Silent Warrior: The Marine Sniper's Vietnam Story Continues

Henderson wrote Marine Sniper, the first book about Hathcock's exploits as a sniper in Vietnam. His publisher at the time forced him to reduce the size of the book for economic reasons. This volume is made of the material from that cull. It to reads like fiction as did the first volume. Hathcock is a legend in the Marine Corps and amongst marksmen of any stripe. In this book, we learn more about the recovery from the burns he received in Vietnam and his follow up career teaching in the Marine sniper school. We also learn of his contracting MS and how it eventually destroyed his body and took his life in 1999.

This book accomplishes its goal of fixing Carlos Hathcock as a role model for Marine marksmen and US Military enlisted men. The biographer’s writing is slightly uneven but still worth the time learning about the life and work of one of the more unassuming characters of the Vietnam era. This book follows upon the earlier biography of Hathcock Marine Sniper: One Shot, One Kill. This second work explores a bit more of the context for what was facing Hathcock. Silent Warrior covers the demise of The Apache, The Frenchman, and the team of snipers whose sole mission was to eliminate Hathcock. Also included was a support mission where Jose Jimenez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and Hathcock's own Silver Star. The book also show more covers Hathcock’s early visits to enjoy Norwalk, and La Habra, California and, years later, his recovery from severe burns. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs P. Pace is given a positive review as organizing a celebration for Hathcock in a long overdue ceremony. Recommended for military enthusiasts of US Marine history. show less