Vietnam Zippo factory-engraved with the unit details «HQS CO 1st BN 12th CAV / 1st AIR CAV DIV» on the front, together with a cactus insignia. The reverse side features the Combat Infantryman Badge above the distinctive yellow shield and black horsehead insignia of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), along with the motto «SEMPER PARATUS».
The 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment was one of the original units of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), deployed to Vietnam in 1965. As part of the Army’s first airmobile division, the battalion conducted helicopter-borne assaults, reconnaissance missions, and search-and-destroy operations across South Vietnam. It played a key role in early major engagements such as the Ia Drang campaign and, in 1969, operated primarily in III Corps Tactical Zone, including areas along the Cambodian border.
