Q: It is my understanding that Marine Carlos Hathcock is the sniper with the most confirmed kills. How does his record compare to Navy SEAL Chris Kyle?
—Vic Lipcomb, Carrollton
A: Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills in two tours as a sniper during the Vietnam War; Kyle had 160 confirmed kills in four tours during the Iraq War. Hathcock's total is thought to surpass 100 and he was so feared by the Viet Cong, they offered a $30,000 reward for the Marine they called Long Trang, or white feather, because he often had a small white feather in his cap. Hathcock died in 1999.
Kyle, whose memoir, “American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History,” was turned into an Oscar-nominated movie, gained the nickname al-Shaitan Ramadi, or Devil of Ramadi. Iraq War veteran Eddie Ray Routh allegedly killed Kyle, who claimed he had more than 300 kills, the Associated Press reported, in 2013.
Q: I have lots of autographs of movie stars. Where is the best place to find their value? Also, I would like to write to Robert Osborne. Do you have an address for him?
—Catherine Brewer, Gainesville
A: There are several autograph guides available at bookstores, libraries and online retailers, but these can become outdated or might not be comprehensive. Auction houses, such as Heritage Auctions (www.ha.com, 877-437-4824), often have appraisers who can evaluate collections, and autograph clubs, such as the Universal Autograph Collectors Club (uacc.org) can help educate collectors.
You can write to Robert Osborne at TCM, 1050 Techwood Drive, Atlanta, GA 30318. Osborne has been the prime-time host of Turner Classic Movies since its debut in 1994.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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