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Photo/GAGE VOTA Army Maricopa Division,1966 Infantry Vietnam veteran Carl “Tony” Ramella Jr. with the Zippo lighter he found in the pocket of a dead Vietcong sniper during the Vietnam War reunited at the Wall That Heals at the Belmont County Fairgrounds.
Episode 3378 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the wandering Zippo lighter. The featured story is titled; Zippo lighter from Wheeling found in Vietnam War reunited with veteran who found it. It appeared in The Times Leader and was submitted by Gage Vota.
Vota reported that The Wall That Heals brought a powerful and emotional Vietnam War story to the Belmont County Fairgrounds, where veterans, families, and communities gathered to remember those who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War. Among them was U.S. Army Vietnam veteran Carl “Tony” Ramella Jr., a 1966 infantry veteran whose personal connection to the Ohio Valley created an extraordinary link between Vietnam and home.
During his service in Vietnam, Ramella recovered a Zippo lighter from a deceased Viet Cong sniper. What made the discovery remarkable was the engraving: Tri-State Amusement Co. Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia, along with the initials L.W.Y. Ramella sent the lighter home to his father, hoping its owner could be identified.
Decades later, journalist John S. Marshall had the opportunity to write about the unusual discovery for the Wheeling News-Register. The story appeared on May 14, 1970. Remarkably, Marshall still remembered the lighter more than five decades later.
As preparations were being made for The Wall That Heals, Marshall, Curtis Kyer, and other committee members began searching for Ramella. Their efforts eventually succeeded, leading to an emotional reunion between a Vietnam veteran and the Zippo lighter he had carried home from Vietnam nearly 60 years earlier.
The story also highlights the enduring significance of the Zippo lighter during the Vietnam War. For American soldiers, Zippos became iconic symbols of military life, toughness, and personal expression.
For Ramella, however, the visit to The Wall That Heals carried a much deeper meaning. Seeing the names of the Vietnam veterans and fallen soldiers he served alongside brought back powerful memories and emotions.
This remarkable story reminds us that Vietnam Veterans never forgot their comrades. Their courage, sacrifice, service, and brotherhood continue to inspire generations. The Wall That Heals ensures that their names—and the stories behind them—will never be forgotten.
Listen to episode 3378 and discover more about the wandering Zippo lighter.
