NRA 150th: Marksmanship Training Saving Lives in Vietnam

[Elderberry]

American Rifleman June 21, 2021

What does a 50-foot NRA range for .22 rifles in Oklahoma have to do with the combat effectiveness and survival of a Marine in Vietnam? In the young life of R.S. Hildreth, almost everything. Hildreth at 17 qualified as an NRA junior sharpshooter. He fired his score at Tulsa on a 50-foot NRA range.

Hildreth at 19 qualified as a hero. He fired against a Viet Cong machine gun at 175 feet. With only his rifle, he “literally fought a duel” with the machine gun crew. When his accurate marksmanship wiped them out, other Viet Cong manned the weapon. Hildreth coolly picked them off in turn.

The Silver Star Medal was awarded Hildreth for his “resolute fighting spirit, bold initiative and unwavering dedication to duty ... in the face of overwhelming odds.” What the citation clearly implied, without saying, was: “He had faith in his rifle and himself.”

More: https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/nra-150th-marksmanship-training-saving-lives-in-vietnam/

[GtHawk]

Good for him, but shooting marksman with a rifle at 50 feet at 17? That's hard? My grandson at 12 shoots that well at twice the distance.

[Elderberry]

Good for him, but shooting marksman with a rifle at 50 feet at 17? That's hard? My grandson at 12 shoots that well at twice the distance.

Good for him. 50 feet doesn't seem too far, but that's the distance I shot in my pistol marksmanship class. Does your grandson shoot from prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing?

[GtHawk]

Good for him. 50 feet doesn't seem too far, but that's the distance I shot in my pistol marksmanship class. Does your grandson shoot from prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing?

Only made it out with him and his parents once but he was shooting kneeling and standing. Also using a full size shotgun he busted 13 clays in a row, now the clays thrown with a hand held thrower and probably not as far as a spring thrower but it was his first time. I think pistol at 50 feet is a different animal from rifle at 50 feet.