Vietnam LUC.KY lighter - Dao Van Duc.
This lighter was a low cost answer to the problem of getting enough light while in the tunnels that the Viet Cong created that provided them with a means to move around undetected by their enemies.
This is a LUC.KY brand lighter made in Asia. Lighters like this were indispensable and they were used to light lamps in the tunnels that were hugely vital to the Viet Cong in their elaborate tunnel complexes like those that can be seen at Cu Chi.
This lighter is part of an extraordinary grouping of VC flags, decorations, memorabilia and personal items belonging to soldiers that was acquired in Vietnam by Mr. Jean Phillipe Martinet from Viet Cong veteran Dao Van Duc. As well as the two VC flags, there are many ephemeral personal items that a VC soldier would have when out on a battle field such as an enameled metal eating bowl with an attachment ring, two knives - one a belt knife the other a utility camp knife, two sets of chopsticks - one aluminum the other ebony, a homemade web equipment belt, two lighters, an oil lamp, a woven pith helmet, a selection of VC medals, a VC insignia, a VC newspaper dated 2 September 1968 and a VC propaganda booklet written on the Battle of Keh Sanh that was also dated 1968.
While you can also view VC tunnel lamps and lighters in GI Bringback collections, such lighters accompanied with a selection of personal equipment rarely leave Vietnam and are really uncommon in the West. They offer a valuable insight into the life of an average VC soldier and many of the belongings were notably made while on the battle field. The handle of the camp knife look as though they have been made from Plexiglas that was possibly salvaged from an American aircraft. The aluminum chopsticks were also likely salvaged from aircraft aluminum.
These medals were acquired while Mr. Martinet was employed by the French water company Lyonnaise des Eaux that specializes in sanitation and water services in local communities as well as industries in France and former French possessions. Mr. Martinet traveled often in the Ty Ninh area between 1989 and 1998 and befriended Dao Van Duc the Viet Cong veteran and his family.
No one is sure where Dao Van Duc actually served while he was with the Viet Cong but during the Vietnam War, a large semi-permanent US hospital - the 45th Surgical Hospital - was erected in Ty Ninh. It was established in 1966 and acted as a Medical Unit Self-Contained Transportable (MUST) unit but the hospital was the site of countless VC mortar and rocket attacks.
Second Acquisition
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From 1989 to 1998 I was working in Vietnam (Saigon) for a French Water Company and travelled often to the Tay Ninh area and the Cambodian border and had the opportunity to meet many VC and NLF veterans. All (4) items are guaranteed to be original, given to me by the VC veterans family from the Tay Ninh area:
1) One really scarce VC reed sun helmet, sweatband & four piece crown suspension are made from olive green plasticized cloth with a white cotton backing, four aluminum vent grommets and one on the front;
2) One VC fighting knife and sheath (leather); the knife measures 12 overall with a 7.5 blood grooved blade, (the) grip looks like ebonite, the leather sheath has a brass button grip restraint, broken, but complete; the knife is a jungle made one.
3) Three order(s) awarded by the NLF on display on a small stand (6,7 x 6,7) with above what its look(s) like a red flower and below a paper (dated 1968) with information about the veteran.
4) One NLF flag (45x 30) with one pole sleeve, yellow star sewn on both side(s), good used condition with some stains and small tears only on the low(er) border.
Also included in the acquisition were:
a) two photographs one of Jean Phillipe Martinet and Dao Van Duc and one of Jean Phillipe Martinet and Dao Van Duc and family.
b) Two lighters; one a high quality French Quercia lighter and one low quality Asian LUC.KY brand lighter.
c) One propaganda booklet about the Battle of Keh Sanh.
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
Tay Ninh, Wikipedia, May 29, 2012, From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay_Ninh
Tay Ninh Provence, World News, May 29, 2012, From: http://wn.com/T%C3%A2y_Ninh_Province
Big Film Studio to Be Build in Tay Ninh, Article.wn.com, May 29, 2012, From: http://article.wn.com/view/2011/10/13/Big_film_studio_to_be_built_in_Tay_Ninh/
