To the unlearned......or those who have never had the (dubious) pleasure of consuming C-rations.....the P-38 was a can opener (yes, C-rats were in green cans with black writing on them). Each C-rat box had a bunch of P-38's tossed in so you could get into the gomet entrees packed into the box.
Most of us carried a P-38 on our dog tag chains at all times.
The best use I ever made of one was using it to change a heater hose on a Dodge Dart.
The hose had a small hole where it went into the manifold. Using the screwdriver end I unclamped the hose and then cut off the short piece with the hole in it. I slid the hose back on the nipple and screwed it back tight.
Back on the road in about 15 minutes.
Somewhere in my heap of stuff are several p-38's.
I have visited the Vietnam memorial several times and there are always a few P-38's that have been left by visitors.
The Huey, the M-16 and the P-38 are all things that bring a smile (and occasionally a tear) to my face.