Sniper’s skills in demand in Iraq

Army Times ^ | December 23, 2003 | Matthew Cox

[68skylark]

SAMARRA, Iraq — The sun was sinking at the desert’s edge when Sgt. Randall Davis spotted his target, an armed Iraqi on a rooftop about 300 meters away. “It was just getting dark. I saw a guy step in front of the light,” said the 25-year-old sniper.

Davis knew he was watching another sniper by the way the man stepped back into the shadows and crept along the roofline to spy down on a squad from his unit — B Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

“Most people, when they get on a roof, will just move around and do what they’ve got to do,” he said in a recent interview here. “But this guy was moving slowly, trying to have smooth motions, trying to stay in the shadows.”

From his own rooftop position, Davis tracked him with his favorite weapon — an M-14 rifle equipped with a special optic sight that has crosshairs and a red aiming dot.

He didn’t have to wait long before the enemy sniper made his second mistake.

“He silhouetted his rifle from the waist up, trying to look over at the guys in the courtyard,” Davis said.

His M-14 spoke once.

“I hit him in the chest. He fell back. His rifle flew out of his hands,” Davis said. “You could see blood spatter on the wall behind where he was standing.”

Confirmed kill, his eighth — which includes seven enemies picked off in one day.

[68skylark]

Sniper Sgt. Randall Davis peers down the holographic scope of the M-14 sniper rifle he used during operations in and around Samarra. Since mid December, Davis has been credited with eight confirmed kills and two “probables,” a count no soldier in the brigade has matched. — Alan Lessig / Military Times staff

I recently started subscribing to Army Times. I should have done it long ago -- I really like the information I get.

[WI Conservative 4 Bush]

Wow. What an awesome article. Kudos to Sgt. Davis.

[exnavy]

Cool! good read.

[Ciexyz]

A great sniper movie: Enemy at the Gates (2001), with Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes and Ed Harris, about Russian snipers shooting at the Nazis in WW II Stalingrad.

[DainBramage]

Another good Iraqi.

[Jack Black]

That's not a scope, it's a laser aim device. Scopes magnify, that does not (need several lenses).

The Army uses bolt actions for sniper rifles too, not sure which ones.

[American_Centurion]

Notice his left shoulder patch?

[Lurker]

It's a modified Remington 700 designated the M-40A1.

Merry Christmas.

L

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Spc. Christopher Wilson, left, and Sgt. Randall Davis, a sniper team for Bravo Company, 5th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 20th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, hold sniper rifles used during operations in and around Samarra. Leaders maintain that the Stryker brigade’s abundance of snipers is ideal

[68skylark]

Wow -- that's a great picture.

[RussianConservative]

Interesting thing, except for river crossing nothing of movie realistic. Russian army of 1943 not charge germans like that nor were unarmed. In truth, by 1943, Red Army more heavily armed then Wehremacht. Red Army in Stalingrad mostly on defense with only local area offensives through whole war. Most offensives launched at end when ring of Kassel was closing so Germans could not break contact. Most raids and fights conducted by Storm Groppi. Groppi of 20-30 men with submachinegun and grenade sent to sewer or roof tops and set up strong point behind German line. Or do raid on rear area so German not feel safe anywhere.

Also Red Army create concept of kill sack in Stalingrad and perfect it on Germans. Actually reading of Enemy at the Gates (movie took less then 4 pages and make all kind of twist in that) give good feeling on daily war and hardship....good military book on thing is: Stalingrad (British book...cover killsacks and such). Another good movie is: Stalingrad (German movie...very graphic). Also good book on Snipers of Stalingrad is: Ratt Krieg (or War of Rats).

[Ciexyz]

The article says he was born with 20/10 vision. Apparently that's good for a sniper? Please clarify.

[MEG33]

Good shooting!

[TruthNtegrity]

Yes, I see the shoulder patch but don't know what it means.

Tell me, if you do?

[gatorgriz]

One of Sgt. Davis's heros is Carlos Hathcock, a sniper in Vietnam, with 98 confirmed kills... I've got a book about Mr. Hathcock's exploits in Vietnam in my library. Quite a story... Congrats and all that jive to Sgt. Davis!

You shoot straight guy!

[68skylark]

The article says he was born with 20/10 vision. Apparently that's good for a sniper?

Yeah, I noticed that too. I'm not sure what it means. But it sounds like it's a good thing. Sounds kinda cool, too.

[fso301]

A great sniper movie: Enemy at the Gates (2001), with Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes and Ed Harris, about Russian snipers shooting at the Nazis in WW II Stalingrad

Based on a Russian story that from German accounts is historic fiction. A decent movie no less. Too bad the ending wasn't true to the Soviet story.

When comparing "Enemy at the Gates" with "Stalingrad", I'd actually give a higher recommendation to "Enemy at the Gates" primarily because I had a much higher expectation of "Stalingrad" as it was from the producers of "Das Boot".

[CholeraJoe]

That's good for anyone. 20/20 is normal. 20/17 is Fighter Pilot material.

[Cagey]

A great sniper movie: Enemy at the Gates (2001),

I recently saw that film for the first time and despite it getting poor reviews from the so-called experts, I thought it was a riveting movie about a part of WW II few of us Americans know much about.

[MarkeyD]

It means he sees at 20 feet with the clarity that someone with 20/20 would see at 10 feet.