RWTF,
I was a rather senior 1st/LT in 1965 in Okinawa when I participated in my first division match as captain of the Hq Battalion Rifle Team. We finished second (thanks to a saved round), but I did well enough to be picked up for the Far Eastern Division Matches, where I won my first "Leg" on Distinguished. Unfortunately, Far East participation in the Marine Corps, Inter-Service and National Matches was cancelled that year and we all went to the big shooting match in Vietnam instead. Incidentally, Dave Willis was also a 1st/LT on that team, as was George Van Orden.
https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2016/10/2...orge-van-orden/I was on the All Reserve Team for a while after leaving active duty as a captain, but didn't make Distinguished until later, as captain of the Tennessee State High Power Team.
I still have a couple of rifles built by the MTU at Quantico, an M1 .308 conversion and a Model 70 with a laminated Dunlap stock, also in .308.
When the CMP introduced the Springfield Match, I used to fire it with a Springfield fitted with Marine Corps front and rear sights, using a P.J. O'Hare Micrometer Sight Adjuster marked "USMC".
Age and disability have ended my match shooting career, but I still cherish the memories and the support we got from MTU. Many thanks!
The USMCR Team at Camp Perry in 1969. I'm third from the left on the front row, with the glasses. Major Ken Erdman, for whom the Erdman Trophy is named, is third from the right on the rear row.
