‘It was night and low visibility, but I saw a guy with an AK-47 lit up by the porch light in a doorway about 400 meters away. I watched him through the sights.

May 24, 2014  'No Marine left behind' is the proud dictum of the US Marine Corps. But someone has to collect the dead – the 'angels'. For Christian Slater, a young man assigned to the Mortuary Affairs unit.

He looked like just another Iraqi. I hit him low in the stomach and dropped him.’ – Specialist James Wilks, 25, from Fort Worth, Texas. Concealment is key to becoming a great sniper. Highly trained marksmen who can shoot accurately from incredible distances with specialized training in high-precision rifles. In addition, they are trained in camouflage, field craft, infiltration, reconnaissance and observation, making them perhaps the most feared military presence in a war. Below is my list of top ten snipers in history and some of the greatest shots ever fired.

4th Georgia InfantryThe date was May 9th 1864, when Sgt Grace, a Confederate sniper, achieved what was considered to be an incredible shot at the time, and what is definitely the most ironic demise of a target in history. It was during the battle of Spotsylvania when Grace took aim with his British Whitworth Rifle. His target was General John Sedgwick (pictured above) and the distance was 1,000 yards.

An extremely long distance for the time. During the beginning of the skirmish, the confederate sharpshooters were causing Sedgwick’s men to duck for cover.

Sedgwick refused to duck and was quoted saying “What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you.

They couldn’t hit Elephants at this distance.” His men persisted in taking cover. He Repeated “They couldn’t hit elephants at this distance” Seconds Later Grace’s shot hits Sedgwick just under his left eye.I swear you couldn’t write it. Sedgwick was the highest ranking Union casualty in the civil war and upon hearing his death Lt. Grant repeatedly asked “Is he really dead”.

1949-103 Confirmed KillsWas an avid hunter as a kid and joined the Marines in 1967. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during Vietnam and holds the record for number of confirmed kills for Marine snipers, exceeding that of legendary Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock. In just 16 months he killed 103 enemies and another 216 kills were listed as probable’s by the military, only because it was too risky at the time to search the bodies for documents. When he left the Marines he told no-one of his of his role during the conflict and only a few fellow Marines knew of his assignments.

It was nearly 20 years before somebody wrote a book detailing his amazing skills as a sniper. Mawhinney came out of anonymity because of this and became a lecturer in sniper schools. He was once quoted saying “it was the ultimate hunting trip: a man hunting another man who was hunting me. Don’t talk to me about hunting lions or elephants; they don’t fight back with rifles and scopes.

I just loved it. I ate it up.”A routinely deadly shot from distances between 300 – 800 yards, Mawhinney had confirmed kills of over 1000 yards, making him one of the greatest snipers of the Vietnam war. A former corporal of the Canadian Forces, he holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in history at 1.51 miles or 2,430 metres. That’s the length of about 26 football pitches.This amazing feat occurred in 2002, when he was involved in Operation Anaconda. His Sniper Team consisted of 2 Corporals and 3 Master Corporals. When a three man Al-Qaeda weapons team moved into a mountainside position he took aim. Furlong was armed with a.50-caliber McMillan Brothers Tac-50 Rifle and loaded with A-MAX very low drag bullets.

He fired and missed. His second shot hit the enemies knapsack on his back. He had already fired his third shot by the time the second hit, but now the enemy knew he was under attack. The airtime for each bullet was about 3 seconds due to the immense distance, enough time for an enemy to take cover. However the dumbfounded militant realised what was happening just in time to take the third shot in the chest.

July 12, 1916 – October 10, 1974309 Confirmed KillsIn June 1941, Pavlichenko was 24 and Nazi Germany were invading the Soviet Union. She was among the first volunteers and asked to join the infantry. She was assigned to the Red Armies 25th infantry Division.

From there she became one of 2000 female snipers of the soviet.Her first 2 kills were made near Belyayevka using a Mosin-Nagant bolt action rifle with a P.E. 4-power scope. The first action she saw was during the conflict in Odessa. She was there for 2 and a half months and notched 187 kills. When they were forced to relocate, she spent the next 8 months fighting in Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula. There she recorded 257 kills and for this feat she was cited by the Southern Army Council. Pavlichenkos’ total confirmed kills during WW2 was 309.

36 of those were enemy snipers. March 9, 1891 – August 5, 1952378 Confirmed kills300+ CapturesThree times awarded the military medal and twice seriously wounded, he was an expert marksman and scout, credited with 378 German kills and capturing 300+ more. He was an Ojibwa warrior with the Canadians in battles like those at mount sorrel. As if killing nearly 400 Germans wasn’t enough, he was also awarded medals for running messages through very heavy enemy fire, for directing a crucial relief effort when his commanding officer was incapacitated and for running through enemy fire to get more ammo when his unit was running low.Though a hero among his fellow soldier, he was virtually forgotten once he returned home to Canada. Regardless he was one of the most affective snipers of world war 1.

March 14, 1933 – October 18, 1995109 confirmed killsHe holds the record for the highest number of confirmed kills for any American sniper in history. However it is not just his impressive kill record that makes him one of the best, but also his incredible accuracy.This excerpt from ‘Inside the Crosshairs: Snipers in Vietnam’ by Col. Michael Lee Lanning, describes just what I’m talking about:“One afternoon he was riding along the Mekong River on a Tango boat when an enemy sniper on shore pecked away at the boat. While everyone else on board strained to find the antagonist, who was firing from the shoreline over 900 meters away, Sergeant Waldron took up his sniper rifle and picked off the Vietcong out of the top of a coconut tree with one shot (this from a moving platform). Such was the capability of our best sniper.” Nuff Said.If there was a scale of difficulty for shots like these, it would be next to impossible to beat. Well lets try to do that anyway.Here’s ‘white feather’.

Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocationFirst of the First,The Professionals,Thundering Third,Timberwolf,Warlords,Betio Bastards,Lava Dogs,Island Warriors,America's Battalion,The China Marines,Magnificent Bastards,Darkside,Geronimo,Raiders or Marauders,Darkhorse,' 1/6 HARD',The Ready Battalion,Teufelhunden,First Team,War Dogs,The Cutting Edge,The Beirut Battalion,America's Battalion,The Commandants Battalion,Lone StarPrepared and ProfessionalThe Terror from the NorthThe Mad GhostsNew England's OwnEmpire BattalionCold Steel Warriors. Artillery battalions units provide indirect, long-range cannon and rocket fire support for the.Currently, artillery regiments contain two or three (11th Marines only) cannon battalions and are equipped with the and the. Two regiments (11th Marines and 14th Marines) also have one rocket battalion equipped with the (HIMARS) equipped with the surface-to-surface, guided missile.Marine artillery battalions contain a and three or four firing.Firing batteries contain a headquarters platoon (including a liaison section with three ) and one or two firing platoons (depending upon weapons systems). The firing platoon(s) contain a battery operations center, a, and four or six artillery sections (depending upon weapon system). Is usually a regimental asset, but can be detached to augment battalions or batteries. Tank battalions The mission of a tank battalion is to conduct operations ashore utilizing maneuver, protected firepower and shock action in order to close with and destroy the enemy, as well as provide expertise in operations.

Currently, tank battalions utilize the and the. Tank battalions consist of a headquarters and service company and four or six (4th Tanks) tank companies. Each tank company is equipped with 14 tanks and the H&S Co. Has a section of two tanks in the battalion headquarters for use by the battalion CO and XO. Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocation1st Tanks,Iron Horse,Armor battalions The mission of an unit is to conduct and support and other operations as required by landing and transporting to inland objectives the surface elements and their equipment, and by conducting light armored and limited offensive and defensive operations.

When task-organized with infantry, tanks, and other forces, the battalion conducts combined arms operations as a separate maneuver element in support of the.Currently, Assault Amphibian (AA) battalions utilize the (AAVP-7A1) and consist of a headquarters and service company and two to six AA companies. Each AA company is equipped with 42 AAVs (including personnel, command, and recovery variants) organized into three platoons of 12 AAVs each and an additional six AAVs in the company headquarters. Each AA platoon is capable of transporting an entire Marine rifle company plus any dismounted attachments (e.g., mortar forward observer teams, anti-tank missile crews, scout/sniper or reconnaissance squads) thus transforming into amphibious/mechanized infantry.

(One AA company is capable of transporting the assault echelon of a Marine infantry battalion.) Although plans were in place to replace it with the, the cancellation of the program is going to prolong use of the AAV.(LAR) battalions use the series of vehicles and consist of a headquarters and service company and four LAR companies. Each LAR company is equipped with 25 LAVs (including 14 LAV-25, two mortar, four anti-tank, one command & control, three logistics, and one recovery variant).

Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocationThe First Wave,3d Tracks,Highlanders,Destroyers,Wolfpack,Iron Horse Marines,Combat Engineer battalions The mission of is to provide mobility, counter mobility, survivability, and limited general engineering support.Mobility includes the assessment and fortification of roadways and bridges, the clearing of enemy and, and assault. Counter mobility includes creating obstacles and barriers for the enemy, which could include the destruction of structures and/or bridges.

Survivability includes the of positions and the construction of new outposts. Other jobs can include (EOD), construction, and utilities (such as generators and refrigeration).Currently, combat engineers use a variety of tools for their trade. Some vehicles include the, and various. Each combat engineer battalion consists of a headquarters and service company, three combat engineer companies, one mobility assault company, and an engineer support company.

Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocationThe Super Breed,America's Combat Engineer Bn,One Team, One FightReconnaissance battalions The mission of the is to obtain information by visual observation about the activities and resources of an enemy or potential enemy, or about the meteorologic, hydrographic, or geographic characteristics of a particular area. They specialize in recon, including; as well as recon, via surface, subsurface and airborne operations, and conducting limited scale raids and ambushes. The battalions consist of a headquarters and service company and one to four reconnaissance companies (divisional assets, individual companies usually attached to an RCT). All battalions (except 4th Recon) also have a force reconnaissance company dedicated to provide deep reconnaissance and direct action capability to a MEF HQ.

(Two additional separate force reconnaissance companies exist in the Marine Forces Reserve.). Recon Marines Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocationSwift, Silent, Deadly,Mortalis,Headquarters battalions Headquarters battalions provide the, administration and logistics for a. Each MARDIV HQBN is uniquely organized to support its division. However, typically the battalion is commanded by a colonel, and consists of headquarters company (including the division band), communications company, truck company (2 in HQBN FIRSTMARDIV), and may include a military police company.Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocationHeadquarters Battalion 1st Marine DivisionStandard Bearers,Headquarters Battalion 2nd Marine DivisionThe Silent Second,Headquarters Battalion 3rd Marine DivisionSamurai,Headquarters Battalion 4th Marine DivisionFighting FourthLogistics Combat Element battalions. See also:The command element (CE) consists of those command and control, communications, intelligence, law enforcement, electronic warfare/signals intelligence/electronic intelligence, civil affairs, air/naval gunfire liaison, and force reconnaissance units that enable the MAGTF commander to effectively fight the GCE and ACE, with support from the LCE, to defeat the enemy and/or accomplish other assigned missions.Note: U.S. Marine Corps organizational doctrine places communications, intelligence, and law enforcement battalions and their organic companies/detachments in the MAGTF headquarters group or CE.

However, intelligence (i.e., ground intelligence) may also be considered as a GCE function (primarily located in the infantry battalion scout/sniper platoon) and communications and law enforcement may also be considered as logistics functions. Most GCE battalions and regiments, and ACE squadrons/battalions (LAAD), Marine aircraft groups (MAGs), and Marine air control groups (MACGs), contain some organic communications assets such as battalion and regimental communications platoons, MARDIV and MLG communications companies, and Marine wing communications squadrons.

In addition, MARDIVs, Marine Aircraft Wings (MAWs), and MLGs also possess a limited organic law enforcement capability.Communications battalions Communications battalions provide support for the MAGTF as part of the MEF headquarters groups. They also perform networking and data services when deployed. The battalions typically consist of a headquarters and service company, three communications companies, and a support (maintenance) company.Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocation,Intelligence battalions Intelligence battalions, attached to MEF headquarters groups, are to plan and direct, collect, process, produce and disseminate, and provide support. In addition to a headquarters and service company, the battalions consist of two to four military intelligence companies that perform battlefield surveillance, production and analysis, and counterintelligence/human intelligence.Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocation,Law Enforcement battalions The LE battalions will be a force multiplier to the operating forces forward deployed by assisting in an array of missions from law enforcement, route regulation, humanitarian assistance, nonlethal weapons training, and military working dog employment. Marine Corps Bulletin 5400, released in September 2011, called for the reactivation of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Military Police Battalions, now designated as law enforcement battalions, in each Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Reserve. Three law enforcement battalions were activated in June 2012, with each battalion consisting of a headquarters and service company and two or more law enforcement companies. Each included '500 military police officers sic and dozens of dogs.'

(Note: As military units, each battalion contains only about 30 to 40 'officers,' as the majority of the military police Marines are enlisted members and not officers. 'Officers' as in any military organization, command the battalion and its organic companies and platoons and serve as staff officers in the battalion headquarters.)New structural plans made public in March 2020 indicated that the law enforcement battalions would be disestablished as part of future reorganization. Battalion NameInsigniaLocation. Radio battalions Radio battalions provide the MEF with tactical, as well as.

The battalions consist of a headquarters and service company and three operations companies.Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocation,America's Radio Battalion,Civil Affairs groups Civil Affairs groups provide the capability to plan and execute civil military operations while serving as the liaison between military forces and civil authorities, the local population and non-governmental organizations. The groups conduct activities which enhance the relationship between the military and host nation personnel and organizations facilitated through application of civil affairs specialty skills in areas normally the responsibility of civil governments.Group NameInsigniaNicknameLocation,Other units While these units are designated as companies, they are commanded by a Lt.

Who is assisted by an executive officer and an executive staff (S-1, S-2, etc.). The company's organic platoons often operate independently and are normally commanded by a major (ANGLICO) or captain (FORECON).Air Naval Gunfire Liaison companies (ANGLICO) provide Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commanders a liaison capability, with foreign area expertise, to plan, coordinate, and conduct terminal control of fires in support of joint, allied, and coalition forces. ANGLICO units are separate companies (i.e., not organic to a battalion or regiment) reporting directly to one of the three MEF HQ Groups (1st, 2nd, & 5th ANGLICO) or the Forces HQ Group, Marine Forces Reserve (3rd, 4th, and 6th ANGLICO).Fleet Marine Force Reconnaissance (FORECON) companies provide Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commanders with deep reconnaissance and direct action capability. The FORECON companies of the three MEFs are organic to their respective divisional reconnaissance battalions and are under operational control of their parent MEF HQ Group. Special Mission battalions and battalion equivalent organizations These battalions and organizations perform a wide range of specialized missions including: (1) CBRNE Consequence Management, (2) interior security of United States diplomatic posts to provide protection for classified information and equipment vital to U.S. Recruit Training battalions Provide reception, processing, and recruit training for enlisted personnel following initial entry into the Marine Corps. Provide training for Drill Instructors and officers entrusted with recruit training responsibilities.

Recruit training battalions consist of a headquarters and service company and four recruit training companies.Only the logos are listed below but only Recruit Training battalions wikis show. The logos for differ slightly; additionally, San Diego does not have a Fourth Recruit Training Battalion, as it is the only female recruit training battalion in the Marine Corps.Battalion NameInsigniaNicknameLocationsBig Red OneandSecond to NoneandThundering ThirdandGo Forth. United States Marine Corps.

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Brogue shoes boys. If the brand can last a few months on my feet, I will buy another color! The laces are stiff and needed a lot of fussing, but not enough to remove a star.

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