NVA 50 cal Sniper Rifle

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

During the siege of Khe Shanh, 1stLt. Carlton B. Crenshaw , OIC, 105mm Howitzer Det, C/1/13, on Hill 881 South reported multiple casualties from a 50 cal sniper rifle. I didn't realize the NVA had a 50 cal sniper rifle. He was specific in stating they were single sniper shots from a great distance. I do not know how he knew it was a 50 cal. If you have never read his series of letters home, it makes damn good reading and details the suffering he and his men endured.

http://www.hmm-364.org/warriors-web-site/crenshaw-ltrs.html

I wonder if I could have endured what they suffered?

Anyone able to shed light on this sniper rifle?

jt

[joem]

I was stationed just down the road from there. Brought back some memories.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

Joem, you have my respect. I endured nothing like that during my tour. I think I would have gone nuts. Semper Fi!

jt

[da gimp]

know a Marine Huey crew chief who flew in & out at times during the siege.............he's spoken of much small arms sniping & enemy artie/mortars but never said anything about this.

[emmagee1917]

Prob'ly was one of thier versions of the Russian PTRD-41 ( bolt gun ) or PTRS-41 ( semi-auto ) 14.5 X 114 .
Chris

[cplnorton]

I actually bought a huge grouping of Dress uniforms of a Marine Colonel on Ebay one time. They were cheap and I thought they were really neat. Well when I got them, they were all named and I recognized the name immediately. They were all named to a Colonel David Lownds.

Colonel Lownds was the commanding officer of the Khe Sanh base during the Seige. and was nicknamed the Lion of Khe Sanh. He was also awarded the Navy Cross for the defense of the base.

It's just crazy to me that such a significant Marine Grouping was listed on ebay and the seller didn't even have a clue who the Marine was.

[BlitzKrieg]

He may have been the Lion of Khe Sanh but when Lang Vei Special Forces Camp called for him to execute planned contingency to the counter attack and relieve the camp, the Lion failed to leave the base and help at all. Lang Vei was over run by PT 76 tanks and were left out to dry ... a little known fact that speaks very thin of the USMC history. But hey...USMC got most thing rights so if you were not at Lang Vei, you can forgive this small detail of drag ass.

[BlitzKrieg]

He may have been the Lion of Khe Sanh but when Lang Vei Special Forces Camp called for him to execute planned contingency to the counter attack and relieve the camp, the Lion failed to leave the base and help at all. Lang Vei was over run by PT 76 tanks and were left out to dry ... a little known fact that speaks very thin of the USMC history. But hey...USMC got most thing rights so if you were not at Lang Vei, you can forgive this small detail of drag ass.

Posted this 6 years ago and to the Marines credit, they let it stand. Letting the SF camp die on the vine was not a great moment in USMC history but neither was the US Army at Kaserene Pass an epic moment of glory.

Some things in war are just side ways and go upside down. All the best.

[barretcreek]

Worked with a guy who had been FAO at Con Tien, attached to the next FB east. He said one of the guys father made up a base to fit a M2 and sent a 12x Redfield along with it. Said it worked WFO there and kept the NVA respectful. I imagine if they could find something similar they'd use it.

[Marine A5 Sniper Rifle]

Posted this 6 years ago and to the Marines credit, they let it stand. Letting the SF camp die on the vine was not a great moment in USMC history but neither was the US Army at Kaserene Pass an epic moment of glory.

Some things in war are just side ways and go upside down. All the best.

I have read the reasons why they left them out to dry (didn't think they could make it through the ambushes along the way), but it is a stain on the Marine conscience regardless. Lang Vei never had a chance to survive without the Marines. The command decision was the correct one tactically, as any relief column would have been slaughtered. But when you tell men you will come to their rescue when they need you, and you make no effort at all to comply when they ask for the help they depended on, it just isn't right. If the decision had been up to the individual Marines, I believe they would have gone to their deaths trying to get there. We will never know.

jt