From the collection of National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)

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Souvenir - Zippo lighter, US

Zippo lighter

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Conditions of use

All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

Have a question? Contact National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Untitled image

Reuse this media

Can you reuse this media without permission? No (with exceptions, see below)

Conditions of use

All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

Have a question? Contact National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Untitled image

Reuse this media

Can you reuse this media without permission? No (with exceptions, see below)

Conditions of use

All rights reserved

This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.

Attribution

Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)

Have a question? Contact National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)

Historical information

Zippos were commonly used by soldiers during the war in Vietnam. In addition to use for smoking and signaling; they could also start campfires and melt plastic for quick repairs. Servicemen had their lighters personalised at local metal engravers. They could choose from a wide selection of templates or design their own. The front displays a caduceus, a staff with two snakes coiled around it, which is the official insignia of the United States Medical Corps and Navy Pharmacy Division, so this Zippo would have belonged to an American serviceman.

Physical description

An engraved metal zippo lighter showing signs of rust. Brass coloured, featuring an eagle atop two entwined snakes.

Inscriptions & markings

Back: The Quality of Mercy is not Strained
Front: Vietnam/Chu Lai 70-71

Subjects

Identifier

2023.1

Languages

English

Materials

Metal

Measurements

Length: 4 centimetres, Width: 2 centimetres, Height: 6 centimetres

Cite this page

Victorian Collections

https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/683e6127a538b88505612532

Accessed 16 September 2025

This record was last updated 2 hours ago

Completeness

If you want to ask a question, or you know something about this item, contact the collector

National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM): Website Email

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