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Vietnam Zippos
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.
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! 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. 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. 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.
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.
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.
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".
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. 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. The above is an authentic Penguin lighter most likely engraved during the War. Post war engravings are usually done on real or fake Zippo branded lighters. 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".
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.
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.
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.
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