The Sniper: The Untold Story of the Marine Corps' Greatest Marksman of All Time

by Jim Lindsay, Chuck Mawhinney (Foreword)

Jim Lindsay's The Sniper reveals, for the first time ever, the full story of the deadliest sniper in Marine Corps history, Chuck Mawhinney, who served in the Vietnam war at age 18―written with his full cooperation and participation.

Charles "Chuck" Mawhinney is a United States Marine who holds the Corps' record for the most confirmed sniper kills (and the second most of any US service member in history), having recorded 103 confirmed kills in 16 months during the Vietnam War. He was also the youngest―killing the enemy as a teenager.

In 1967, at the age of 18, Mawhinney joined the Marines and began his assent from recruit to the Marine Corps’ deadliest sniper. During his tours―in one of the most dangerous war zones of Vietnam―his character and charisma helped him deal with life and death in a hell hole with other young men a long way from home.

After Vietnam, Mawhinney married and settled into his post-war life, raised a family, and was content that no one knew of his accomplishments in war. Then in 1991 he was startled and dismayed when outed by a fellow Marine sniper, Joseph Ward, who spoke of Mawhinney’s number of kills in his book, Dear Mom . Newspapers picked up the story and Mawhinney’s life changed forever. The notoriety troubled him at first, but then he accepted the fame and used the opportunity to train service men and lawmen in the art of long-distance shooting.

At last, Chuck's full story is told, including his heroic exploits in battle and the terrible toll that taking a life exerts on a human being.

Genres: Military Fiction, Nonfiction, History, War, Military History, Biography, Audiobook

256 pages, Hardcover

Published March 7, 2023

Reviews

[Laura Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read The Sniper in honor of my father who was proud to be a Marine for twenty years. I was proud of him, too. His service included two tours in Okinawa during the Vietnam War.

The Sniper tells the story of a regular guy who grew up on a farm and was drafted during the Vietnam War like so many other young men. Luckily, the USMC recognized his astonishing talent and he went on to become the greatest sniper in Marine Corps history with 103 confirmed kills. He saved many more lives than he took. His motto became, "Thou shalt not kill my Marines."

The writing here is not stellar but it is not bad either. There is, as expected, a lot of "we went there; shot more bad guys" kind of thing but it is not gruesome or tedious. What I enjoyed most was how Mawhinney learned to read the environment and the people; to notice not only what was out of place but what should be there but wasn't. Chuck Mawhinney was both talented and lucky and I am happy that he came back to lead a happy life. Thank you for your service.

I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

A real disappointment. Superficial hagiography. Poorly researched. Author used terminology for Army and not Marines. No context of subject’s role in the big picture. It appears there was no corroboration with official records. It’s incredible the deceased gave his imprimatur to this book. Suitable only for juveniles.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a few books about people who served in Vietnam and this is by far one of the best. In The Sniper Jim Lindsay has written a good story of the life of Chuck Mawhinney. I like the fact that the author listened to the person he writes about and respected his wishes. I am also sad to learn that Mawhinney was outed against his will when it comes to his service and the controversy of his number of kills. The book is very well written and it's very hard to put down once you have started reading and all of a sudden it's over. I had a wonderful time reading this book and I am greatful that I got an advance copy from St. martin's Press and Macmillan through Edelweiss. I am also thankful to Mawhinney for letting Lindsay tell his story. It's a great book for anyone interested in military history.

[Laura A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Chuck was a marine who was known for his accuracy with a gun. He was a legend and was content to live his life without people knowing his previous occupation. When another marine mentions his name in a book, his world turns upside down. This book gave a moving depiction of life during and after leaving the military.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and fascinating read despite the choppy writing style. This book will appeal to readers interested in true war stories.

[Arthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sniper a near 6 hour unabridged audiobook.

I know this is a good book, because usually I'm happy when books are on the shorter side, but in this instance I wish it had been longer with more details about his time in Vietnam. I really liked it.

[Marcia Meakim · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sincere thank you and much appreciation to Chuck Mawhinney for his amazing service to our country. His record of 103 sniper kills was so important to him yet he never used that fact to promote himself until many many years later. Although I was in middle school/high school during the war I never personally knew anyone who fought in Vietnam. Of course I remember seeing it daily on the news but it never really registered what the impact of fighting in this war had on the brave young men who were there until many years later. The description Chuck shared with Jim about returning home after his first tour and going to old hangouts really hit home. His peers must have seemed so very immature to him, compared to the strong bonds he formed with his peers in the Marines.
I found Jim Lindsay’s writing very easy to read and he definitely made Chuck Mawhinney a real man, instead of just the amazing sniper. He has certainly lived his life well in spite of the effects of the horrors he has seen and experienced. I so appreciate Jim Lindsay’s talent in capturing Chuck’s life.
Many thanks to Jim Lindsay, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published biography of Chuck Mawhinney.

[Jan Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

I was in school with Charlie growing up in Lakeview. He was ahead of me in school so I didn’t run with his friends but am proud of him and his accomplishments in Vietnam. Great to hear his stories.

[Jon Gottschall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy but fascinating read about the Marine Corps deadliest sniper, with 103 confirmed kills in 19 months of tour duty in Vietnam. He started as a Marine Corps sniper at the age of 18.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

should be stories about the life of the sniper. but interesting enough!

[Allyn Voorhees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky enough to have won an ARC of this book through Goodreads.

OK, I read a ton. But I do not read much in the way of true stories; even less do I read about war (Babi Yar springs to mind as one I HAVE read).

So when I say that this was a very good telling of a real-life story about war I want to be clear that the subject matter was not what (in the end) interested me about this book. One man's journey through life, that just happened to include the horror of war, was what this book means to me.

Kudos to the Author that took the story as told by the subject himself and used the writer's arts to bring across to the reader, in a digestible fashion, what it was like to function as a human being during a time of war.

I'm sorry that I can't compare/contrast this book with others of this subject matter.
I can only say that The Sniper is a worthwhile read for anybody even faintly interested in this type of literary journey.

Happy Reading.

[Jeff Matlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10

Chuck Mawhinney was the most accomplished IS sniper in the Vietnam War, killing 103 enemy soldiers. This book is his biography.

But wait, it’s not the Vietnam book you’d expect. I find most books about the Vietnam being you deep into the jungle and the daily grind of hell on earth. Burning bodies, mutilation, horrific destruction of humankind.

Not this book.

This is more about Chuck than about the war. In fact, the vast majority of the book doesn’t even take place in Vietnam - it takes place before and after the war. Even more, this isn’t a detailed analysis of his 103 kills. Instead, it’s a few stories about camaraderie in Vietnam and a bunch of anecdotes about how great of a shot he is.

The book is less detailed research and more a documentation of stories recited by a old war veteran. The book is a representation of his memories and, as it turns out, most of Chucks memories are pretty good.

This was a quick read and I have to say it was pretty enjoyable.

#netgalley #thesniper

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary electronic ARC of this excellent biography from Netgalley, the Author Jim Lindsay, and publisher St. Martin's Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Sniper of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. This is an excellent spotlight on the life of Chuck Mawhinney. Both my husband and I have enjoyed this work tremendously. I can highly recommend this biography to friends and family. It's a keeper.

A Marine Sniper in Viet Nam, Chuck Mawhinney did everything he could to bring closure to the war. I am very grateful for all that he was required to do as a representative of us, the American people. Thank you, Sir.
pub date March 7, 2023
Reviewed on February 22, 2023, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, and BookBub.

[terry d campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story. Seems like the context is often missing but it is hard to remember all the events during his time there just as it has been for me. I served in the same area as Chuck during the same period with the artillery. My final thought is that it would have been better for a Marine to write this so mistakes such as confusing Camp Pendleton with MCRD San Diego, or calling for a medic rather than a corpsman.

[Tomasz · Rating 2 out of 5]

And yet again a demonstration that even the greatest story falls flat when a poor writer takes it on. Mr. Lindsay might be applauded for his courage, but he failed miserably at the task. Chuck Mawhinney's tale still awaits a proper chronicler...

[Thrillers R Us · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though use of naturally occurring volcanic glass (obsidian) happened as early as the Stone Age, the first set of recorded instructions to produce glass point to about 2,672 years ago in the Mesopotamian civilization and was found in the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. Going through countless iterations and regional varieties, glass didn't become glass as the modern world knows it until almost the 1700s, when lead oxide added to molten glass made the work easier and produced clear lead crystal glassware. Following the Industrial Revolution, mass production of glass started at the dawn of the twentieth century and has been going strong ever since. Stable, resilient, inexpensive, and adaptable, soda-lime-silica glass takes the lion share of today's manufactured product, circa 90% of the whole enchilada, encompassing windowpanes, containers and everything in between. Going further than just the history behind the glass, THE SNIPER chronicles the life of Chuck Mawhinney, the most lethal sniper in USMC history, racking up 103 confirmed kills during his multiple tours of duty in the Vietnam War.

Hailing from bucolic Oregon, Chuck grew up on a farm and around guns; whatever was to be found on the dinner table to eat would have to get hunted and shot. Par for the course for the early third of the twentieth century, Mawhinney's story is filled with 1950s flavor, including the iconic THE LONE RANGER radio program, nickel candy, and Montgomery Ward catalog reading and shopping. Comfortable with shooting and killing from an early age, Chuck, of course, took a shine to the Daisy Red Ryder rifle, the kid's copy of THE LONE RANGER Winchester, just without the compass in the stock, giving extra credence to the TNT favorite A CHRISTMAS STORY. Hence, it was a time that is now lost in America, a time where a little hard work and ingenuity could get a fella a few coins to jingle in his pocket. Though also a time that imbued young Mawhinney with the sage advice to not believe everything you hear around the wood stove.

On a personal quest to get out of rural America, Chuck joined the United States Marines, that stalwart branch that gets to do the most with the least equipment, and, of course, gets to do it first. Naturally, after the rout of the French at Dien Bien Phu in '54 and America's increasing advisory role to the puppet regime of South Vietnam, Charles Mawhinney became Chuck, as either Charles or Charlie was the US given nickname of the rag-tag bunch of communist guerilla fighters often referred to as NLF, or just Viet Cong. Glossing over the nomenclature SNAFU, Chuck turned out to be the top Marine of his class, the top of the scout sniper program and was Vietnam bound with MOS 8541 - Scout Sniper. Arriving IN-COUNTRY via Go Noi Island and An Hoa, the Chuck touched down at Da Nang, and quickly found out that being a sniper is not only about shooting and killing people; it's mostly about range estimation, hold-offs, and observation skills. Tempering his book knowledge and practical skills learned in the Corps, the newly minted Scout Sniper discovered the Vietnam way that you never leave your spotter and his M14 behind, that you never use the same trail twice in the same trip, and that no matter how fast you can run, you can't outrun a bullet.

Sitting at spot #2 in the annals of confirmed mass killers of US Military History, just ahead of USMC sniper legend and often fictionalized "White Feather", Carlos Hathcock, Chuck Mawhinney was one of the Scout Snipers attached to the 5th Marine regiment, quickly becoming the sheriff of Arizona Territory outside An Hoa, situated south of the sprawling base of Da Nang that scratched the shore of the South China Sea. According to the master behind the glass, the Vietnam War (for him and lots of others) was about reading maps, reconnaissance, burning latrines, and cleaning rifles. The 'Nam was also humid, was home to plenty of big snakes, and the C-Rations sucked. While MARINE SNIPER: 93 CONFIRMED KILLS by Charles W. Henderson was a wan affair recounting some of USMC Sergeant Carlos Hatchcock's most dangerous missions, and AMERICAN SNIPER was more an ex-post facto whitewashing and a rather bottom drawer DR.PHIL episode about marital woes and domestic abuse, THE SNIPER has the feel of about 40 anecdotes you might hear in a VFW bar. The narrative is missing a coherent theme or unifying thread that would make this a compelling story aside from "most accomplished long range USMC killer" in military history. THE SNIPER does have good atmospherics, solid descriptions, and a fun night perimeter breach scene straight out of PREDATOR. While not going behind the glass and recounting in gory detail the one hundred and three souls dispatched, THE SNIPER is the human story behind the man who's behind the glass. Have a look-see and view the perils of the Vietnam War sniper through a modern lens. It hits the mark.

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 5 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: RAISED ON 10 COMMANDMENTS “THOU SHALT NOT KILL”… AS A TEENAGE MARINE “LICENSED TO KILL”
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Charles “Chuck” Mawhinney is a former Marine (once a Marine… always a Marine!) who holds the all-time record for most confirmed sniper kills by a Marine… with ONE-HUNDRED-THREE! I am also a proud Honorably Discharged Viet Nam Era Veteran… and being about four months younger than Chuck… I enlisted about ten months after Chuck’s October 18, 1967 enlistment. I mention this… to give viability to my views of understanding the time periods of Chuck’s/mine youth before and during his/ours service to our country. Even though Chuck was a country boy in Oregon… and I was a city boy from New York to Los Angeles… the signposts and benchmarks of our life and our country were the same.

The second important individual I would like to educate potential readers on… before delving into the “belly-of-the-beast”… the actual flow of the book… is the author Jim Lindsay. When I received this book.. the first thing I said to myself was… “This is a small book… two-hundred-thirty-pages… and the pages themselves are small”…

And then I started reading! It’s almost hard to describe Jim’s writing style… but I’m going to try my hardest… because it is so “UNIQUELY-WONDERFUL!” I don’t know if it’s accurate to say his style sneaks up on you… because it’s there from the beginning. I guess you feel after (like myself) being a little surprised by the aforementioned size of the book… you unknowingly have put yourself internally on the defensive… because of a natural human response if… like me… you read books constantly.

Then after you’ve read a few pages… you realize what a delightful reading experience you’re having! The author’s words flow in a sparse… condensed manner… that almost magically… becomes part of you… as you turn the pages. The words and sentences are being absorbed as if you’re sharing stories with a trusted friend… who values your time… and knows what you want AND NEED TO LEARN.

So once you’ve accepted your new companion Jim Lindsay as your guide and host of Chuck’s life… especially if you’re a Veteran like me… your only remaining problem is you can’t put the book down. The depiction of Chuck’s (Note: once he entered the Viet Nam era military he could no longer be called Charlie… since that was the despised… murderous… enemies name!) childhood is almost idyllic… especially his relationship with his loving Grandfather. When his beloved Grandfather dies and young-child Chuck has to go to the funeral while constantly asking where’s Grandpa… it’s heartbreaking. Chuck’s childhood desire to get a Lone Ranger cap pistol and BB gun… matched the same dreams of big city children. When he finally got a BB gun to ward off birds from Grandpa’s cherry trees… the beginnings of a sniper were born.

Chuck’s unmatched shooting skills could not be hidden and were shocking in basic training… and Viet Nam was immediately ahead… where enemy lives would be taken… “DISPATCHED”… as was the colloquialism in Nam. Every killed “Charlie” (that’s the nicest term I can use and still get this review published!) meant more American soldiers lived on. Another nicety detailed in this book is all the preparation and human discomfort a successful sniper puts himself through. It isn’t just the euphoria of the kill. There’s reading maps… laying in the dirt and mud for hours and days at a time. There’s snakes crawling over you… scorpions… bugs… heat… humidity… and of course the enemy.

If you read this book… you must be prepared to read of death… and the author… handles it better than you could imagine. I actually believe that very young teenagers can and should read this book. There’s more enhanced violence on TV every night… and all the top selling video games show no such class… that the author painstakingly… and seamlessly weaves in the must-tell sequences of real war and death.

“SOMETIMES, ON A CALM NIGHT, YOU CAN SMELL’EM. THEY STINK OF DEATH, “CRAP” (WORD CHANGED) AND URINE MIXED WITH THE SWEET SMELL OF OPIUM AND MARIJUANA. IF THEY DON’T HIT A MINE OR GET CAUGHT IN CONCERTINA WIRE, SOMEONE WITH A NIGHTSCOPE BETTER TAKE THEM OUT OR THERE WILL BE DEAD MARINES COME MORNING.”
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“THEY SEARCHED NEARBY FOR THE SECOND KILL. CHUCK POINTED WITH HIS CIGARETTE. “HE SHOULD BE RIGHT HERE.” “WELL HE AIN’T HERE NOW,” THE CO SAID. “I SAW HIM GO DOWN,” CHUCK INSISTED. “ALBURY HIT HIM HARD; HE WAS DEAD BEFORE HIS CHIN HIT THE GROUND.” “BIG GUNS AND BOMBS AND NAPALM TURNED HIM TO ASH” THE CO SAID. “THEN THE WIND BLEW HIM ALL THE WAY TO HELL.”

I’m also extremely happy that the author did not leave out how awful our country treated us Veterans when we came home. When Chuck was coming home for his first leave between deployments… he transferred planes at Oakland, California airport… lowlife hippies and war protestors shouted “Village Burner! “ BABY KILLER!” I lived through that and it’s something I’LL NEVER FORGIVE AND NEVER FORGET!

After Chuck gets out of the service his long adaption to civilian life… included what you try to remember… what you try to forget… how you’re never successful forgetting all you want to forget… nor remembering what you would prefer to… and probably the worst curse is not sharing your true thoughts and experiences…

“NOW, BACK IN LAKEVIEW, THERE WAS NO ONE WHO COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT HE’D BEEN THROUGH. NO ONE COULD HAVE THE FAINTEST IDEA WHAT HE FELT LIKE. SO, HE KEPT IT TO HIMSELF. HE TOLD NO ONE, NOT EVEN HIS FAMILY. NO ONE.”

***AMEN BROTHER!!***

Chuck eventually found the love of his life… had children… found the author… and now there is this book… a tremendous combination of… facts… accomplishments… wonderfully used and arranged words!

[Tom Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most, I believed Carlos Hathcock had the USMC sniper record. When a veteran buddy lent me this book I squinted in disbelief at the title and brief about Chuck owning the top sniper title. Then, as I dug into reading, I was more surprised at the history of the story. Chuck’s story aligns with my time as a USMC grunt in Vietnam.

An Hoa, Liberty Bridge, Arizona territory, Go Noi island, etc. were my AO from the summer of’69-70. This parallel to mine and Chuck’s tour meant more to me than probably, most readers.
I’ve peeped a couple of the very negative reviews here and decided to offer my opinion on one or two of these one star reviews.

Charles Mawhinney was obviously not interested in being known for his service as THE sniper in Vietnam. Jim Lindsay was a friend and took the job Chuck, obviously, could not, or would not do. Jim even offered to stop working with Chuck’s remembrances when Chuck’s wife mentioned it started him having nightmares. Too many decades had passed without Mawhinney’s record coming forward. Jim, the author, doesn’t come across as a veteran or definitely a Marine, so there are pretty obvious errors here and there in this second hand telling of Chuck’s story. Like, corpsman… not medic. Then others spoke of Jim’s writing abilities. To me, it’s okay to be a basic writer or storyteller, and it’s just as okay to hear about Chuck’s young years growing up and his years after the Marine Corps. Some folks probably wanted the book to be all war stories and not a quick, fast and easy read. I enjoyed the mix of short chapters and stories. Yes, maybe it could have been better written, but after too many decades of being a lost story in history, I’m thankful Jim took this under his wing.

I’ve read a pretty good amount of Vietnam books. None about Carlos, but a recent sniper novel regarding a top Second World War hero. A woman. I highly recommend is titled “The Diamond Eye”.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Mawinney - A Marine sniper who has the most recorded kills in the Marine Corp history. Not the best well written book, but written by author, Jim Lindsay with instructions from Mawinney that all truth be told, and all spotters names to be changed in order to protect their privacy. Author Jim Lindsay agreed to state facts and no B.S. per Mawinneys instructions.

The book travels through Mawinneys child hood in Lake View Oregon, with insight to Mawinney as a natural for marksmanship. He simply does not miss his target.

The book explains his process in the Marine Corp to that of sniper, and of course shipped off to Vietnam. And his kills, one after another thru three tours of Vietnam. A great recording of kills which are fascinating.

And life after Vietnam where Mawinney eventually transfers to my home town of Baker, Oregon where he is simply one of the working snuffs for the U.S. forest service. A down to earth man who works to provide for his wife and three sons.

Mawinney passed away a few months ago, and there will be a memorial for him in a couple weeks honoring his military career and his life. Mawinney played in our Elks drum and bugle corp, which I have two brothers who also played with him. It should be a nice memorial, and of course the Baker Drum and Bugle Corp. will play to honor Chuck.

A wonderful patriot, and human being. God Bless Chuck Mawinney for his dedication and courage, and may he rest in peace.

[Julie Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Charles "Chuck" Mawhinney is a United States Marine who holds the Corps' record for the most confirmed sniper kills (and the second most of any US service member in history), having recorded 103 confirmed kills in 16 months during the Vietnam War. He was also the youngest—killing the enemy as a teenager."

This was a very easy to read book that tells the true story of Chuck Mawhinney, known for being the deadliest sniper during the Vietnam War.. We start with his childhood, when he first fell in love with shooting, particularly long distance shooting. We get to meet his grandfather, with whom he had a very special relationship, and explore the bond between them. We move on to his teenage years, where he was known more for drinking and carousing than anything else. He decided to join the Army in hopes of becoming a sniper, and although it was a bit of a circuitous route, he got his chance and excelled at it. We then follow him after his discharge and see what he did with himself as he got older.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very quick, concise story, and I like that it continued the story into his adulthood and time out of the Army as well as his time within.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jim Lindsay for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Urey Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is my experience that those who have seen the most combat are those who talk the least about it. This is Rule One concerning combat veterans. They will volunteer funny stories, comments about deployed life, interactions with brass and NCOs, personal excesses and mistakes and stunts... but very little about the actual combat they experienced. They did it – they did it often well. They don’t talk about it. When you see the guy in the bar extolling folks with his combat prowess, he ain’t the guy that did that... the one sitting quietly off to the side who tells you about the time he fought a Vietnamese pig in his foxhole, or stole a stash of beer from a rear area NCO, or dangled from a cargo net under a helicopter on his way to a combat insertion.. that’s the guy who saw the most combat. This book is proof of the rule. It is essentially a collection of war stories... not combat narratives. There is no doubt Chuck Mawhinney experienced a ton of combat over his three tours, but what he did and what that was like is not really in this book. It is alluded to, but the narrative is youthful Marine war stories – humorous, innocuous, even endearing... but not the combat in which he engaged at length, honorably and with substantial success. And that’s OK ... see Rule One above.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Sniper: A Glimpse of True Grit

Jim Lindsay's "American Sniper" ain't your typical war book. It's a raw ride alongside Chuck Mawhinney, a Vietnam sniper whose courage leaves you speechless. You're not just reading, you're right there with him, sharing the sweat, the fear, the quiet awe at what these guys endure.

Mawhinney's skill is mind-blowing, but it's his humility that really hits you. Even after taking out enemies from impossible distances, he's just another soldier, carrying the weight of war with his brothers. And speaking of brothers, their bond is unbreakable. They laugh, cry, and fight together, building a camaraderie that death can't touch.

"American Sniper" is a tribute, loud and clear. It honors the heroes who risk everything for something bigger than themselves, and it reminds us of the scars they carry. It's a call to appreciate these guys, not just with words, but with real understanding.

This book is for anyone who wants to know what war really feels like, what men are capable of, and what it means to stand by your brothers through hell and back. It's a punch to the gut, but it's one you won't regret. So grab a copy and walk alongside these snipers. You'll feel their grit in your own bones.

[Lisa Zeigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book about Chuck Mawhinney and his military service. I have numerous family members who have served in all of the military branches and always interested in reading fiction and non-fiction books about various wartimes.

It’s impressive to read about his sniper skills at such a young age but it’s unfortunate that after living through the war, he then had to contend with the public knowing about the number of kills he made while serving. I can imagine being proud of such precision and sharing his expertise while also dealing with the mental and emotional issues of killing someone – no matter that they are the enemy. Plus, the public was unbelievably unsupportive of our military serving in Vietnam when many didn’t have a choice due to the draft. Being a wife, mother, sister-in-law, niece, aunt, and cousin to former military, I believe in supporting the US military in every way possible.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Caleb D · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sniper: The Untold Story of the Marine Corps’ Greatest Marksman of All Time by Jim Lindsay feels very similar in tone to American Sniper by Chris Kyle. Both Chuck Mawhinney and Chris Kyle were elite military snipers—Mawhinney a Marine in Vietnam and Kyle a Navy SEAL in the modern war on terror—and both shared a deep commitment to their teams, refusing to abandon their men between tours. The contrasts between the two are just as striking, particularly the different eras and types of warfare they faced. Personally, I prefer the narrative style of American Sniper because it offers more insight into Chris Kyle’s family life, especially his wife’s experiences, and provides fuller detail rather than jumping quickly from story to story the way The Sniper often does. Still, both books are excellent and offer valuable firsthand perspectives from two of the most accomplished snipers in American military history.

[Jose]

A charming and important biography

A very well put biography about the personal experiences of Mawhinny's life, especially of his time in Vietnam. A facinating lens into the life of growing up in America before Vietnam and of how a sniper lived during the Vietnam War. Mawhinny's firm and humane personality shines here, reminding the reader that despite titles and achievements, people are people and war is a terrible experience for those who are directly involved in it.

The writer presents these experiences well, on a way that you get a feel of Mawhinny's personality through these slices of his experiences.

This story has made me thankful for his service and grateful that he chose to share his experiences in his own manner, something that does not always occur in biographies, especially of those who lived thru.such divisive and controversial times.

[Wanda Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read. This story is to the point in telling of the military career of Charles Mawhinney who served three tours of duty in Vietnam. Mawhinney was a sniper who had 103 confirmed kills and is the leader in kills for the Marines. He went on after leaving the Marines to live a quiet life and was outed for his acts as a sniper when a fellow Marine mentioned him in a book he had written. This story tells of his time in Vietnam and his life after. Mawhinney is a great human being and this story honors him, finally, for his service to his country. He came home from Vietnam and, like many American soldiers at that time, he was cursed and spat upon. Many thanks for Lt. Mawhinney for his service and for saving the lives of so many other American soldiers.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a well-written book, but it's interesting to anyone with an interest in snipers or Marine Corps history. It gives the life story of Chuck Mawhinney from his growing up years in Oregon, through his military career including three tours in Vietnam, and return to anonymity back in Oregon. He was anonymous only until people started writing and speaking about him.

I liked the book, but didn't like some of the language or stories. It's unnecessary to include anything about him visiting prostitutes, or whoring around women. It's also unnecessary to include the profanity. The author would argue that these provide realism and authenticity, but they appeal only to the prurient interest of some people.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read of Chuck Mawhinney life from the time he got his first gun to his time as a Marine Sniper to his activities after completing his tours in Vietnam.

This is not an in-depth life for a soldier serving in Vietnam but rather stories of Mawhinney’s experiences/memories that he might have recounted beside the fire in a tavern just like his grandpa and his friends used to do when Chuck was a young boy.

I liked that each chapter was had a title so that if you wished you could jump to the bits you were more interested in or go back to re-read a certain chapter.

Recommended to anyone wishing to learn a bit about the man who holds the title of deadliest Marine Sniper, his memories of serving in Vietnam or for a collector of Vietnam stories.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of The Sniper in exchange for an honest review.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 stars..... This is an easy, quick read.....telling this man's story, beginning as a child to present day. He relates how he got to be the Marine Corps' greatest marksman, with stories of growing up & what led him to the Marine Corp. I thought it seemed like the author honored the Marine's wishes in telling his story.....the two put together a good book/memoir.
I received an e-ARC of the book from publisher St. Martin's Press via NetGalley, in return for reading it & offering my own fair/honest review.

[Medusa · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can’t argue that Mawhinney was a brave man and a productive sniper, but you don’t learn much about the craft here nor are you likely to like him very much. And this book displays almost every Vietnam cliche you can imagine. The portions of the book detailing his spoiled, dishonest but covered for youth make me really dislike him. Lots of cliches too about women, m14s being a “real” rifle and the m16 “Mattel looking garbage,” magazines as clips, on and on. Stuff that goes wrong is the fault of others. The armorer wants to spite him. He’s the best shooter ever. He decides to get stoned in a tank, doesn’t like the trip, and declares he’s the only one really fighting the war. Dope is scary see, not like the alcohol he clearly abused. Etc.

I really can’t recommend this. But I still tip my hat to Mawhinney’s service. This just isn’t a very good book.