▁sun set . ▁At ▁one ▁point ▁he ▁was ▁nearly ▁bit ten ▁by ▁a ▁b am bo o ▁vi per , ▁but ▁had ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁mind ▁to ▁avoid ▁moving ▁and ▁giving ▁up ▁his ▁position . ▁As ▁the ▁General ▁ex ited ▁his ▁enc amp ment , ▁H ath cock ▁fired ▁a ▁single ▁shot ▁that ▁struck ▁the ▁General ▁in ▁the ▁ch est , ▁killing ▁him . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁ar du ous ▁mission ▁of ▁killing ▁the ▁P AV N ▁General , ▁H ath cock ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁He ▁missed ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps , ▁however , ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁Vietnam ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁where ▁he ▁took ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁pl ato on ▁of ▁sn ip ers . ▁ ▁Medical ▁ev acu ation ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁H ath cock ' s ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁sni per ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁sudden ▁end ▁along ▁Highway ▁ 1 , ▁north ▁of ▁L Z ▁Bald y , ▁when ▁the ▁L V T - 5 ▁he ▁was ▁r iding ▁on ▁struck ▁an ▁anti - t ank ▁mine . ▁H ath cock ▁pulled ▁seven ▁Mar ines ▁from ▁the ▁fl ame - eng ulf ed ▁vehicle , ▁suffering ▁severe ▁burn s ▁( some ▁third - deg ree ) ▁to ▁his ▁face , ▁arms ▁and ▁legs , ▁before ▁someone ▁pulled ▁him ▁away ▁and ▁got ▁him ▁in ▁water ▁because ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁realize ▁he ▁was ▁bur nt ▁that ▁badly . ▁While ▁recover ing ,