Cigarette Lighter
1940
Made by Ronson
General Eisenhower carried this pocket lighter throughout World War II. A heavy smoker, wear use is evident on the sides. It was presented on the evening of December 14, 1949, to William E. Robinson when the General gave up smoking during a bridge game at the Morningside Heights home at Columbia University.
The pressure on Eisenhower was enormous. In the weeks leading up to D-Day he was drinking 24 cups of coffee and smoking six packs of cigarettes a day, while averaging two hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
Metal. L 4.8. W 4.1, D 1.3 cm
Eisenhower National Historic Site, EISE 2584.