Zippo During the Wars
During World War II, Founder of Zippo George Blaisdell decided to aid the war effort and send as many lighters as he could to as many soldiers as possible. Soldiers found that the Zippo lighters were cheap and utilitarian, a combination much needed at the front. Like everyone else in wartime, Zippo was forced to deal with financial difficulties and had to revise its usual method of manufacture. Thus, the Zippo lighters of this time were made of cheap porous steel, rather than brass. The steel would not work with the typical chrome or nickel finish, so the lighter would be left with a black, matte finish instead. This novel “model” of the Zippo lighter is known as the authentic World War II Zippo. The black, matte finish of the lighter proved to be useful in war because it did not draw enemy attention (due to the absence of light reflection). The popularity of the Zippo lighter skyrocketed because of its role in World War II and no other historical event has been as influential since.
U.S. General Douglas MacArthur left behind a great number of souvenirs, which for the most part are displayed today at the MacArthur Museum. The Zippo lighters owned by MacArthur are some of the many tokens being exhibited at the museum. In 1949, a commemorative Zippo embossed with a medal denoting Japan’s unconditional surrender and General MacArthur’s signature was given to all officers on the U.S.S. Missouri. Today, these “MacArthur” Zippo lighters are extremely rare.
The Vietnam War is another war that demonstrated the value of the Zippo lighter. According to data, Zippos were used by over 200,000 U.S. soldiers during the war in Vietnam. Intimately tied to the daily lives of soldiers, the Zippo was no doubt an important tool. The shiny surface served as a mirror, while the flame worked well to heat up cold meals. The Zippo was also a handy method of identification.
In addition, the “canned bottom” of a Zippo lighter was utilized to store salt, in order to provide much needed body salt during hard times. Some historical Zippos were said to act as a shield against bullets or as a means to channel signals. One such example is that of Staff Sergeant Naugle, who employed the Zippo to send a signal to a rescue helicopter and eventually got saved. Sergeant Martinez experienced similar luck – he escaped near death thanks to his Zippo, which he always placed in his chest pocket. Although the bullet did indeed strike his chest, the Zippo shielded it enough to save Martinez. These unbelievable stories have been featured in many advertisements and even in the Life Magazine.
Zippos were not only used as personal items, but also as tools of military operations. Often, the lighter’s flame would be employed to destroy enemy bases and homes. The Zippo would most likely be found in the chest pocket of a soldier’s uniform or at times in the camouflage band of a helmet. Others stored the Zippo in the pouch of a M-16, a rifle. Lighter fluid was difficult to have access to in wartime and therefore, it was often replaced with diesel, gas, or alcohol. The army’s Post Exchanges carried a large number of Zippo lighters, which accounts for the considerable amount of Zippos issued to Vietnam. In time, Zippo inevitably entered the black market and soldiers were soon granted the option of buying their Zippos without taking a trip to the PX (U.S Army retail store). Additionally, soldiers would consult Vietnamese artisans to get their Zippos exclusively engraved. The map of Vietnam was an army favorite, but there were a great variety of other designs. Essentially, every soldier owned a personalized Zippo by the end of the Vietnam War.
These “Vietnam War” Zippo lighters have become valuable collector’s items. Each personalized Zippo represents the unique experience of every soldier on the battlefield. The emotions that the soldiers felt as they killed someone, saw a fellow comrade die, or simply missed loved ones back home can be felt within their Zippos. Since then, Zippo lighters have developed a new dimension to their reputation, becoming priceless collector’s items.