The Rarest of the Rare;the SOG Presentation "Silver pistol"

[Patchcollector]

Hi all,

I just found this PDF that tells about the ultimate Special Forces presentation item during the Vietnam war;a chrome plate,boxed "clandestine" Browning Hi-Power 9mm pistol.Only a handful were ever awarded,3 to Medal of Honor winners.

 

I'll post the details about the pistol here,the rest of the story about how Major Plaster earned his pistol is on the PDF.

 

SOG'S MOST EXCLUSIVE MEMORABILIA: SILVER PISTOL

Militaria collectors pay thousands for a SOG knife; here's the even rarer SOG pistol.

By Maj. John L. Plaster, USAR (Ret.)

Though the famed SOG knife has become the Vietnam War's most sought after Special Operations artifact -- with
even reproductions commanding hundreds of dollars -- this attractive blade is not the most exclusive or valuable SOG souvenir.
Unknown except to the virtual handful of Green Beret recon team leaders who received one, is the top secret MACV-SOG's most coveted award: The Boxed Presentation Browning Hi-Power Pistol.Officially designated the "Reconnaissance Team Leader Special Recognition Award," it was called the "Silver Pistol" in SOG recon circles. Each pistol was presented personally by Chief SOG in a Saigon ceremony,usually to recognize an especially dramatic mission, or for earning a high award such as the Medal of Honor.
It's unlikely you'll ever see these extremely rare pistols -- which have yet to appear even in a museum. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first public disclosure of their very existence.

The Silver SOG Pistol

 

Acquired clandestinely to prevent their being traced back to the United States, SOG's weaponry included an amazing array of everything from suppressed Sten Guns to Walther automatics and even the unique Gyrojet Rocket Pistol.
Our reliance upon these non-standard weapons was driven by the need for 'deniability' should team gear fall into foreign hands; like Mr. Phelps and his fictional 'Mission Impossible' force, SOG's cross-border forays could not leave behind any embarrassing evidence.It was this deniability requirement that caused our armory to include a goodly number of Browning 9mm Hi-Power pistols, which became SOG's favored combat sidearm.
With solid steel construction and a high magazine capacity, the Browning proved rugged,reliable and effective.Sometime in late 1968 or early 1969, SOG headquarters arranged for a small number of these clandestinely acquired Browning pistols to be chrome-plated and boxed as the"Reconnaissance Team Leader Special Recognition Award."

It was a fittingly clandestine award for a fittingly clandestine project.

Each pistol is boxed in a handsome, handmade black lacquered case, lined in aquamarine blue velvet and includes an engraved brass plate with the recipient's name.But in keeping with SOG's "hush-hush" tradition, even the plate avoids using the terms"SOG" or "Special Forces," describing the recipient only as a "MACV Long Range Recon Team Leader."
However, the accompanying paperwork -- without which you could not bring it home --necessarily identified this weapon as being in the possession of a SOG trooper. Issued complete with war trophy documents and an export license application from the U.S. Embassy, it included a citation which, like so many SOG items, makes no direct reference even to SOG's existence.

How Many Are There?

During my years in SOG, I personally knew of about a half-dozen SOG pistols being presented to fellow recon team leaders. And of these, three were given to Medal of Honor winners.These Medal of Honor recipients -- Robert Howard,Fred Zabitoski and Franklin Miller -- were all from CCC at Kontum.
The only other living SOG Medal of Honor Winner, a CCN man, Jon Cavaiani, had been a POW and was not released by Hanoi until after SOG had been

disbanded, so he could not have received a Silver Pistol.In several cases, recon men did not live long enough to be presented the SOG Pistols they deserved. In fact, when I learned I was to be awarded a Silver Pistol, I was so concerned about too soon "biting the dust" that I requested an immediate presentation so I could carry it home on leave.

Considering SOG’s high casualty rates, it was not overly melodramatic to think you were living on borrowed time.

 

Still, some other team leaders received pistols, which,if you multiply this over time and take into account that recon team leaders at CCN and CCS also were presented Brownings, yields a realistic estimate of about 40 or perhaps 50 total pistols in existence.
And at least one SOG pistol is floating around because it was stolen from a former recon team leader's whole baggage en route from Germany to a stateside military post.It says a lot about how absolutely selfless Colonel Robert Howard is, that when he learned this NCO's pistol was lost, he gave him his own to replace it! (Incidentally,beyond question, Col. Howard is the most highly decorated living American, with the Medal of Honor, two Distinguished Service Crosses, the Silver Star and EIGHT purple hearts. People sometimes ask why I stayed so long in Vietnam; I reply, for the honor of knowing and fighting beside such fine soldiers as Robert Howard.)

 

 

 

 

Here is a link to the entire story as written by Maj. John L. Plaster, USAR (Ret.)

 

 

http://www.ultimatesniper.com/Historic%20Articles/SOGS-Most-Exclusive-Memorabilia-Silver-Pistol.PDF

[1canpara]

I met John Plaster at the SOS this year and he was telling me about these silver Brownings and after our discussion I read this very article you've posted. A good friend of mines brother is Rob Graham who was the team leader for RT Pick and received one of these rare pistols.

 

A great story and a great honor to receive one I'm sure. Thanks for sharing this story!

 

Rick

[215Dave]

I just read the story in that link. Amazing! Well written, telling the account front to back, short and sweet. Thanks for sharing!

[blitzkrieg gsd]

That's very cool I would love to see one of these pistols in person. Maybe we could talk Maj. Plaster into bringing his to the next SOS so we could all have a look at it.

[doyler]

There was an episode on the program Secrets of the Aresenal called Behinde the Lines and one segment had an interview with a SOG Team Leader and showed his pistol.

[agate hunter]

There was an episode on the program Secrets of the Aresenal called Behinde the Lines and one segment had an interview with a SOG Team Leader and showed his pistol.

 

That was Robert Graham who was on that episode.

[AZPhil]

Thanks Patchcollector for that fantastic read and an awesome insight into something I knew nothing about.

Semper Fi

Phil

[kwill]

There is an article in the current American Rifleman magazine by John Plaster that discusses the variety of "special" weapons used by MACV-SOG. Does anyone have contact information for Plaster?

[cutiger83]

There was an episode on the program Secrets of the Aresenal called Behind the Lines and one segment had an interview with a SOG Team Leader and showed his pistol.

 

 

I recently saw this episode. It was very interesting.

 

...Kat

[collector]

So I guess no pictures of those pistols are out there?

[Patchcollector]

It looks like the link I provided in my OP went dead.I found the PDF again,here is a new link to it.There are some images of the pistol in the PDF:

 

https://ultimatesniper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SOGS-Most-Exclusive-Memorabilia-Silver-Pistol.pdf

[milcollector]

Any photos of one of the pistols?

[Spy vs Spy]

There is one of these pistols showed in Jason Hardy's SOG books (Volume 7). If I remember right it's, CCS 1-0 Graham of RT Pick.

 

Best

Martin

[Blacksmith]

Yipes, thanks for posting this. His account of Ashtray II is jaw-dropping.

[tjadams8]

[dmar836]

Wow. What a story! So much was obviously left out but, as they say, "Just another day in SOG."

[VNAMVET70]

In the middle of reading John Plaster's book "SOG The SECRET WARS OF AMERICA'S COMMANDOS IN VIETNAM". The book is a detailed history of SOG's recon missions. I wonder if John Plaster knew my dad Colonel Glenn Davis @ MACV HQ in 1969-70. Dad had a Huey 24-7 and received the Air Medal award for bravery in Vietnam. Dad spent a total of 10 years with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, before and after his tour in Vietnam. He never talked about Vietnam even though we both served in Vietnam the same year. 

[JHG]

Sadly, my brother retired E-6 Robert Graham, 5th Special Forces, MACV-SOG, passed away on April 18th 2023 in Spartanburg, SC. He was very private but treasured his silver pistol. He was highly respected in SF circles. An informative SOG podcast and article are below:

https://sogchronicles.com/blog/
(Episode 20)

 

https://coffeeordie.com/macv-sog-bow-arrows/

[Brian Keith]

Rip E-6 Robert Graham, you've fought the Good Fight, you've earned your rest.

Thanks JHG for posting this.

BKW

[JHG]

Recognition in the field, Rob Graham

[JoannaG]

My uncle SGT Ancil "Sonny" Coleman Franks passed away in 2004. His was stolen in the 1980s in Pinellas County Florida. Going through pictures yesterday with my Mom and she said it would be impossible to find as they probably handed out so many. Hopefully, his shows up one day and can be returned to her.  I miss him every day, not many uncles would stick around and help his sister raise his nieces. He was super private. Until interviewed by Alan Bodkin for his book none of us kids knew he served.  He said he served his county and did his job. I don't think in my lifetime I will ever meet someone as honorable as he was or with the same character.