Cigarette lighters of the War Era

Which brand of cigarette lighter did you own during The War?

You can click on more than one choice. (At different times in England, my cousin owned a Dunhill, a Ronson and a Zippo "crinkle".)

All these brands have some affectionados and (if you believe the listing descriptions in eBay) were available to troops of both Theaters of Operation.

Any memories or stories to share?

Any other brands?

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

CPT,
You got my zippo vote and this two cents thrown in. I still have it along with one with my ships logo on it.

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

For those of you who own or collect Zippo lighters, here is a link to verify the "date of manufacture" of Zippo lighters. Click on  complete chart of the Zippo date codes

Most lighters fabricated between 1933 and 1957 can be identified by style and model and the patent or patent-pending marks.

Starting in the mid 50s, date codes were stamped on the bottom. The original purpose was for quality control. The date codes have since become an invaluable tool for Zippo collectors. The appearance of the word “Zippo” in the bottom stamp provides another clue to dating.

There have been three major changes, as shown in inset. From 1933 to the mid 50s the word Zippo was stamped in block letters. The Zippo script logo was developed in the late 40s and was phased-in on the lighter bottom stamp around 1955. In the late 70s the logo was redesigned. It was incorporated into the bottom stamp in 1980.

Made in1933-36  marked "Patent Pending"
Made in 1937-42 marked "Patent 2032695"
Made in 1942-46 ("Black Crackle") marked " Patent 203695" (This number was stamped in error, it should have been Patent 2032695.)

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

Another difference in Zippo lighters is that the "old" ones (WW II era) have square corners.  Later Zippos have rounded corners.  I don't know when the change occurred (is the patent number a clue?), but I still have an "old" Zippo that my dad picked up from the ramp at Buckingham AAF with the Air Corps winged prop on its side.  By the time I started smoking in the 1950s, Zippos were round.

Bernie Shearon
Push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. Pull the stick back, the houses get smaller (unless you keep pulling -- then they get bigger again)

Your right on bernie. The one I have from WWII has square corners. The one with my ships logo has rounded corners. The later was given to me by a co-worker who did reserve duty on her in the 60s in Philadelphia Navy Yard. I never took notice of the difference before.

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

If you believe everything you read on eBay, the square-corner Zippo's were produced until 1945.

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

Voted for my Dad who had both a Ronson and a Zippo. I don't know how he acquire the lighters, but I do know he did not purchase them.

The Zippo is in working condition although the case has worn very, very thin.  Dad lost the lighter while riding a hay bailer in the summer of 1961 and his brother found it in the spring of 1964 while planting  corn. Originally the case had the 491st BS insigne engraved on it. This lighter was "refurbished" by Zippo. They replaced the hinge and the upper cover, the striker, the wick and the cotton filler. AND Zippo re-etched the insigne restoring the sharpness of the lines. Except for the time it was lost, the Zippo was Dad's daily use lighter for more than forty years from during the War until he quit smoking in 1986.

The Ronson is in excellent condition. With a twice yearly exceptions, I don't think I ever saw Dad use the Ronson. Not necessarily a put down of the Ronson. It is etched with the names of three comrades and the dates they were KIA. Dad only used it on Memorial and Veterans days.

Tony Strotman, MSgt (ret.), USAF
Son of T/Sgt Francis E. Strotman, Engineer-Gunner,
491st Bm Sq / 341st Bm Gp (M), Yangkai, China
"USAAF in CBI Tribute" http://www.usaaf-in-cbi.com

Thanks for sharing, Top Sergeant.

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

Hi all...
Another slant regards the cigarette lighter subject.

Many guys in the USAAF acquired the hobby shop made fifty caliber shell case lighter. utilising an unused empty shell casing, the hobby shops on many bases would fashion lighters using inserts off the shelf. British made inner mechanisms that fitted snuggly ino the casing. Many versions came into being, all followed the regular starting point of an empty case.

Attaching an example of a 305th BG made lighter, as carried by one of the Lt Benjamin J. Buttrey crew 366th Sqn in 1944. He and his crew aboard 42-39966 KY-S V for Victory, were shot down on August 3rd 1944, NW of Buhl into the Abtsmoor forest. In 2007 I revisited the site, accompanied with Buttrey's Navigator that day Jim McDermott. We met up with Rudy Jaeger, who as a teenage boy had witnessed the B-17 being shot at by Me109's, and its crash into the forest. In later years Jaeger worked as a Forestry Labourer, getting to know the exact crash impact point very well over each season. On many occcassions he wandered over the site and picked up pieces of the plane (some of which were presented to McDermott in 2007). The amazing find was perhaps the attached lighter. In such ood condition that t actually struck its flint and lit a flame as we stood there !! Quite a find, and it was fascinating piece of history to share on that visit.

I'm sure such hobby craft items were made at many other bases both ETO, MTO and in the Pacific.
Maybe our resident veterans can recall their own memories of those things? I also know of many more elaborate decorative items, for mantlepiece display such as ashtrays with fifty caliber bullets mounted, framing 'flying 8th' symbols. All kinds of craft items that the guys had to take home as gifts.

The lighters obviously were functional day to day items, and very unique and personal to those that had them.

Ian W

Attached Image(s)

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

 Ian:

That is a great post.
Thank you for sharing.
Carry on.

"Smoke 'em if you got 'em." 

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

Yunch
Your right on bernie. The one I have from WWII has square corners. The one with my ships logo has rounded corners. The later was given to me by a co-worker who did reserve duty on her in the 60s in Philadelphia Navy Yard. I never took notice of the difference before.

 The ZIPPO lighter

No other event in history increased the popularity of Zippo lighters more than World War II. From 1943 until the end of World War II, Zippo's entire production was shipped to Army Exchanges and Naval ship stores for the soldiers in combat around the world.

Because brass and chrome were in short supply, Zippo windproof lighters were made with a porous steel and then coated with a thick black paint that was baked to a black "crackle" finish. This produced a slightly rough surface and distinguished it as a World War II lighter.

The inside unit was also different from today's standard issue Zippo lighters. Straight flat sides meet the front and back surfaces with squared edges. The chimney has fewer holes, and a hollow rivet holds the striking wheel in place. [/quote]

Ernie Pyle - 07 AUG 1944
If I were to tell you how much these Zippos are coveted at the front and the gratitude and delight with which the boys receive them, you would probably accuse me of exaggeration. I truly believe that the Zippo lighter is the most coveted thing in the army.

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

Mine from Korea is a rounded Zippo ... The Front has the "Scarwaf" logo while the back has the logo of the 417th EAB (Engineer Aviation Brigade) ... Quit smoking in 1980 so have no idea if it still works.

Jerry
S/Sgt. USAF Radio Operator '52-'56
C-119 "Flying Boxcar"

cousin of T/Sgt. Frank Hrehocik RO/Gunner
381st BG - 533rd BS

381st BGMA LTM

Volunteer - National Museum of the US Air Force

Jerry,
Reading your post reminded me of my time with the 381st and our experience with the Zippo at the higher altitudes.  Many times a Zippo was dificult to ignite in the oxygen poor altitudes, 25,000 feet plus.  I also had a cheap cigarette/pipe lighter (name forgotten) that had a smaller wick and the "tank" portion of the lighter could be slid out to light a pipe.  It was a poor lighter in any wind, but would produce a usable flame at 30,000 feet.  I carried both to assure my smoking habit was not interferred with.
I quit smoking in 1983 when a  heart attack got my attention.

Bob Gilbert
Ball Turret Gunner, Goldin crew
381st Bomb Gp., 533rd Bomb Sq.
US 8th Air Force

WP - We used a 'flameless' lighter in the Navy. I cannot recall the name, but it was about 2.5 inches long and .5 inch in diameter. Made out of a black plastic-like material and had a red tip with a recess for the end of your cigarette. Put the tip of the cig in the recess (up against a little screen), press a button on the other end of the lighter, and with one or two drags the cig was lit, with no flame to give away your position.

Al Blue

Al,
You have a good memory. I forgot about that sucker. I do remember the names I called it, but I dont think it advisable to post them here. I spent to much time trying to get the cigarette lit and It was easier to chuck it overboard and use ol reliable "Zippo" before exiting the hatch. Gave up smoking about 50 yrs ago.  

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

Yunch - Perhaps you remember another very inexpensive lighter (around 35 cents at the PX as I recall) which was cylindercal and about 3" long. It had a small tube running up the side holding a spring which applied pressure against the flint to hold it against the thumb wheel. The spring was held in by a slotted screw which was sized to fit a dime. Worthless in the wind but otherwise functional. I picked up a bunch of them at the Naval Discharge Center at Lido Beach, L.I. Going through a junk box in my basement just now I found the spring assembly for thirteen (13) of these lighters. Apparently I figured they might be useful for something some day. (The Depression made savers out of all of us, didn't it!) Again, I don't remember the name of this beauty,,,

Al Blue

Al Blue

WP - We used a 'flameless' lighter in the Navy.

 
Parker made a Silent Flame Lighter. My father-in-law was a WW II destroyer man and used a Silent Flame until he died.

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

Lighters of that era

Attached Image(s)

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

Others

Attached Image(s)

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

___‹(•¿•)›____
Kilroy was here

The lighter pictured in the center of the 3 lighters in your post appears to be the lighter I mentioned in my 9-2 post to this thread.  The notch area at the bottom shows the edge/lip of the removable tank portion that could be pulled down and out.  Do you know the brand name of that lighter?