- Joined
- Jun 17, 2009
- Messages
- 202
Due to a mutual friend, I was introduced to Carlos Hathcock and he ended up inviting me over to his house to chat one Saturday back in about 1993.
Due to OPSEC, I won't tell everything he shared with me here. However, there are some interesting things I can.
First, I have to tell this part, because I think it turned out to be kinda special. I had him sign a poster print of him I had bought years prior at a gun show and had left in the protective shipping tube, not sure what I was ever going to do with it. Once I was invited over to Gunny's house to meet him, I knew just what the destiny of that print could be. At DEVGRU, there's a tradition of leaving a gift with your team when you depart. I knew that my sniper crew there would think a personally signed, matted and framed print of old "White Feather" would be pretty cool.
So, sitting there with him in his living room in Va Beach, Gunny called for his wife to bring his special silver paint pen and signed the print to the members of the team. I had the print professionally matted, glassed and framed, then kept it in storage for the proper occasion. When I departed that unit, I presented my team with the print of Gunny, which would have been good enough, but Gunny had sadly passed away since I had him sign the print, so it was even more unique and special for the guys. I found myself being particularly glad I had thought to have him sign it while I had the opportunity. Some things in this life you just can't buy.
Another thing was that I learned Gunny had really enjoyed what he did as a Sniper. When I had originally read his book, I had gotten the impression he reluctantly carried out his duties only because he knew it had to be done and he didn't want some lesser prepared Marine to have to do it...
In person, I got a completely different feel. He seemed like he really got into it, in a much darker way. He had a kind of gleam in his eye as he talked about his accomplishments. He wasn't just some dumb country boy, he was a hunter of man and plenty good at it... I liked that!
I asked him about the Ghilly Suit and why he hadn't used something more like that. He explained that they didn't know about that back then, but said he would have definitely made use of one if he had.
He went into how he stalked the general and that he actually low crawled on his side, picking the grass back up behind him as he went with his toes. He said that's why he went so slow. He didn't want a patrol running him down via his snail trail. You snipers out there know what I'm talking about. I found that very interesting.
He also told me he picked up his brass, every time, even when they had gotten ambushed once on a patrol in. I remember thinking there's no way I'd be worried about my brass during a chance contact like that, but Gunny was proud of his discipline, so I wasn't going to knock it. Besides, maybe he was right to have done that. After all, he lived that war, not me.
All in all, it was an amazing visit, for which I am very grateful and will always value very highly. He was an amazing man. God rest him.
More recently, I able to meet Chuck Mawhinney at the SHOT show in Vegas. I was honored. I was introduced to him by mutual friends and was able to chat with him a couple times for quite a while. He told me all about the book that was written about him, only to be lost for all time when the wife of the author threw out the entire project when her husband suddenly passed away. Apparently, the entire project had been completed, with only the submission to the publisher to go.
With me encouraging him to get his story out there for so many snipers who would love to learn about his accomplishments, he let me know it will just never happen. The reason is that when he and the author asked so many of his old unit members and buddies for their input, it wasn't always a good reflection back for all of them, so Chuck just can't go back and ask them to go through it all again. Crying shame.
When I asked him about his tactics and techniques, he humbly claimed NONE of what he did would be relevant today. I seriously doubt that to be true. Some things are universal. Chuck may not be nearly as much of a dinosaur as he humbly claims.
So, what most snipers will have to know about Chuck is simply that he was another great Warrior who kicked some serious ass with his long gun. Deep thanks to him for it!
Both Hatchcock and Mawhinney were truly great Patriots and Warriors. I am truly honored to have been able to meet them both.
Due to OPSEC, I won't tell everything he shared with me here. However, there are some interesting things I can.
First, I have to tell this part, because I think it turned out to be kinda special. I had him sign a poster print of him I had bought years prior at a gun show and had left in the protective shipping tube, not sure what I was ever going to do with it. Once I was invited over to Gunny's house to meet him, I knew just what the destiny of that print could be. At DEVGRU, there's a tradition of leaving a gift with your team when you depart. I knew that my sniper crew there would think a personally signed, matted and framed print of old "White Feather" would be pretty cool.
So, sitting there with him in his living room in Va Beach, Gunny called for his wife to bring his special silver paint pen and signed the print to the members of the team. I had the print professionally matted, glassed and framed, then kept it in storage for the proper occasion. When I departed that unit, I presented my team with the print of Gunny, which would have been good enough, but Gunny had sadly passed away since I had him sign the print, so it was even more unique and special for the guys. I found myself being particularly glad I had thought to have him sign it while I had the opportunity. Some things in this life you just can't buy.
Another thing was that I learned Gunny had really enjoyed what he did as a Sniper. When I had originally read his book, I had gotten the impression he reluctantly carried out his duties only because he knew it had to be done and he didn't want some lesser prepared Marine to have to do it...
In person, I got a completely different feel. He seemed like he really got into it, in a much darker way. He had a kind of gleam in his eye as he talked about his accomplishments. He wasn't just some dumb country boy, he was a hunter of man and plenty good at it... I liked that!
I asked him about the Ghilly Suit and why he hadn't used something more like that. He explained that they didn't know about that back then, but said he would have definitely made use of one if he had.
He went into how he stalked the general and that he actually low crawled on his side, picking the grass back up behind him as he went with his toes. He said that's why he went so slow. He didn't want a patrol running him down via his snail trail. You snipers out there know what I'm talking about. I found that very interesting.
He also told me he picked up his brass, every time, even when they had gotten ambushed once on a patrol in. I remember thinking there's no way I'd be worried about my brass during a chance contact like that, but Gunny was proud of his discipline, so I wasn't going to knock it. Besides, maybe he was right to have done that. After all, he lived that war, not me.
All in all, it was an amazing visit, for which I am very grateful and will always value very highly. He was an amazing man. God rest him.
More recently, I able to meet Chuck Mawhinney at the SHOT show in Vegas. I was honored. I was introduced to him by mutual friends and was able to chat with him a couple times for quite a while. He told me all about the book that was written about him, only to be lost for all time when the wife of the author threw out the entire project when her husband suddenly passed away. Apparently, the entire project had been completed, with only the submission to the publisher to go.
With me encouraging him to get his story out there for so many snipers who would love to learn about his accomplishments, he let me know it will just never happen. The reason is that when he and the author asked so many of his old unit members and buddies for their input, it wasn't always a good reflection back for all of them, so Chuck just can't go back and ask them to go through it all again. Crying shame.
When I asked him about his tactics and techniques, he humbly claimed NONE of what he did would be relevant today. I seriously doubt that to be true. Some things are universal. Chuck may not be nearly as much of a dinosaur as he humbly claims.
So, what most snipers will have to know about Chuck is simply that he was another great Warrior who kicked some serious ass with his long gun. Deep thanks to him for it!
Both Hatchcock and Mawhinney were truly great Patriots and Warriors. I am truly honored to have been able to meet them both.