"Mark Owen," right, and CBS's Scott Pelley on "60 Minutes" last year.
Soldiers coming home from battle have long smuggled war trophies – weapons and other items plundered from the enemy, living or otherwise. There are strict Pentagon rules and regulations on the practice.
But that all involves enemy gear.
What if the war trophy is a knife carried by Matt Bissonnette, perhaps the most famous member of SEAL Team Six on the mission that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011? He wrote a book about the mission — No Easy Day — under the pen name Mark Owen.
“This Emerson knife was carried by `Mark Owen’ on the Raid to Capture or Kill OBL,” the online auction announcement says. “Mark owned this knife for over 8 years and carried it on a variety of combat missions. It’s still in great condition and just as effective as the day it was made.” The knives sell new for about $200, depending on the model.
The winning bid late Wednesday night was $35,400, with the proceeds going to benefit U.S. military Special Operators and their families.