Man, I hate punditry. I would have to say that some of what occurred, particularly with the 2500yd M2 shot, has been lost to both legend and time. I have no doubt that the narrative provided in Henderson's book was somewhat embellished and incorrect on some details. Gunny Hathcock also eventually lost the ability to recall details and so legend takes over some of the realities of his exploits.
Like others here, I had an opportunity to talk to "the Gunny" years ago (among a small group of 5 or 6 guys, not one on one). Henderson's book had just been published, so it was a popular topic of conversation. He specifically told us that the shot on the kid riding the bike was "lucky". The M2 "clicked over" right onto the bike (his description was similar to that, though I cannot remember the words he used - I believe he was referring to the T&E) and the shot knocked over the bike. The POI on the first shot allowed him to make the follow up killshot. HE put it down to luck. The shot was confirmed by his spotter AND (apparently) 2 NCO's in the patrol that collected the weapons from the road where the boy was shot (or so we were told).
Hathcock was quiet and unassuming. The man was a walking battle scar and yet he told no "war stories" to us. He just answered our questions politely and with some obvious affection - I felt like a younger brother.
My Scout Sniper School certificate hangs in my office - signed by Carlos Hathcock (I'm dating myself). I believe the man I met to have the utmost integrity. What he did on the battlefield went above and beyond what most of us can imagine doing. Details and distances are largely meaningless to me at this point.
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Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never really care for anything else thereafter. -- Ernest Hemingway
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