Military Lighters - All eras all brands

[mtnman]

That is an excellent lighter and design and you are absolutely correct. It is a depleted and abused force that has been castrated by the enemy occupation government that rules over us as we speak. I pray God watch over  all these intrepid men Who patrol our borders as best they are allowed and protect them and their jobs from the enemy attacks from within. I pray that they be given reinforcement by the men of this nation when they finally stand up in acknowledgment of the shameful abdication of our roles and responsibilities to protect this land we've been given stewardship over by the grace of God and finally act in force against the Communist Revolutionary Army crossing our borders as we speak and the enemy occupation government that gives supply and support to the invasion with intent of perpetual power by paying off this Army and giving its militants voting rights as foreign nationals, politico economic mercenaries. It is an invasion that has been precipitating and relentless for the past 30 years since NAFTA was passed under Billy Clinton and used as the smoke screen to start a communist Revolutionary Army invasion and destroy the backbone of our economic power which was our manufacturing industry.

 

It was a giant grab for power by granting a communist revolutionary army from the south, prefabricated slaves to tyranny, politico economic militants trained from birth to follow blindly the totalitarian tyrants that blanket Central and South America, both politically and religiously; these have been given 30 years of growing access to our nation's infrastructure and voting rights as they are paid off by Americans' stolen tax dollars. Yes, the border patrol agents have been fighting this war Against our nation and its people, on the front lines.

 

I was in the banking industry in the '90s and watched the war occur from a financial standpoint as tariffs protecting our workers and keeping our manufacturing industry internal and protected, were removed and Mexican truckers were given freedom to cross the border without documentation. The manufacturing industry that was targeted for destruction, by Billy Clinton and his collusion partners in Congress who were all bought and paid for by foreign powers, that manufacturing industry that was targeted for annihilation and transfer to foreign shores was the backbone of this nation's economic might which saved us from two World Wars, rebuilt the world after World War II and kept us victorious through a Cold War. Within 10 years of the passage of NAFTA, the United States had tens of millions of workers unemployed from the manufacturing industries and trillions of dollars in manufacturing jobs and infrastructure were transferred primarily to China which became, to replace America, within 10 years the worlds most powerful and largest manufacturing nation, all taken from American shores after NAFTA was passed with that intention in mind. 

 

I watched, as a banker, as foreign nationals started to pour into the banking system setting up businesses that were money transfer and conversion businesses. I saw hundreds of millions of tax-free dollars paid to these people in cash, outside any taxation, and all of it flow straight back across our border to South and Central America.  This is because the politico economic militants didn't need any of it, the enemy occupation US Federal government had given the access to government programs that gave them supply and support and entrenched them within our nation's infrastructure until they could somehow be given either illegal or legal voting rights to vote for the enemy government that was their central command and quartermaster of supply and support, the US federal government under Billy Clinton and a colluding Congress, all bought and paid for by China.  

 

Yes, this lighter makes far greater a statement and expresses far greater  need than an initial glance would elicit. Just a great lighter Cobra, thanks so much for sharing! 

[Cobra 6 Actual]

You’re very welcome, mtnman!

[donaldnol]

GOT THIS ONE IN THE OTHER DAY A CORONET ROCKY P 66-67 NAM W/ A MANCHU DRAGON PLATE UNFIRED

[Cobra 6 Actual]

That’s a beauty, Donaldnol! Looks to be an authentically engraved-in Vietnam lighter, too. Although not a Zippo I’d be proud to have that lighter in my collection any day. 
 

(The reason I am certain it was made in Vietnam is that the template used for the map is a rarer design with many more place names than commonly found. I virtually never see Hai Phong, Kon Tum [note: incorrectly spelled here as “Komtum”], An Khe, Qui Nhon, Bien Hoa, or Vung Tau engraved on the map section of a lighter, misspelled or not.). Nice score!

[Salvage Sailor]

1 hour ago, donaldnol said:

GOT THIS ONE IN THE OTHER DAY A CORONET ROCKY P 66-67 NAM W/ A MANCHU DRAGON PLATE UNFIRED

 

Manchu lighter, right as right can be with many bells and whistles, "Keep Up The Fire"

[mtnman]

Really like the lettering design of that map! Splendid lighter. 

[donaldnol]

20 hours ago, donaldnol said:

GOT THIS ONE IN THE OTHER DAY A CORONET ROCKY P 66-67 NAM W/ A MANCHU DRAGON PLATE UNFIRED

my manchu DUI insignia that was with lighter is showing up on thursday it got separated during shipping. some how they forgot to package it. thanks guys

[donaldnol]

On 12/6/2022 at 2:50 PM, donaldnol said:

my manchu DUI insignia that was with lighter is showing up on thursday it got separated during shipping. some how they forgot to package it. thanks guys

just got in thank god

[yokota57]

US Army / 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment (1-4 CAV) Troop A. Republic of Vietnam 1965-1970. Nicely patinated Japanese-made "Vulcan".

[Cobra 6 Actual]

[Cobra 6 Actual]

[Thrifter_01]

Two lighters I have picked up from the Flea Market. The first one being a great Vietnam era Snoopy lighter, "Stolen from Ray Torin", etched in the back and made by Penguin. The second a thinner lighter with the Army Medical Center and School DUI, made by a company called Universe and unfired. Both were made in Japan.

 

 

The Universe lighter

[Cobra 6 Actual]

This is a WWI “trench art” lighter:

 

 

In fact it is the only WWI Marine Corps lighter I have. Interestingly the design, especially of the Eagle, seems to be a French interpretation. Here’s the reverse:

 

 

This side also has some cool design elements. Starting with the crowing rooster, a symbol of France. Then an American warship, obviously headed to France. Meanwhile, in the background is a barely visible Statue of Liberty. 
 

I should clarify that although these WWI lighters are called “trench art”, the reality is that these were probably made by nearby artisans; rather than actually being made in the trenches. 

[Cobra 6 Actual]

This is a prized bringback:

 

 

The rough translation is “Determined to fight. Determined to win.”

[yokota57]

Far East Command / BG Alfred E. Kastner, USA. (1900-1983 / USMA '22). Japanese-made "Prince". 

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Nice, Yokota57! Excellent that you could find a photo of him, too. Here’s a slim Zippo:

 

 

Dam Neck, Virginia is just south of Virginia Beach and is now home to SEAL Team Six.

[mtnman]

On 1/11/2023 at 9:28 AM, Cobra 6 Actual said:

This is a prized bringback:

 

 

The rough translation is “Determined to fight. Determined to win.”

Is this actually a North Vietnamese lighter that was brought back?! And yokota, you knocked it out of the park man ! Great history add! 

[Salvage Sailor]

1 hour ago, Cobra 6 Actual said:

Nice, Yokota57! Excellent that you could find a photo of him, too. Here’s a slim Zippo:

 

 

Dam Neck, Virginia is just south of Virginia Beach and is now home to SEAL Team Six.

 

 

 

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Mtnman, yep, NVA bringback. There was an old joke that in WWI the British fought for King and Country, the French for Liberté, égalité, fraternité; and meanwhile Americans fought for “souvenirs”. This seems to still be the case and prized bringbacks from Vietnam were NVA  belt buckles, helmets, and weapons (particularly the SKS). But pretty much anything taken from VC or NVA troops that “didn’t need it anymore” was brought home. So, for example, I have a variety of stuff from NVA and VC troops to include a boonie hat, black pajamas (taken from a stockpile we found), a spoon, a razor, and a comb handmade from aluminum; Ho Chi Minh sandals, a belt buckle, a pith helmet, a couple of inert hand grenades, cap badges and small pins, a crossbow, a scarf, a Buddhist Bible, and even some North Vietnam paper money (although badly water-damaged).

 

Curiously, I wasn’t even a collector back then. I can only imagine the amount and type of stuff that guys who were collectors brought home or mailed home (remember we had free shipping and postage!)

 

This lighter style, by the way, was very common throughout Vietnam: thin aluminum with a cap that lifts off. I have a South Vietnamese lighter of this style. Let me look around (might take me a few days) and I’ll post a picture on here.

[mtnman]

Thanks Cobra! Awesome info

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Here you go, mtnman, this is another example of a common lighter in Vietnam:

 

 

Made of aluminum and about 3 inches tall. I believe I bought this in a ville near one of our basecamps. (No idea what the red scratches are at the bottom.)

[Cobra 6 Actual]

And here it is with the top off:

 

 

Definitely nothing special, but more functional that the supposed “moisture-resistant” matches that came in the C-ration accessory packets.

[yokota57]

Great piece of VN history, Thanks for posting it!

[mtnman]

1 hour ago, Cobra 6 Actual said:

And here it is with the top off:

 

 

Definitely nothing special, but more functional that the supposed “moisture-resistant” matches that came in the C-ration accessory packets.

 

Awesome piece Cobra! So the first one was Viet Cong and this one is South Vietnamese?

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Correct, mtnman, and my point was that this style was common on both sides. By the way, usually there are no hallmarks or maker’s marks on these. Some have designs on them; many don’t. Also, I don’t know if this style is still being made in Vietnam or not. My guess is that they’re still being manufactured, although the Zippo “knock-offs” are apparently prolific, too.