Carlos Hathcock Research Paper

Carlos Hathcock was a natural marksman. It was always something that he had always had a knack for. He grew up shooting a .22 caliber J.C. Higgins single shot rifle. Dreaming of being a marine, he couldn’t wait to till he turned 18 and enlisted when he was 17. He faced many dangers in the marines as he fought in the Vietnam War, became a famed sniper and faced a life threatening injury.
Carlos Hathcock loved the marines. Because his father was one and fought in World War II, he thought that it was the life for him. While he was in the marines, he became a distinguished marksman, winning several competitions. When the war in Vietnam broke out he was sent off to fight. He quickly became well-known for his amazing sniping ability. The Viet Cong feared him so much that they put a large sum of money for anyone who killed him. Also, they sent out special groups of men whose only mission was to hunt down and kill Carlos …show more content…
He had the most confirmed kills out of either side. One of the things that gave him his most fame was when he went deep into the Viet Cong’s territory and stalked a general for several days. Getting dropped off by a helicopter some miles away from the generals compound, he made his way to a field that was 2000 meters across, with the generals encampment on the far end. Knowing he only would get one shot and that he needed to get within 600 meters of the general to ensure an accurate shot, he crawled inch by inch for over four days without any sleep and very little food. He was often a few feet from enemy patrols but, because of his camouflage, they never spotted him. Finally, he got into position and he waited for the general to begin his normal routine of going out of his hut and walking around in the morning. When he was within range, Hathcock shot him in the chest and then fled for his life. He made it to his meeting point and got safely home. Because of his great marksmanship, Hathcock was a greatly feared