Speaking of that movie 'Full Metal Jacket' showing about the Vietnam war, here's one of both lighters that i have which were likely being carried & used by servicemen serving during the actual periods.
This lighter casing & it's insert are genuinely made sometime in 1966, of a regular brush-chrome finish. If the engravings are true to that period & possessed by the servicemen, this lighter was issued to each of them back in those days. Having plain surfaces on their new lighters, individuals would have it engraved by Vietnamese street-sides engravers using template or many being custom engraved. These were done during each serviceman's R&R or perhaps when they came across such engravers, etching their lighters for a small fee- detailing their services in Vietnam, as well as many of the sentiments/hatred towards the war & many issues (in later years).
During & especially after the Vietnam war, many Zippo lighters had been left by troops among much items after misplacement, troops withdrawal or some KIA unfortunately. Vietnamese had collected large quantities of these till later, as tourism boomed in Vietnam. Zippo lighters used by American servicemen are among hot sellers from the (Ho Chi Minh) street-side vendors as these're in sky-high demands among foreign collectors & tourists looking for a piece of bitter history. Much of these authentic pieces were available in the streets till end 1990, & later replaced by counterfeits largely/ even totally.
If the accounts are true with the two pieces I've, that both were purchased by my seller in the early 90's from these street vendors during his business venture there in Ho Chi Ming City. Formally known as Saigon.
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Indeed, there're accounts detailing this lighter's engravings & date code.
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