Choice Collection

Soldiers have carried Zippo lighters in every war from World War II through Iraqi Freedom. Amid the uncertainty of war, it’s the one thing a soldier can count on - in rain, wind or snow, it works every time.

The company archives are filled with letters detailing the many uses a Zippo lighter has served in the military: heating rations in a helmet, lighting campfires, sparking fuses for explosives, hammering nails and even signaling to fellow soldiers with the famous Zippo click. On numerous occasions, a Zippo lighter in a shirt or pants pocket has saved a life by deflecting bullets.

No wonder legendary WWII war correspondent Ernie Pyle wrote, “Getting hold of a Zippo lighter is like getting hold of a hunk of gold. There is truly nothing the average soldier would rather have.”