227th AVN BN ASLT HEL – 1st CAV DIV

The 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion, part of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), was one of the principal air assault units of the Vietnam War. Activated as part of the Army’s pioneering airmobile concept, the battalion operated the Bell UH-1 Iroquois in intensive combat operations, inserting and extracting infantry, delivering supplies, and supporting troops in contact across the Central Highlands and beyond. Flying daily into contested landing zones, crews faced constant enemy fire while executing the high-risk missions that defined helicopter warfare in Vietnam.

Zippo factory engraved with «1st CAV DIV (AM)» above a stylized winged emblem with a central bird motif and the motto «POUVOIR», and «227th AVN BN (ASLT HEL)» below, denoting the battalion’s assault helicopter role. The reverse side features factory engraving «VIETNAM» above «CO. C» and the nickname «WATER BUFFALO», accompanied by a lightning motif.