Marine sniper metes out swift death in Iraq's most dangerous neighborhood

San Diego Union - Tribune & AP ^ | July 29, 2006 | Antonio Castaneda

[mad_as_he$$]

I have known more than one sniper - with the correct weapon - that could do that. I even saw one in very similar circumstances do it. The muscle control in those guys is incredible. This kid sounds like a natural in the spirit of White Feather.

Semper Fi - eat $hit and die islamofacists.

[mad_as_he$$]

I think if it is a "Corps" sniper rifle ALL of the ammo for that weapon is hand loaded at CL by the guy that last qualified that particulr weapon.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

".....not that difficult....."

4 of the 5 jihaddis must have been extremely sluggish.....8 seconds is a very long time

[PhillyRepublican]

One shot, one kill. The Marines are about the only government agency that doesn't waste government property or taxpayer's money. Semper Fi!!

[RunningWolf]

Since I could hit in the kill zone of an upper torso sized silhouette at 400 meters and (quickly too less than 5 seconds) with a stock M16 with stock sights, I find it very believable he should be able to hit a head sized target at 1500 ft with a new rifle and scope & just as quickly.

RW

[gaspar]

Actually, starting from the first shot, he had eight seconds thereafter to get off four rounds. Possible. That he scored in each case? Phenomenal.

[Enterprise]

"He really got 400 gunmen in 5 seconds by shooting 8 rounds, and they were 5 yards away."

LOL!! The first five headed quickly to allah, the sixth man dove off a 3 story building. Marines, no better friends, no worse enemies. Dhimmi had 3 stories to ponder the meaning of that.

[righttackle44]

"(Slightly off topic, but I wonder why after 4 years and 2 tours in Iraq that this Marine is still only a Lance Corporal. Maybe promotion in infantry MOS's is slower?)"

I'm no expert, though I do have a son in the Marines who will be going back to Iraq in March. Most likely he has been perfecting his skill so that he hasn't had time to study for the corporal's exam. Or, perhaps he is one of those Marines who indulges in liquid fun and got into some trouble and has lost a stripe. Either of those a very plausible explanations.

(I have not served. My tagline honors my son and my cousin.)

[Fatuncle]

On a smallish rooftop, all of the targets may have been inside the field of the scope at once. Move the cross-hairs a fraction and squeeze again ...

Standard technique is to take out the man at the back, work towards the front. The first two or three may die before the guy in front even knows about it. Second, shock that they are under fire may have paralyzed them for a fatal second or two. And third, they may have made the fatal error of running directly away from the sniper ...

[Revelation 911]

“It doesn't bother me. Obviously, me being a devout Catholic, it's a conflict of interest. Then again, God supported David when he killed Goliath,” Wilson said. “I believe God supports what we do and I've never killed anyone who wasn't carrying a weapon.”

Im glad he recognizes the conflict - and that tells me he is mature - and its reassuring theyve all had guns.....but on some level I worry about this kids ability to reintegrate into home life on his return and pray todays choices and obligations dont haunt him in his autumn years God willing

May God watch over him and deliver him home safely

.....presumably after introducing many more demons to Gods wrath

[Riley]

Promotion is slower in the Corps than in other services, but he ought to have made Corporal by now- all other things being equal. Your speculation seems plausible.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

they were slugs.....even the 6th one who took 8 seconds to un-ass the roof.

At least they're good slugs now.....talking to their dream harem of 72 virgins about that great al-Q training, LOL.

[Gumdrop]

Good Point. When reading the story, I worried that our enemies will locate him when he returns and target him or his family. We need to pray for him. And, while I believe he is justified in his job, we need to pray that he can adjust properly after he is done with the military duty.

[docman57]

Oh Great, let's just plaster his face and name all over the place and get a good price on his head like Hathcock.

[NewRomeTacitus]

The rifle that Marine's holding, firing a 5.56 mm round, can not maintain the reported accuracy much beyond 250 yards because of the inherent lightness of the bullet no matter how many refinements added on. I suspect he has a selection of weaponry from his unit's armory that can pull off the feats in the article - the Knight's SR-25 (flat-top reinforced M-16 in .308 caliber) and the Barrett 50 mm automatic, whose magazine happens to hold five rounds.

[oh8eleven]

Slightly off topic, but I wonder why after 4 years and 2 tours in Iraq that this Marine is still only a Lance Corporal.
I was in '66-'69 including a tour of 'Nam and made Sgt in about 2.5 years. But that was then.

I've noticed Marines in photographs over the last few years and I see a lot of L/Cpls. A lot. I also noted many Cpls with a hash mark, Sgts with two hash marks, etc. Oh, and their fruit salad rivaled Chesty's. Different times I guess.

[VOA]

bump

[BIGLOOK]

I agree. The .223 ain't long range. It's a close action assault weapon. If he's sniping, he's doing it with a heavy caliber weapon.

[shalom aleichem]

John Kerry says he too used to crawl through the woods stalking deer.

[RandallFlagg]

Good story, however, I hope they did not use his real name or legitimate personal information about him that could be used to find and hurt his family.

Same here. That's actually the first thing I noticed.
I hope that we don't see some FReeper who might know either him or his family start ranting because he/she knows that this is accurate personal information being released by the enemedia.
If this happens, we oughta get some FReepers to keep watch. I wouldn't put it past some of the press to try making a Marine uncomfortable while serving in Iraq. Knowing that their wife was just outed, say?

If the press knowingly released accurate information that could be used to endanger this Marine's family, they must be made to pay. That is just wrong.