1st Annual Fall
Pistol Tournament

Vitarbo Breaks Pistol Record

Sgt. Arnold Vitarbo walked away with a new pistol range record and eight individual first places during the 1st Annual Fall Pistol shoot held here last week.

Vitarbo had a sizzling 2652 grand aggregate score of a 2700 possible points, bettering the range record of 2646 fired by Capt. William McMillan. In addition to the new range record, the sharp shooting sergeant joined the elite ranks of the 2650 Club. Vitarbo is the eighth pistol shooter in American to break the 2650 mark. He and Capt. McMillan are the only two Marines to do so.

It was a great weekend for firing, and for the Marines it was a weekend for winning. It was slim pickings for the visiting civilians and military shooters, as the Leatherneck pistoleers took all 16 individual and team matches.

Vitarbo started his string of wins by taking the slow fire match with 193-8. Capt. McMillan, one of the nation's top pistol shooters, fires a 296-15 for an undisputed win in the national match course. The rapid fire contingent of the team, GySgt. Michael Pietroforte, blazed a 200-14 for top honors in that match. Vitarbo's .45 was right on target during the aggregate match, and he wound up with 886-45. The Marines continued to pull ahead with Capt. James Getchell's center-fire slow-fire victory of 190-8. WO William Eubank, holder of the Individual Free Pistol Championships, created a 296-16 for a win in the National Match Course. The Gunner brought across wins in the time fire match with 200-14 and the center fire aggregate with a score of 882-48. Sgt. Vitarbo came back in the picture during the last match of the day, as he swept the rapid fire match with 198-9.

The "dead-eye" Vitarbo proved his pistol prowess once again Sunday, by taking four of five individual matches, used a .22 caliber pistol. His victories included the slow fire match 192-6, the national match course 299-16, rapid fire competition 200-15 and the aggregate match 890-16. Capt. McMillan insured an all Marine pistol meet by taking the time fire match with 200-15.

Keeping the victory on the home front, the USMC Red Team cleaned the slate in the team match category. The team composed of Vitarbo, McMillan, Eubanks and Maj. W. Hayden, brought home wins in the .22 caliber match 1177-61, the center fire competition 1167-51, .45 team match 1161-39, and the team aggregate tilt 2505-151.

The pistol team will travel to Kinston, N. C. the weekend of Oct. 19 and 20 for their next match.

Quantico Sentry, October 11, 1963