| WWII CRATES, BOXES AND CONTAINERS PAGE 4 |
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| LIQUID CONTAINERS: GAS, OIL AND WATER |
| 1940 Sinclair 55 Gallon Oil Drum, ICC 16-55-40, above left photo. This 55 Gallon, 16 Gauge Galvanized Steel, Oil Drum was produced in 1940 for Sinclair Refining Company, with the container number 209508. It has a hand pump attached marked AF 808 8 307, FF 505H30. 1939 Robinson 5 Gallon Oil Container, ICC 24-5-39, above center photo. This 5 Gallon, 24 Gauge Steel, Oil Container was produced in 1939 for Robinson Oil, Baltimore Maryland. 1937 Atlantic 5 Gallon Oil Container, ICC 24-5-37, above right photo. This 5 Gallon, 24 Gauge Steel, Oil Container, produced by Ohio Corrugating Company in 1937 for Atlantic Brand Lubrication. |
| Commercial Pre-War and Wartime Gas and Oil Containers: |
| 1936 Essolube 5 Gallon Gear Oil Container, ICC 24-5-36, above left photo. This 5 Gallon, 24 Gauge Steel, Gear Oil Container, produced by Ohio Corrugating Company in 1936 for Esso, Standard Oil Company. 1942 Gulf 16 Gallon Grease Lubricant Container, ICC 20-100-16-42, above center photo. This 16 Gallon - 100 pound, 20 Gauge Steel, Grease Lubricant Container was produced in 1942 for Gulf Oil Company. 1925 AMOCO 5 Gallon Gas Container, above right photo. This 5 Gallon Gas Container, produced by The Davis Welding & Manufacturing Company, Cincinnati Ohio, in 1925 for AMOCO. |
| In 1940, the United States War Department began the contracting of liquid containers through commercial companies. This liquid container followed the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) standards for marking and regulations for construction. The container is marked with the manufacturer name, and five or more numbers, for example ICC 5-20-42, which means 5 gallon capacity - 20 gauge steel - 42 (year of production). The 5-gallon liquid container was developed as a copy of the German container, nicknamed the "Jerry Can" or "Blitz Can". The U.S. container was constructed with minor changes from the German container, which suited the American manufacturing practices. These changes were three piece construction: a center section, and top and bottom section. The German container was made in two halves and welded together. The 5-gallon liquid container for gasoline was produced with a screw cap opening that could be fitted with a flexible nozzle. The gasoline container is marked with a G on both sides of the container and U.S.A. for United States Army, on one side and Q.M.C. for Quarter Master Corps on the reverse side. The 5-gallon gasoline container was also used to transport bulk oil and engine coolant. A 5-gallon water container was also produced, matching the gasoline container in manufacturing style, but the container had a large clamp fitted cap to aid in filling. The water container has a large W for water, marked on the container. The water container interior is lined with spray-on porcelain paint to prevent corrosion. The 5-gallon gas and water container had three handles attached to the top so two containers could be carried in one hand, side-by-side. WWII Military Vehicles were not delivered from the factory with a liquid container mounted in the vehicle carrier. The liquid container would be issued by the Quarter Master Corps after the vehicle was accepted from the manufacturer by the Ordnance Corps. |
| 1942 Wheeling 5 Gallon Gas Container, ICC 20-5 1/4-42, above three photos. This WWII 5-gallon gasoline container was produced by Wheeling Corrugating Company, Wheeling West Virginia. The bottom is marked: I.C.C.-5, Wheeling, 20-5 1/4-42 (20 gauge steel, 5 1/4 gallon capacity, year of production: 1942). The gasoline container is marked with a G on both sides of the container and U.S.A. for United States Army, on one side and Q.M.C. for Quarter Master Corps on the reverse side. This example has been painted olive-drab. |
| Wheeling Corrugating Company: |
| WWII 5 Gallon Containers: |
| 1941 Wheeling 5 Gallon Gas Container, ICC 20-5 1/4-41, above three photos. This WWII 5-gallon gasoline container was produced by Wheeling Corrugating Company, Wheeling West Virginia. The bottom is marked: I.C.C.-5, Wheeling, 20-5 1/4-41 (20 gauge steel, 5 1/4 gallon capacity, year of production: 1941). The gasoline container is marked with a G on both sides of the container and U.S.A. for United States Army, on one side and Q.M.C. for Quarter Master Corps on the reverse side. This example has been galvanized coated over the steel and then painted olive-drab. Galvanizing coatings would be deleted from production early in WWII. |
| The National Enameling and Stamping Company NESCO: |
| 1942 NESCO 5 Gallon Water Container, above three photos. This WWII 5-gallon water container was produced by The National Enameling and Stamping Company, NESCO, Granite City Illinois. The top, under the handles, is marked: U.S. (United States), W (Water), NESCO, 1942. There are no markings on the sides or bottom of this container. This example has been painted olive-drab. |
| Cavalier Manufacturing Company: |
| 1944 Cavalier 5 Gallon Water Container, above three photos. This WWII 5-gallon water container was produced by Cavalier Manufacturing Co., Hazel Park Missouri. The top, under the handles, is marked: U.S. (United States), W (Water), CAVALIER, 44 (1944). There are no markings on the sides or bottom of this container. This example has been painted olive-drab. |
| WWII 5 Gallon Containers, Army Air Forces: |
| 1943 5 Gallon Gas Container, Army Air Forces, ICC 22-5-43, above three photos. These two WWII 5-gallon gasoline containers were produced for the Army Air Forces in a drum shape for ease of unloading from an aircraft. The drum shape allowed the container to be rolled. The container on the left was produced by Wheeling Corrugating Company, Wheeling West Virginia. The bottom is marked: PROPERTY AIR FORCE, U.S.A. (United States Army) I.C.C.-5, Wheeling, 22-5-43 (22 gauge steel, 5 gallon capacity, year of production: 1943). The container on the right is marked: PROPERTY AIR FORCES, U.S.A. (United States Army), 5 GAL 1943, S S MFG CO, 22 X ICC5. Both containers are painted olive-drab. |
| WWII 55 Gallon Drum, Army Air Forces: |
| 1942 55 Gallon Drum, Army Air Forces, ICC 14-55-42, above three photos. This WWII 55-gallon drum was produced for the Army Air Forces by The National Enameling and Stamping Company, NESCO, Granite City Illinois. The top is marked: PROPERTY AIR FORCE, U.S. Army. The bottom is marked I.C.C.-5, NESCO, 14-55-42 (14 gauge steel, 55 gallon capacity, year of production: 1942). The drum painted olive-drab. This drum was recovered by QuestMasters from Alaska in 2016. |
| Malleable Iron Range Company MONARCH: |
| 1944 Monarch 5 Gallon Water Container, above two photos. This WWII 5-gallon water container was produced by Malleable Iron Range Company, under the trademark name Monarch. The top, under the handles, is marked: U.S. (United States), W (Water), MONARCH, 44 (1944). There are no markings on the sides or bottom of this container. This example has been painted olive-drab with stenciling on the side for issue to a Tank Company in WWII. |
| An original color WWII photograph, above, showing a U.S. Soldier stacking 5 gallon, 80 octane, gasoline cans in Normandy France. These gasoline cans have been marked with Army Air Force transportation markings (blue bands and black stenciling) on the end of each can. The red tag denotes 80 octane gasoline. |
| Signal Corps Photo 189542, via National Archives College Park, Maryland, above photo. This photo shows 55-gallon drums, marked "CUTBACK, RC 3, BLOCK 4804" with Engineer Corps castle insignia. Histon General Depot G-23, barrels of oil, European Theater of Operations, England, April 8th 1944. |
| WWII 5-Gallon Gasoline: BENNETT 1943 BOYCO 1943, 1944 CAVALIER 1945 CHATANOOGA 1941 (x2) CONCO 1943 JR TOY 1945 MONARCH, Experimental Lid, 1942 MONARCH 1942, 1945 |
| 5-Gallon Containers in the QuestMasters Museum Collection, by manufacturer: |
| WWII 5-Gallon Water: ARVIN NOBLITT SPARK 1942 CAVALIER 1944 MONARCH 1944 (x2), 1945 NESCO 1941, 1944 |
| WWII 5-Gallon Gasoline: NESCO 1941, 1942, 1943, 1945 (x2) NSI 1943 (x3) RHEEM 1943, 1944, 1945 PSD 1942 RUDY 1945 (x2) SAMCO 1943 WHEELING 1941, 1942, 1943, 1945 UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS |
| United States Marine Corps Expeditionary Container: |
| Air Corps Photo 59275AC, National Archives, College Park Maryland, above photo. The United States Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, contracted a production version of the WWII German gasoline container in 1942. This United States Marine Corps Expeditionary Container was nearly identical to the German container, but did not have any factory markings or production date. The photo above, War Theatre #23, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, shows "How Task Forces in action on Guadalcanal get supplies", February 20th 1943. These Airmen or Marines are preparing these U.S.M.C. 5-gallon gasoline containers to be air-delivered by cargo parachute. |
| United States Marine Corps Expeditionary 5-Gallon Container, above three photos. The United States Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, contracted a production version of the WWII German gasoline container in 1942. This United States Marine Corps Expeditionary Container was nearly identical to the German container, but did not have any factory markings or production date. These containers are often referred to as "Mystery Can's" due to their lack of markings on the container. The example shown above has been painted red after WWII. |
| Army Air Force 5-Gallon Gasoline Container, above three photos. Two variations of gasoline containers are shown here, with different strength corrugations on the sides. Both styles of containers are marked: PROPERTY AIR FORCE U.S.A. (United States Army). |