.22 suppressed pistols in Vietnam-SOG

[VaTom]

Just finished reading a great book "Legend" by Eric Blehm. It is the story of Staff Sgt. Roy Benavidez, Special Forces and the SOG missions into Cambodia in 1968 and in particular the May 2, 1968 mission where his actions won the Medal of Honor.

The book mentions in several sections the .22 caliber suppressed pistols the SOG operators carried on the recon missions. Does anyone know what kind of pistol this was?

Great book about some brave men!

 

[URIT]

According to American Rifleman magazine, SOG’s most popular suppressed pistol was the .22-cal., High Standard H-D semi-automatic. Another World War II OSS development, its 6½" barrel was fitted with a 73/4" suppressor that eliminated muzzle flash and achieved 90 percent noise reduction.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

There were Browning High Power 9mm with detachable suppressors also. That was about 1971.

 

[Green Frog]

I’ve heard mention of an “updated version” of the WW II High Standard being made on the Ruger Standard Model 22 platform. Does anybody here know whether they were indeed built and if so were they around and used in Vietnam Nam? Of course the S&W contribution was the 9mm Hush Puppy, based on the Model 39. (Just so we can stay on topic for a S&W Forum. )

Froggie

PS Back in my High Standard collecting days, I owned a cut-away example of the High Standard silenced barrel... kinda wish I’d kept it!

 

[S&W ucla]

High Standard on Display in Russia taken from Francis Gary Powers when his U-2 was shot down in 1960

 

[Texas Star]

High Standard on Display in Russia taken from Francis Gary Powers when his U-2 was shot down in 1960

The Randall Made Model 8 knife should be credited.

Yes, I think some Ruger.22's were silenced for the Viet war, too.

But many Hi-Standards remained from WW II and were heavily used in the suppressed role.