While on Hill 55 SW of DaNang, we had a Marine in our Company who took a sniper round in the back while wearing the old ballistic nylon & ceramic plate flak jacket. The hit was just above the plates and the nose of the bullet penetrated the ballistic nylon layers. He ended up with a bruise and a pimple sized puncture wound. I’m not sure if he even qualified for a Purple Heart!
BTW, that sniper may have been one that Carlos Hathcock took out.
What range was the sniper and what caliber?
“I’m not sure if he even qualified for a Purple Heart!”
Kerry got Purple Hearts for much less.
During the Panama action (I believe), a corpsman I knew was shot multiple times in the back with 7.62x39. He was wearing two civilian vests under his flak jacket and the bullets were stopped by the Kevlar. He managed to pull several Marines from a burning AMTRAC while he was getting shot.
He got no award, and was told that he was just doing his job. The young LT that managed to get his vehicle blown up got the Bronze Star. Go figure.
The corpsman was an HM1 Schnorr, at Camp Pendleton when I knew him. If anybody knows the guy, buy him a beer and ask him to tell the story.