Posted 11 years ago
Teamdean
(5 items)
Curious to know more about where this box is from. I can't find anything online about the company. It's a awesome large rusty and crusty army green box with a removable wooden tray. Thanks!
Wooden Trunk/toolbox ? | ||
| Military and Wartime4208 of 7283 |  |  |
There were three distinct versions of C ration box markings. You'll notice the fresh-looking wooden boxes above, used by re-enactors from Strictly GI, come close to matching the samples of two types of actual WWII boxes from the collection of WW2 Ration Technologies. These styles are different from pre-1944 boxes seen in the first two images on this page. The early style was specified in C.Q.D. No. 6D, Amendment 2, March 30, 1943, which spelled out the following packaging requirements:
"Unless otherwise specified two tiers of 24 cans each shall be packed in nailed, wooden boxes.... The two tiers will be separated by a chip board pad.... The nailed, wooden box shall have inside dimensions of 18" x 12" x 7 1/8", with a tolerance of plus or minus 1/16 of an inch. The ends of the boxes shall be manufactured of lumber 5/8 of an inch thick....
All boxes shall be stenciled or printed on both ends as follows:
U.S. Army Field Ration C
8 cans Meat and Beans
8 cans Meat and Vegetable Hash
8 cans Meat and Vegetable Stew
24 cans Bread Unit
1.12 cu. ft. Gross ___ lbs.
The container shall be printed on one side panel as follows:
48 B Units, Ration C (Abbreviation for beverage C, L, or CB)
Contract Number (The contract number shall be given without the words "Contract Number")
The directive also specifies the size of the crescent moon symbol (3" tall, 2" wide, and 7/8" thick at the center of the moon.)
When the menu expanded to include greater variety of M units in 1944, the box dimensions grew slightly to 19 1/4" x 12 3/4" x 7 3/4" while still holding 48 cans. The displacement of the box was now 1.16 cubic feet, with a gross weight of 40 lbs. ("Ration Development," Vol. 12, Office of the Quartermaster General)
Gerald Peterson's example of a vintage wooden box seen here measures 19 5/8" x 12 3/4" x 8" externally.
Later in the war, C rations were packaged in V1 corrugated fiberboard containers of the same approximate dimensions and labeling as the wooden crate, and packed in the same manner. They were usually sleeved and banded with metal straps. Unfortunately, I have not come across any photos of the carton, nor has Gerald Peterson of WWII Ration Technologies been able to find an example.
T A
Thank you for your response! I guess that makes since why it's that color green??