Ext Rare & Iconic USS Cabot 1945 Ernie Pyle Memorial Zippo Lighter

An incredibly poignant and historical Zippo. Ernie Pyle left the light carrier USS Cabot (what he called the Iron Woman in his column) at the end of February 194On Easter, April 1, he went ashore with the Marines on Okinawa. Eighteen days later, he was killed on the nearby island of Ie Shima when a bullet from a Japanese machine gun hit him in the left temple below the rim of his helmet. Pyle was a friend of George Blaisdell, the founder of the Zippo Lighter Co., and after Pyle left the Iron Woman and was killed on Ie Shima, hundreds of Zippo lighters inscribed, "In Memory  Ernie Pyle 1945" were sent to the crew of the USS Cabot. This was the only time they were issued and only to the 700 crewmembers.

Circa 1945.

Approximately: 1.5" in width by 2.25" in height by 0.5" in depth. .

Steel with black crackle paint.

To be carried in pocket to light up your smoke.

This is from a United States Army collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. VAJJJX07 LCEJJX05/16 SLDEJJX04/25/22

5+ (Fine-): Lighter shows wear at all corners and edges. Black crackle paint shows evidence of cracking and melting in lower right rear corner. Does not detract from presentation of this extremely rare lighter.

As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.