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Matching ZIPPO lighter & belt buckle from Naval officer's Vietnam era personal collection


Bob Hudson
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This is a first for me: a ZIPPO brand brass buckle. This one is from  the USS PAUL REVERE  LPA 248. It is still in the original box and it has a matching ZIPPO Slim lighter, never fired. I had no idea until now that ZIPPO made  buckles.

 

There is a second ZIPPO Slim lighter for the Revere, but it has been used.  These came from a retired Navy Captain who was commissiond in 1961. He told me he quit smoking at some point and since the Reveres are the oldest lighters in this little collection I'd guess he quit circa 1978 when he was XO of the Revere. His first ship was the Bon Homme Richard CVA 31 in 1961 and there is a Penguin lighter from the Bonnie Dick. The only other non-ZIPPO is for the USS Princeton LPH-5, branded "Commercial Products Co" in San Diego. 

 

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This USS Mitscher DL 2 ZIPPO is dated 1964.

 

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This USS BAYFIELD APA 33 ZIPPO is dated 1966:

 

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This is the used Revere ZIPPO: dated 1969

 

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Here's the Bonnie Dick Penguin lighter: 

 

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"Commercial Products" lighters have "San Diego California" stamped on them, but they also are marked "Japan" so we can bet they're not made in California

 

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Salvage Sailor
3 hours ago, Bob Hudson said:

 

This is a first for me: a ZIPPO brand brass buckle. This one is from  the USS PAUL REVERE  LPA 248. It is still in the original box and it has a matching ZIPPO Slim lighter, never fired. I had no idea until now that ZIPPO made  buckles.

 

There is a second ZIPPO Slim lighter for the Revere, but it has been used.  These came from a retired Navy Captain who was commissiond in 1961. He told me he quit smoking at some point and since the Reveres are the oldest lighters in this little collection I'd guess he quit circa 1978 when he was XO of the Revere. His first ship was the Bon Homme Richard CVA 31 in 1961 and there is a Penguin lighter from the Bonnie Dick. The only other non-ZIPPO is for the USS Princeton LPH-5, branded "Commercial Products Co" in San Diego. 

 

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Aloha Bob,

 

Nice collection of Zippos you've posted.

 

Many of the larger USN vessels had Zippo products in their Ships' Stores which included belt buckles, slim lighters and custom lighters.

 

Here's a personal set of Zippos which I purchased (and wore) aboard the USS LUCE (DDG-38)

 

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And here are more Zippo belt buckles from the 1970's including the USCGC TAMAROA, hero ship of the "Perfect Storm"

 

USCGC TAMAROA (WMEC-166)  ex-Fleet Tug USS ZUNI, Iwo Jima invasion veteran

 

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USS PAPAGO (ATF-160)

 

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USS ORTOLAN (ASR-22)

 

068 Ortolan ZIPPO buckle.jpg

 

 

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2 hours ago, Salvage Sailor said:

Ships' Stores which included belt buckles, slim lighters and custom lighters.

 

As I said above, I did not know before now that ZIPPO made buckles. Thanks for sharing those: anyone else have buckles with ZIPPO marks on them?

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  • 1 year later...
On 4/19/2021 at 5:18 AM, Bob Hudson said:

 

As I said above, I did not know before now that ZIPPO made buckles. Thanks for sharing those: anyone else have buckles with ZIPPO marks on them?

 

I have this buckle from the USNS Comfort (t-ah-20) marked Zippo (not the best pictures, sorry).

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Salvage Sailor

Aloha GI Jane,

 

Nice Hospital ship Zippo belt buckle, thanks for posting this and also welcome to our Forum.

 

Members, if you're curious about these USN Zippo belt buckles and wish to see more examples, go to eBay and search for "USS" Zippo belt buckle (or USCG or Navy or USN if you prefer) and the fleet will appear.  The " " quote marks will limit the search to those buckles.

 

There ya go...

 

PS - Here's a very groovy U.S. SECOND FLEET buckle from a listing I just viewed.  (Atlantic Fleet Cold War, circa 1970)

z8.jpg.86fa870b6b0a22eaf8a1f02cd387f492.jpg

 

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On 4/18/2021 at 5:48 PM, Bob Hudson said:

This USS Mitscher DL 2 ZIPPO is dated 1964.

 

3.jpg

 

This USS BAYFIELD APA 33 ZIPPO is dated 1966:

 

4.jpg

 

This is the used Revere ZIPPO: dated 1969

 

5.jpg

 

 

Actually ///ZIPPO// is 1977. IIIZIPPOII is 1969

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