Charles Benjamin "Chuck" Mawhinney

[Loy Hamilton]

Mawhinney, the son of a World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) Marine Corps veteran, was an avid hunter in his youth. Mawhinney joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967, spending sixteen months in Vietnam starting in 1968. Although less well known than his more famous counterpart sniper legend Carlos Hathcock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Hathcock), Mawhinney actually had 103 confirmed kills to Hathcock's 93. Mawhinney had another 216 that are listed as "probables" by the U.S. Marine Corps.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Chuck_Mawhinney%27s_sniper_rifle.jpg

[Shooter5]

That looks like the one at the new Marine Corps museum?
http://www.usmcmuseum.com/index.asp

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

The "kill count" wasn't done until after the war was over, and the After Action reports were used (there was never an official Marine Corps count). No Marine sniper was allowed to keep track of his kills during the war. Both men had many, many unconfirmed kills. Hathcock once disappeared for weeks before he was located, and it is unknown how many people he killed during that period. Hathcock is more famous due to his killing "Apache" (a woman), killing the NVA General in what has to be the most harrowing sniper stalk ever, the well known sniper duel where he shot the sucker through his scope (the body and rifle were retrieved but the rifle was stolen), and having a NVA bounty on his head, as did then Capt Jim Land. Since Hathcock is dead, we will never know which had the most kills, just like York's rifle. I would say it is an even bet. But when it came to stalking a particular target and offing him and escaping, no one has ever come close to matching Carlos Hathcock's accomplishments. The Marines did not name their new Stoney Point sniper range the Hathcock Range for no reason (I got to fire on that range - it was cool).

The rifle displayed was a put together for display purposes (no joke). Mawhinney's most famous encounter at the river (16 head shots) was accomplished with a Starlight scoped M14.

Jim

[Badgerord]

You may note that the rifle has a M40A1 barrel (incorrect) and a late model "Round" safety (also incorrect), the rifle was "Reassembled" at the PWS, the receiver was removed from an active duty M40A1 when its significants was discovered. An old M40 stock was found kicking around the the PWS and a "Greeney" Redfield was scrounged up, it also sports the wrong sling, the M40 was issued with an M1 web sling.
Also in conversations with Chuck he said he confirmed he always used the M1 sling.

Somewhere I have a pic of Chuck holding the rifle in the picture.

I am not trying to kick dirt on the rifle just bring accuracy to the picture, it is the original receiver, the heart of the rifle.

Marty

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

I would still like to own it. It has history.

Jim

[Loy Hamilton]

Chuck and Carlos were on the history channel the other night talking about their
experiences in Nam.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

I hate I missed that. i would have recorded it. Did Carlos tell the story about him and Jim Land wrestling over the sniper rifle and both almost got mortared when the targets saw them wrestling? The really funny story is the feather Hathcock wore in his hat. It was a chicken feather!

Jim

[Loy Hamilton]

Jim

yes he did. he told it just as you said.

Chuck told his story about the night he took out 16 VC with
16 shots.

I'm glad we still have you guys still around to tell the true story.
I'm afraid things like this are just like the old west...when the
facts contradicts the legend, they print the legend.

Loy

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

They print the legends now. I see more BS printed as fact than you can imagine. I often wonder how some of those stories get started. My favorite is that the Marines didn't utilize snipers much in WWI (oft said in sniper books). We have now documented that there were over 200 snipers in the 5th and 6th Regiments, and we have identified a lot of them. Like you said, given a choice....

Another is the Marines stopping a German advance at 800 yards at Le Mare Farm west of Hill 142 in WWI on 5 June 1918. Even though this story appears in both American accounts and German accounts (they thought the Marines were all snipers), many refuse to believe that accurate fire from 800 yards was the norm for the Corps in the day. Now we go for volume of fire. Sad indeed. On that same day, a Marine sniper hit 6 Germans at 1440 yards with 6 shots before he was wounded by shell fire. He received the DSC for his feat of marksmanship. Fact, but not yet legend. The sad part is that well over half these amazing marksmen were killed or wounded the following day in an ill planned attack on Belleau Woods. Another unknown fact (to most) is that the 6th Marine Regiment was the most/best educated regiment in the history of the US military - period.

Jim

[TomSudz]

Another unknown fact (to most) is that the 6th Marine Regiment was the most/best educated regiment in the history of the US military - period.
Jim

You, sir, contradict yourself! They were either educated or Marines, make up your mind! :icon_tongue:

I kid, I kid. Sometimes ya just can't help yourself.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

Cruel indeed.

Jim

[Chris F]

The rifle displayed was a put together for display purposes (no joke).
Jim

You may note that the rifle has a M40A1 barrel (incorrect) and a late model "Round" safety (also incorrect), the rifle was "Reassembled" at the PWS, the receiver was removed from an active duty M40A1 when its significants was discovered. An old M40 stock was found kicking around the the PWS and a "Greeney" Redfield was scrounged up, it also sports the wrong sling, the M40 was issued with an M1 web sling.
Also in conversations with Chuck he said he confirmed he always used the M1 sling.

Somewhere I have a pic of Chuck holding the rifle in the picture.

I am not trying to kick dirt on the rifle just bring accuracy to the picture, it is the original receiver, the heart of the rifle.

Marty

I can give some corroboration to what Marty says. My friend was head of PWS, Sniper Section when he received a call from a certain authority that they wanted to check for a rifle that may have 103 confirmed kills on it. Just coincidentally the rifle (with the old M40 receiver) was in the shop for a rebuild. The rifle was pulled from service on the spot and returned to as close a condition as was possible within the resources of PWS. I happened to speak with my friend within about a month of the rifle being pulled from duty.

Marty, are you any closer to putting out your book? I'm ready to buy when you're ready to sell.
Chris.

[Badgerord]

The book is still in progress, every time I think I have run out of new rifles, 2 or 3 rear their heads and its on again.
I am over 100 rifles now.

The plan is to finish it for SHOT show 2012, the 30th anniversary of the company.

Marty