Been around here a long time under this handle and have learned a lot from this community over the years.   Wanted to share something I recently finished — I wrote a book:   National Treasure or Trash: War, Memory, and the Intergenerational Cost of Combat.   It’s not a typical military history book. It’s built off primary records, family research, and the kind of questions a lot of us end up thinking about over time — what actually carries forward from war, and what gets lost, misremembered, or reshaped.   A lot of it ties directly into the kinds of artifacts, records, and stories we all discuss here — but zoomed out into the long-term impact.   If nothing else, I think folks here would appreciate the angle.   Link if you want to take a look: https://a.co/d/0cuCqsQ3   https://www.mph-author.com    Either way — appreciate everything this forum has put out over the years. It’s helped more than you probably realize. Sincerely,  pegasus6

I can’t find the listing now, sorry   Keith

Thank you for your comment jump wing! I am extremely pleased to have it in my collection. Thanks again

As another question to add to this, is there a way to date buckles marked solid brass like the one I posted above? I saw a belt at a trift store that was marked twice with that as well as made in USA. It was a faded khaki color, was wondering if it could have been ww2.

Very beautiful and rare piece. 😍 One of the versions by the Australian manufacturer Angus & Coote. Version with name in frame, not many seen for sale yet.

I never would’ve guessed that! It looks like two different people from the photo. 🙂

Here is the other side of the "Nail 10" lighter.

I would think it would be the 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron / "Nail" FACs. Boonie patch features the OV-10. Let me hear if I am wrong. That is one amazing patch!

Out of likes    😂😂😂😂   Wade

Sea Girl, I am guessing you are "thrifter/ picker" and I mean no offense.  I applaud your effort to learn about your item and you have come to the right place. Since so much second-hand material is now handled by large corporate run thrift store's military items are quite common in their inventories. In addition to the massive die off of the Cold War/Vietnam war veteran generation It will become even more common place to find such items. So many of frequenters of the thrift shop / estate sale crowd are just wanting to make a quick buck and think nothing of the sacrifice or even what these things mean. I guess there is no thought to such things because by and large most American's have never experienced that primal fear that comes from war nor what it means for an individual to go to war.  A few vets have and with the WW2 generation gone and the Vietnam generation quickly following them, even their personally shared experiences are becoming only memories to few. You have sought knowledge on an item that commemorates one Man's service to his country and even should you sale it, which I am guessing you will, you have helped in a way preserve that individual's history of sacrifice.  Good luck, on your future picking endeavors. Happy hunting.