 |
|
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Vietnam Zippos [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] |
 |
Ads by Google
|
 |
|
|
As can be seen on this and other pages, there were many different and interesting designs and artwork on Zippos during the Vietnam War, and because of their popularity were replicated during and after the War. Vietnam Zippos are still being replicated today. There were also engravings done on non-Zippo lighters during the War which are interesting and collectible. In spite of the uncertainty of the origin of some of the Vietnam War Zippos, they are interesting to look at. The lighters on this page range from genuine Vietnam Zippos not elsewhere classified to post-war engraved Vietnam period Zippos to downright fake Zippo lighters. All are collectible, the biggest difference between them being value. |
| |
|
  |
 |
|
The above is an authentic Penguin lighter
most likely engraved during the War. Post
war engravings are usually done on real or
fake Zippo brandedlighters. It reads "Bob
Hope Christmas Show 1971 Long Binh USO
Vietnam". The lid reads SP4 R. Brown
Special Forces and the case reads "Dean
Martin and The Gold Diggers". |
|
|
  |
   |
This lighter with Donald Duck and
Snoopy and with a misspelled "Tan
San Nhat" is a forgery. It has
"Zippo" engraved on the bottom like
the real thing, but there are
distinguishable differences as can
be seen
on the lighter to the right. Donald
Duck, Snoopy and other famous
cartoon
characters are favorite themes on
forgeries and later date engravings
on period Zippos so buyers should be
aware in paying too much. |
The above lighter is a fake Zippo
dated 1967 that reads "Vietnam Dong
Ha 67-68 Yea
Though I Walk Through The Valley of
the Shadow of Death I will Fear No
Evil For I am
the Evilest Son of a Bitch in the
Valley" The reverse has the 1st
Cavalry logo and a Map
of Vietnam. The fact that this
lighter is not a Zippo is
distinguishable by comparing the
Zippo markings on the bottom to a
genuine Zippo. The markings fake
Zippo on the
bottom are much rougher than on the
genuine Zippo. |
| |
|
  |
  |
  |
This is a Vietnam era Brother brand
lighter with the popular image of a
GI walking hand in hand with a
Vietnamese boy. It is dated 1969-70
with the engraving "Dau Tieng", the
site of a major battle in 1969. The
reverse has a map of South Vietnam
and reads "Live by Choice, Love by
Choice, Kill by Profession". The
words "Loran Chain" would indicate
that the original owner might have
been assigned to Loran stations used
for military navigation. |
This lighter with a badge of "RivPatFlot
V" and with a PBR on the reverse is
a Konwal Super, not a Zippo. It was
not uncommon for Zippo look-alike
lighters to be engraved in-field
during the War. |
1968 Zippo that reads "Viet
Nam 68-69 Bien Hoa" with an attached
badge for the 199th Infantry
Brigade. The reverse reads "When I
die I know I
am going to heaven because I
have spent my time in hell". |
| |
|
|
  |
  |
  |
This is a genuine 1966 Zippo.
It carries the badge of the 2nd
Field Force which saw a lot of
action in the Cu Chi District of
Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. It
expresses an attitude about the
massacre at Kent State in which four
students were shot and many injured
by the National Guard during
Anti-War demonstrations. A cool
Vietnam Zippo, but for the fact that
the Kent State incident did not
happen until May, 1970! |
1968 Zippo with "graflex" on the
front and "W.E. Dodd Vietnam
66.68.69" engraved
on the back. The graflex XL was a
standard Army issue camera to combat
photographers during the Vietnam
war. |
This is a Zeus lighter - Saigon
Vietnam "Good Luck". The
back has a Map of Vietnam. |
| |
  |
  |
  |
This 1968 Zippo for "Willy"
has engravings of a map and
a nude. Nude women and
sexually oriented themes
were common on in-field
Zippos. |
1968 Zippo that reads
"Vietnam
68-69 Saigon - MACV" with an
attached MACV emblem. The
back reads "Fighting For
Freldom has a State That
Those Who Live in Peace Will
Never Know". It is unlikely
that a GI would carry this
Zippo with the word
"freedom" misspelled. |
Interesting Korean slim
lighter with a peace and
love themes that reads
"Vietnam
Tay Ninh 66-67" on the front
and "When I Die I will Go
To Heaven Because I Have
Spent My Time in Hell". |
|
| |
|
|
  |
  |
  |
1966 shortened-case Zippo.
The front reads "Vietnam L.O.
Bensley Qui Nohn 68-69".
The back has a design of a
flag with "32" inside it on
the lid and reads "I hate
the War and then the War
Doesn't Hate Me". Short
Zippos actually engraved in
Vietnam during the war are
extremely rare, and it's
very likely that this Zippo
was shortened, engraved and
"aged" in recent years. |
1967 Zippo with a colorful
"Mickey" on the front and
the name "Tran-Minh-Tuan "
on the back. There are
several varieties of Mickey
Zippos with the vertical
name that are of
questionable origin not
authorized by Disney. |
Zippo look alike lighter
with map of Vietnam and with
an engraving on a rickshaw
pedicab with "377" and
"Officers Open Mess Viet
Nam 67" on the back. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
