Among the world’s most powerful militaries, a wide range of duties must be performed. One essential role is that of a sniper. These highly trained personnel are an asset to modern warfare, able to take out enemies from an impressive distance. Aside from being an accurate shot, snipers must gather intelligence and maneuver without being seen. They must be highly aware of their surroundings and able to navigate all types of terrain to gain the position needed to take their shot.
Of course, even the best sniper would be rendered completely ineffective without a weapon. Snipers cannot rely on an average gun; they must be equipped with a gun capable of accuracy at a distance. A sniper is likely to use a gun designed with enhanced range and precision in mind, such as a rifle. For example, the Remington 700 is highly effective at taking out targets, whether human or machine.
The most famous sniper in the Vietnam war was Adelbert Francis “Bert” Waldron III, born on March 14, 1933, in Syracuse, New York. He died on October 18, 1995, in Riverside California. He spent 12 years serving in the U.S. Navy before switching to the Army during the Vietnam War.
#1 Service History
Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial.
Waldron was a Staff Sergeant with the 9th Infantry Division in the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. In addition to being the best sniper, he was also the most decorated. He earned two Distinguished Service Crosses, a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, and one Presidential Unit Citation.
#2 Beginning Service
Warfare in Vietnam.
He began in the U.S. Navy from 1953 to 1965 as a petty officer 2nd class. He enlisted in the Army in 1968 and attended the 9th Infantry Division’s sniper school. While being deployed to Vietnam, he was assigned to the PBR boats that patrolled the Mekong Delta. In eight months, he set a record number of 109 kills as a Sniper. One of his most impressive shots was killing a mark from over 900 yards away on a moving boat platform.
#3 Vietnam War
Vietnam War.
Before the Vietnam War, there was no Sniper training program in the U.S. Army. The first organized sniper training program was established in 1961 in Hawaii in the U.S. Marine Corps. The U.S. Army started formally training snipers in 1967.
#4 Rifle Models
Vietnam War.
The two rifle models that were used by U.S. Snipers were the Winchester Model 70, and an M21 Rifle. The better-known U.S. Marine snipers used bolt action rifles. Carlos Hathcock who had 93 confirmed kills famously used a M70.
#5 Winchester Model
Vietnam War.
The Winchester Model 70 bolt-action rifle was an improvement on the M54. Although not officially adopted for combat during the Vietnam War, the M70 was still used unofficially in the Marines. According to the “Equipment for the American Sniper,” the best rifle and scope combination for sniping is the Winchester Model 70 with an 8X target scope.
#6 Remington Model
Vietnam War.
Winchester tried to sell more M70s to the Marine Corps, but the Marine Corps soon discontinued the acquisition of M70s citing reasons such as the lack of interchangeable parts, difficult-to-source replacement parts, inadequate sturdiness, and lack of sling swivels. The Remington Model 700 began to replace the M70 in the Marines by the late 1960s.
#7 Sniper Units
Vietnam War.
During the Vietnam War, there were no sniper units. So, units trained and deployed snipers depending upon need. U.S. Army snipers were trained in South Vietnam and issued XM21 rifles from the Rock Island Arsenal. In total, the Rock Island Arsenal converted 1,435 target-grade M14 rifles into M21s by adding a fiberglass stock, a 3-9X ART, and using 7.62 Lake City Long Range XM-18 ammunition. The modified M14 was designed by Lieutenant James Leatherwood. This innovation was important because it combined bullet drop compensation with range finding. The XM21 started circulating in the U.S. Army in 1969. The M21 was used until 1988 when the M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) replaced it.
#8 The M21
Vietnam War.
The M21 was a controversial choice. A 1989 internal Fort Benning Publication said, “The M21 cannot be maintained under field conditions, and its inflexible design makes it highly susceptible to malfunctions.” Other criticism pointed to the fact that the scope can’t be easily removed which could be problematic if disassembly was required during combat.
#9 Starlight Scope
Vietnam War.
Sergeant Waldron primarily used an M21 SWS rifle, and sometimes a starlight-equipped M14 or M21. He frequently hit marks at night and heavily utilized the starlight scope.
#10 Silver Star
Vietnam War.
Waldron earned his Silver Star in 1969 during a reconnaissance mission in Kien Hoa Province. He engaged enemy forces for over three hours, killing 11 soldiers. He earned his first DSC for completing 14 sniper missions from January 16, 1969, to February 4, 1969.
#11 Sniper Missions
Vietnam War.
From February 5th of the same year until March 29th, he completed an additional 18 sniper missions and earned his second DSC because, “despite adverse weather conditions, poor illumination and the pressure of arduous missions night after night, he repeatedly located an engaged many hostile elements, killing a number of the enemy.”
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