned 20. The journal American Rifleman says Mawhinney, whose father was a Marine, primarily carried a Remington M40 sniper rifle, typically firing from a distance of 300 to 700 yards. Some shots were made from more than 1,000 yards.

This Marine Scout Sniper was a legend within the Marine Corps.
RIP fellow Devil Dog and cross gently.

[jimfields33]

1. Thank you for your extraordinary service!

RIP!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. Compared to this Marine, my service was kind of mundane,

but I sincerely thank you on behalf of Chuck Mawhinney.

[jimfields33]

3. Mine too. 😂

[Irish_Dem]

10. MCE: As I recall your work was dangerous.

And certainly not mundane. It was important work.

But maybe you mean Hollywood is not going to make a story of your life
starring Bradley Cooper with a drop dead gorgeous leading lady?
Hey your life's not over yet, who knows????

[MarineCombatEngineer]

11. Thank you

and no, Hollywood won't be making a bullshit movie about my life in the Marines, and I wouldn't want them to because they would fuck it all up with their bullshit "heroic" scenes.

[Irish_Dem]

14. I like the heroic scenes.

I usually cry. I know they are sometimes a bit much, but many times well deserved.

And yes you were damn brave doing what you did.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. Pretty Amazing Shooting Record

I wonder what his average distance was. That's probably equally impressive.
What a cool customer he must have been.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

6. And just think, this was back in the Vietnam war where the average

sniper rifle was basically a hunting rifle like what I used hunting growing up.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. I Used To Use...

...a Springfield M1903, 75th anniversary model in shooting competitions.
So, I know the type of gun.
I never bought a scope, so I competed in the scopeless group.
Naturally, I wasn't aiming at targets that far away. As I recall, 50, 100, & 150 yards. Guys hit baseballs that far, so not exactly sniper stuff.
I still have the rifle, but probably haven't had any ammo for 25 years.
A gun guy, I ain't!

[EX500rider]

5. Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Norman Hathcock II gets all the press though it seems

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Hathcock

[Irish_Dem]

8. I assume this was before the sophisticated sniper equipment and techniques we have today?

An amazing story.

Military snipers are fascinating. Incredible skill set along with a certain personalty and psychology.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

9. Yes, the basic Scout Sniper rifle was the same rifle I used for deer hunting.

Nowadays, the sniper rifles are much more sophisticated, hell, they even have mini computers to help the sniper acquire and hit the target.

[Irish_Dem]

12. Did they have spotters in Viet Nam?

I think the spotter job is so interesting.

I know the equipment and techniques today are amazing.

But the guy who holds the record did it with a freaking deer hunting rifle.
Mind blowing.

ETA I wonder if the Viet Cong had a bounty on his head?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

13. That wasn't my forte, but I believe that they did have spotters. nt

[Irish_Dem]

15. I just looked it up, yes they had spotters in VN.