During WWII, the "Blackhawk" Division arrived in France in March 1945. It quickly proceeded to Germany, where it took part in the fierce fighting in the Ruhr area where the troops discovered and liberated the Attendorn civilian forced-labor camp on April 11, 1945. The U.S. 86th Infantry Division was recognized as a liberating unit by the U.S. Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1996. It then was ordered to move southward and crossed the Danube River on April 27, 1945, advancing into Austria where the division captured the crown jewels of Hungary in Mattsee on 4 May. After a short time back in the USA, the division left San Francisco, 24 August 1945, for the Philippines. The U.S. 86th Division was aboard ship in Leyte harbor when the Japanese surrendered. After landing on Luzon the unit was dispersed throughout the Island, participated at the occupation und was deactivated in December 1946. 

Chrome plated Zippo with U.S. Infantry and «Black Hawk» insignia including battle engagements in the «ETO» for European Theater of Operations and «SWP» for South West Pacific.