This section is devoted to all of those who have met Carlos Hathcock and would like to
relay their story or opinions to the rest of the sniping community.
"I met Mr. Hathcock at the Waukesha Rifle and Pistol Associations banquet a few years back.
Before he spoke, he walked around, meeting the rifle and pistol competitors that were in
attendance (about 600 of us showed up), talking and shaking hands. Then he came by our
table. Carlos is one of those guys that you expect to be about seven feet tall, and
figuratively, he was! I stood up to shake his hand and say hello, and towering over him I
felt compelled to sit back down. You just dont feel right being taller than this legend!
He shook my hand, asked about the firearms that I shoot in competition, and handed me his
card. When he finaly got up on the podium to speak, and tell the stories, and answer
questions, you would have been amazed at the amount of noise that 600 people made...none!
I didn't hear a single chair squeak, or a throat get cleared, nothing but pure silence.
This was truly a living legend we all met that day, and he couldn't have been a nicer more
down to earth guy. Semper-Fi Gunny!"
Mike Hinrichs (email 15aug98)
"About 6 months ago I was on aol, talking in the Marines chat room. A
couple of guys were on and questioned me about the M40A1. I answered
their questions. They gave me Carlos Hathcocks personal phone number.
I was a little leary about calling him, but I did. Talk about a
complete gentelman and always a Marine. He took my call, I explained
that I was also a Marine Corps Sniper and we talked for about 30
minutes. Mostly about the Corps. I understand he has been put in for a
Silver Star. I hope he gets it. Carlos loves to hear from fellow
snipers."
Robert K. Canfield (email 8july98)
"...Since that time in Quantico, all three of us have completed the course in
Virginia Beach...and guess who met us at the door..."Gunny" Funny thing, he
remembered me and before I could introduce myself he asked, "Stopped your
heart lately". I was floored! I will be forever grateful to "Gunny" for
passing on his knowledge and experience to each of us. The training he
provided has help to save lives not merely take them.
Carlos Hathcock gave us instruction that made us think of not only of the shot
but about discipline and patients."
James Cowen (SA-FBI) (email 7oct98)
"...It was against our better judgment to bother him
before his meal. But we knew it would be our only chance to meet him. He was
patient, polite and extremely courteous. I was amazed at his demeanor. He is
one very pleasant gentleman. He is a hero and we let him know how much we
appreciated what he did. After our conversation and a photo shoot...which
didn't come out, we retreated to our booth. The gentleman that was with him
came to our booth and asked if we were Marines. We weren't and told him our
story. My cousin's husband was active Army at the time and I was prior Army.
He said Carlos was very impressed. Not many Marines know who he is, much less
recognize him. He handed us both a gold business card with a sniper rifle and
a feather on it."
Eric Quintanilla (email 14oct98)
"...Not only that, but I found he lived very close by and as fate would have it I was trodding
the isles of a gun show in Hampton VA, when I happened to glance to my right and look into
the eyes of a face I knew well: Gunny Hathcock. And not only did I get to shake his hand
but got an autographed photo to boot. What a day!"
William Liddell (email 5Dec98)
"...Carlos and I shot together at Cherry Point in the early '60s and had a
lot of fun kidding the other shooters about being "Yankees". Carlos
broke my long-standing qualification course record there and liked to
kid me about it....but I never forgot Ol'
Carlos and his snicky giggle and was real proud of calling him my
friend."
Captain William E."Doc" Lisenby USMC (Retired) (email 19feb99)
"...I shook his hand and chatted with him while he ate a bowl of ice
cream ... I just felt good sitting in his
presence. I couldn't think of any great ballistic or gun questions. After
about 5 minutes I excused myself letting the guy finish his treat in peace.
He was a true hero and gentleman."
Mike Eckols Odessa (email 25feb99)
"...I was very suprised when I met him, he put everyone immediatly at ease, his
knowledge of shooting was unmatched. I learned more from that one week
of training than I had from any of the other training I had ever
attended combined. He was definetly a professional and a gentleman. A
true Marine. He will be greatly missed. America has lost one of it's
greatest heroes."
Mike Guice (email 26feb99)
"I was a member of the Coast Guard Pistol Team when he came out to the range
at Dam Neck, VA during the All Navy Matches. We listened to him talk for an
hour or so while he graciously wished us luck and signed our score books..."
GM1 Mike Connelly, USCG (email 24dec99)
"My father was one of Gunny's students @ Quantico in the late 70's. He
has always spoke truely of Gunny and the way he would be able to yell
at you without even saying a word. I wanted badly to meet this man
since I was little and it finally happened when I was about 9 yrs.
old. Gunny came to stay with us at my house for a week when he came
up to Maryland to help my dad with the sniper school he was
instructing for the police dept. Every night at dinner we would all
sit around and listen to stories Gunny had to talk about. I do have
to say...There was never a dull moment when he was around. Ever since
that week, I have been in close contact with Gunny all the way up to
his death. He was even generous enough to send me a new 50 dollar
bill for graduation. Talk about someone who revels in the likings of
youngsters. He was a great man and will always be in the heart of me
and my family. My father still cries when he thinks of how Gunny used
to tell him to put himself in his "own little bubble" when he was
shooting. Thanks for the advice Gunny and thanks to you..."
Brian Bartholomew (email 20apr99)
"...I went to the infamous marine PMI
school. (Primary Marksmanship Instructor), and Carlos spoke at our
graduation. It was the most memorable moment of my 7 years in the
marines. When he entered the room in his wheel chair, you could hear a
pin drop. The whole entire audience was afraid to look at him. He got
out of his wheel chair and walked slowly up to the microphone, and then
he started talking about how much he hated people that spit their
chewing gum on the street. The whole audience started to crack up. And
he kept going on and on and on about how he had to pull it off the
bottom of his shoes.....
"He spoke to us for about 30 minutes even though he was in serious pain.
And when he was finished, he stayed after graduation to chat with his
fellow marines, autograph books, and have his photo taken with us.
Semper Fi Carlos"
Sgt. Gregory P. Maloney
1stBn 2ndMar A Co.
2nd MarDiv"
(email 19oct2000)
"...So, with no idea at all what to
say to him, I called. I simply asked "may I speak to Carlos Hathcock?
He said " this is he"..I replied with..."I hope this isn't gonna sound
crazy, but are you the soldier who was the inspiration for the book
"Marine Sniper"?
He paused for a terrifying few seconds, and said.."I am he". The only
thing I could do was to say how much I admired him, and that I enjoyed
the book. He came back with a statement, that made me speechless..He
said..."You have got some nerve calling me"...I immediately got sick in
my stomach. Then he said..."But I love a person with a lot of nerve,
come meet me, and have lunch"! He didn't have to ask twice. We talked
for about 30 minutes on the phone, and he gave me his home address,
which was about 10 mins. from where I lived.
...He acted like he had known me for
years. He and his wife were as sweet as anyone could ever imagine..."
Donna Harris-Garbus
(email 18aug2001)
"I first met Carlos while in the Marine Corps back in 1984 my first year as a young Marine
Sgt. assigned to the Marine Corps Rifle Team in Quantico, Va. I had hear stories about the
famous Marine Sniper. I remember first seeing him, he was a small framed guy, I introduced
myself to him, he was barley able to move around due to his illness. He was wearing the coveted
Marine Corps shooting jacket given to all Marines who are fortunate to make it to the big
team. Looking in his eyes was amazing! He was very pleasant and loved to talk about the
conditions of shooting! I was in awe! I has the pleasure of shooting along side of his son
a couple of years later. Carlos will be missed greatly, however he will never be forgotten
by this former Marine."
THOMAS COKE
(email 21apr2004)