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Snipers in History
A true sniper is an operative who gathers intelligence for the command structure (law enforcement or military) and occasionally takes the one, well-aimed shot that, if done properly, will save lives. Since the invention of the firearm, skilled individuals with specialized equipment have influenced the tide of battle. At times, this effect has been so great as to turn the tide of history. From Leonardo da Vinci to present, the long range rifleman has had a telling effect on the direction, drive and scope of battle. By his discriminatory nature, he has felled the command structure of his enemies, rendered their equipment useless and driven fear into the hearts of their fighting men. The sniper is one of the most effective weapons on the field of battle. He is frugal, and precise. He is not a superman, capable of incredible feats, but he is skilled in ways that many misunderstand. This section is devoted to the marksmen of history who have, by their actions, changed the face of battle to favor their nation of origin. No political judgments will be made on their leadership. Bravery and skill cross territorial borders. Look here often for a continuing source of historical figures. If you would like to add information or names to this section of the page, or have any comments, questions or concerns, please send E-mail to Marius Ferreira, our ( South African ) Webmaster, or any one of the other staff members, Garry Blosser, Pete Reiff and Scott Powers
Snipers in History
Col. Patrick Ferguson, British Army Timothy Murphy, Battle of Saratoga, Morgan's Kentucky Riflemen
Col. Hiram Berdan, Union Army Sgt. Grace. 4th Georgia Infantry Captain John T Metcalf, US Army Engineers Unknown Confederate Sniper
Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II Sgt. Gary Gordon, Sgt. Randy Shughart, Delta Force
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Union attack which in turn gave General Robert E. Lee the edge he needed to win the day at Spotsylvania. Top
Snipers in History
The Diary of Alvin York, By Alvin C. York Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation. Sgt. Alvin C. York's Diary The Real Sergeant York Alvin York - Army Legend The Life of Alvin C. York Trenches on the Web - Bio: Sergeant Alvin C. York Top
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someone named Koenig had been shot in the duel and not Thorvald because the Germans didn't want to admit their ace was down. He opined that Koenig was very close to the German word for king, as in a chess analogy; you win the chess game when you take your opponent's king. Z was sure the papers he took from the body said Thorvald, and that's the way he wrote it in his memoirs. So, true or not, I went with it because the man told me so. Top
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Carlos N. Hathcock II exemplifies hard determination, self direction and skill. His actions put a serious dent in the free operation of the enemy in his area of operations, thereby saving many
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untold American lives. He is historically significant as his actions have affected and directed sniper training in the US ever since. For the first time, and by and large due to Carlos, Jim Land and several others, the military sniper has been looked upon as something more than a fluke of war. He is now a permanent fixture of the United States armed forces. As a final note, unbeknownst to the Gunny, he was experiencing the debilitating effects of Multiple Sclerosis as far back as the 1960s. This site proudly honors the dedication and determination of this individual, who under the most harrowing of conditions fought on to the end in quiet resolve. Top
Team Sergeant Gary Gordon, 33, of Lincoln, ME, and Weapons Sergeant Randy Shughart, 35, of Blain, PA -- Medal of Honor recipients, both of Delta Force's C Squadron.
On October 3, 1993, members of the Army's Rangers and SOCOM's Delta Force went on a mission to capture Gen. Mohammed Farah Aidid and to arrest his staff. The mission went awry when the soldiers ran into greater than expected opposition. The Somalis began shooting down U.S. helicopters. The helicopter containing Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant went down. Riding in a Blackhawk flown by a pilot by the name of Goffena, call sign Super 62, was Randy, his team leader Gary Gordon and another sniper by the name of Hallings. They heard about Durant's Blackhawk going down and there was no way a rescue team could be inserted in time. The Somalis were closing in. The Blackhawk crew didn't stand a chance. Randy, Gordon and Hallings picked off numerous skinnies, but at the same time, the chopper took a lot of hits. A couple of other gunships came in to help and they were successful in somewhat holding the crowds back. Meanwhile, Randy and Gordon made their third request to go in. They could provide first aid, set-up a small perimeter, and possibly hold back the armed crowd until a reaction force showed up. Just maybe. Randy knew it was one hell of a gamble. But they were confident. Both were good at killing. They made a formidable team. Goffena braved the ground fire and hovered about two meters above the ground. There was a small brown-out with sand and dirt blowing which made it hard to see. Randy got wrapped up in his safety line at the last second and had to be cut free. Gordon had a hard time seeing as he ran for cover and tripped and fell to the ground. They made it to cover but weren't sure in the maze of huts which way to go. Goeffna pointed the way. Randy and Gordon worked their way through a maze of shanties following the smoke a crew chief and popped. They got to Durant first and lifted him out of the wreckage. Then they moved to the starboard side to help out the rest. That's when the Somalis came in and started checking out the wreckage. Durant shot at them with his MP-5. He heard more firing on the other side of chopper. About a hundred meters away was a Little Bird, OH-6, waiting to help load the wounded. They were SO close. But the Blackhawk crew were too badly wounded and couldn't be easily moved to the Little Bird. Besides, the OH-6 was a sitting duck out there in the open and they were running low on fuel. They left. Gordon shouted out that he was hit, and then nothing more. Randy came around to Durant's side and asked if there were any more weapons onboard. When Gordon got hit, Randy picked up his rifle and now gave it to Durant. Then he asked for the frequency on the radio. Randy made an urgent call and he was told to hang tight, that a reaction team was en-route. The Somalis closed in by the dozens. Randy grabbed his rifle and ran back to the opposite side of the wreckage to face the music. At first there was only sporadic firing. Then the Skinnies got
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organized and suddenly a heavy barrage of automatic fire opened up. It sounded like a torrential downpour that lasted about a minute. Randy, completely out of any ammo, was hit and fatally wounded. It was all captured on video by the P3's flying overhead. They radioed to the command on the ground: "Indigenous personnel moving around the second crash site. Over." "Indigenous? Over." "Affirmative. Over." That was it. Durant was captured and spent several days as a prisoner. He was the only survivor. The CIA quietly negotiated for the release of the bodies of the dead American soldiers, including Shughart and Gordon. Of those, Gordon's body was the most badly mutilated and was dropped off in a plastic garbage bag at the front of the U.S. mission. Throughout their involvement in the firefight, all who were around Gordon and Shughart commented on their composure and coolness. No matter how hopeless it seemed (or was) the two commandos carried out their mission smoothly and without fear. Said Geoffena, "anyone in their right mind would never have gone in." As a result of their actions, the United States Government awarded the two commandos the Medal of Honor for their honor and bravery against insurmountable odds. Top
Additional Links to look at: The Battle for Stalingrad - The Red Army Snipers Sniper Legend: Eric England - The Phantom of Phu Bai! (Vietnam War) SP4 Otto Majer's Bronze Star - Vietnam Tpr William Edward (Billy) Sing - "The Assassin of Gallipoli"
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