Original Item: One-of-a-kind. During the Vietnam was Zippo lighters were available for purchase in the PX (Post Exchange) where many consumer goods were sold. Zippos could be customized with regimental cyphers and engravings, and were purchased by GIs returning home as a memento of their military service in the specific theatre of operation.

This wonderful condition example is marked on the front side:

The riverside side is engraved with gold lettering:

The underside of the lighter bears the ZIPPO logo and Bradford, PA. Offered in near mint condition ready to be refueled and strike one up.

History of the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY- Named in honor of the 35th president of the United States, the aircraft carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY was the last conventionally powered aircraft carrier built by the US Navy. She was ordered in April of 1964, and her keel was laid down in October of 1964 at the Newport News shipyard. Originally scheduled to become the fourth KITTY HAWK class carrier, the JFK received so many modifications during construction that she formed her own class.

President Kennedy’s 9-year-old daughter, Caroline, christened the ship in May 1967 in ceremonies held at Newport News, Virginia; the ship subsequently entered naval service on September 7, 1968.

KENNEDY was originally designated as CVA 67, attack aircraft carrier. In the early 1970s, the classification was changed to CV 67, indicating the ship was capable of supporting anti-submarine warfare aircraft such as the S-3 Viking, making her an all-purpose, multi-mission aircraft carrier.

KENNEDY’s maiden voyage was to the Mediterranean sea. She subsequently made another seven deployments to this area of the world through the ’70s in response to a deteriorating situation in the Middle East. On January 4, 1989, while conducting routine operations during her 12th major deployment to the Mediterranean, F-14 Tomcats from the embarked air wing shot down two Libyan MIG-23s that were approaching the battle group in a hostile manner.

A note on how to verify that this is an authentic zippo- To determine ZIPPOs 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 three vertical bars on the left of the ZIPPO logo and three bars on the right, meaning it was manufactured in 1968.

This is a great reference site for further research of Vietnam era Zippo lighters: http://vietnam.zippo.free.fr/intra.htm