82nd Airborne Division – 505th Infantry Regiment

The 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, deployed to Vietnam with the division’s 3rd Brigade in February 1968. The battalion initially operated in the northern part of South Vietnam and later participated in combat operations in III Corps. During its Vietnam service, the 2/505 conducted airborne infantry operations, patrols, search-and-destroy missions and security operations against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces. The 505th Infantry’s traditional motto, «H-Minus», originated from the regiment’s airborne heritage and its tradition of entering combat ahead of H-Hour.

Zippo with the colored distinctive insignia of the 505th Infantry Regiment factory engraved on the front, featuring the winged panther and the regimental motto «H-MINUS». Below the insignia is the inscription «2nd Bn. 505 INF.», identifying the lighter with the 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.