Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Lighters could be customized with regimental cyphers and engravings, and were purchased by soldiers returning home as a memento of their military service in the specific theater of operation.

This is an incredible vintage genuine ZIPPO brand lighter that was manufactured in 1967. This lighter is engraved on both sides. On side reads as follows:

WHEN JERI DIES
SHE WILL GO TO
HEAVEN BECAUSE
SHE HAS SPENT
HER TIME IN HELL

The reverse side features an engraving of the 1st Aviation Brigade insignia, above which it reads:

KONTUM
VIET NAM
66-67

Lighter appears to be in fully functional condition, though we have not added fluid. The underside of the lighter bears the ZIPPO logo and Bradford, PA and 7 hash marks or vertical lines which denotes the manufacture date as 1967.

A note on how to verify that this is an authentic VIETNAM era zippo lighter- To determine a ZIPPO's with correct date marks (before 1975) check the zippo date according to the dating card supplied by the zippo firm. For the years between 1966 and 1975 (Vietnam war ended in April 1975) the codes are: four vertical bars each side of the italicized zippo logo for 1966. Then the bars were removed alternatively first on the right and then on the left. So for 1967 four bars on the left and three on the right, three each side for 1968 and so one until 1973 last year with vertical bar coding. Lighters from 1973 have one bar on the left and nothing on the right. In 1974, the code marks turn to slashes; four slashes on each side of the italicized zippo logo and in 1975 only three slashes on the right part.

This particular lighter has four vertical bars on the left and three to the right of the ZIPPO logo, meaning it was manufactured in 1967!

With the establishment of the 1st Aviation Brigade in 1966, the Army achieved an almost perfect balance between the nimbleness and agility offered by decentralizing aviation assets with the efficiency provided by the standardization of administrative processes and training techniques.

The 1st Aviation Brigade managed the Army’s non-organic aviation assets, which grew dramatically in the years following the Brigade’s activation, by standardizing procedures, creating training schools, establishing and enforcing safety regulations, and handling logistical support; operational control was in the hands of ground commanders to whom the aviation units were assigned.

The Brigade attempted to place an assault helicopter company with each U.S. brigade, assigning one combat aviation battalion headquarters to directly support an infantry division. Over the course of the war, this system allowed Army Aviation personnel and ground commanders to create, on the fly, many of the doctrines and tactics that are still taught today the 1st Aviation Brigade “Golden Hawks” at the Army Center of Aviation Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

The 1st Aviation Brigade patch, or Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, was approved on 2 August 1966. The gold border and blue field are inspired by the colors of Army Aviation, while the gold hawk and red sword were taken from the colors of the Republic of Vietnam. Those colors were also used by U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam and U.S. Army, Vietnam, the Brigade’s commanding units, in fact, the sword on this patch is also found on the insignia of those two formations.