US Marine Corps sniper Carlos Hathcock is widely considered one of the greatest snipers in history, ranking alongside legends such as Vasily Zaytsev, Lyudmila Pavlichenko and Simo Häyhä. During the Vietnam War, he recorded nearly 100 confirmed kills, with many more likely remaining unconfirmed. His remarkable accuracy and fearsome reputation became so notorious that the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) sent a highly skilled sniper, nicknamed “Cobra,” on a mission dedicated to eliminating him.
Carlos Hathcock served valiantly with the US Marine Corps
Carlos Hathcock was born in 1942 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Growing up in a family that depended on hunting for their livelihood, he developed an early familiarity with firearms. From a young age, he dreamed of joining the US Marine Corps, a goal he realized at just 17.
In 1966, Hathcock was deployed to Vietnam as a military policeman. His exceptional shooting skills quickly caught the attention of his superiors, who transferred him to Capt. Edward James Land’s sniper platoon—a role he embraced with enthusiasm.
Taunting enemy soldiers with a white feather
Hathcock quickly gained a fearsome reputation, taking down numerous targets. He became known for wearing a white feather in his hat during missions, a bold taunt to enemy soldiers that earned him the infamous nickname “White Feather” among the North Vietnamese.
Due to his lethal effectiveness, the North Vietnamese Army placed a $30,000 bounty on his head, the highest of the war. Many snipers tried to claim the reward, but, as Marty Robbins’ song “Big Iron” says, “Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead.”
Recounting his encounter with ‘the Apache woman’
Carlos Hathcock’s renown is partly due to the vivid detail he provided while sharing stories of his missions. One particularly harrowing account involved “the Apache woman,” a female sniper who had been active in the Vietnamese jungles long before Hathcock’s arrival, causing pain to captured Marines within range of their bases.
While on patrol, Hathcock encountered a group of Viet Cong fighters. Initially, everything seemed routine, but when one of them squatted to urinate, he identified her as the Apache woman and quickly eliminated her.
Carlos Hathcock vs. ‘Cobra’
Carlos Hathcock’s most famous wartime tale involves his confrontation with “Cobra,” an NVA sniper tasked with killing him. Acknowledging Cobra’s skill, Hathcock prepared for an intense face-off, waiting to see who would strike first. While moving through the thick Vietnamese jungle, he stumbled over a fallen tree. At that instant, Cobra fired, barely missing Hathcock and hitting his spotter’s canteen instead.
Following the shot, Cobra adhered to sniper protocol and shifted position, prompting both snipers to relocate. However, Cobra made a critical error by positioning himself with the sun behind him, exposing his location. Hathcock seized the opportunity, took aim, and neutralized Cobra before he could fire again.
How many enemy soldiers did Carlos Hathcock dispatch?
Carlos Hathcock ended his service in Vietnam with 93 confirmed kills and the world record for the longest sniper shot, which remained unbroken for 35 years. Due to the way kills were confirmed during the war, his tally is likely much higher, with he himself having estimated it to be between 300 and 400.
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The heroic Marine Corps sniper passed away on February 22, 1999, at the age of 56.
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