Does anyone know if M&M candy was issued to soldiers during WW2?

[Collector5516]

I've heard/read conflicting accounts as to whether M&Ms were issued to our troops during World War Two. I did some searching online and could not find a single image of WWII issued M&Ms. Does anyone have an original package that would have been part of a field ration or given out by the Red Cross? Perhaps a period image of our boys enjoying the chocolate candy?

 

Thanks!

[Bob Hudson]

Mars official history and other reliable sources say they were put in C Rations. This is from the MIT university website:

 

"The design was patented on March 3, 1941. That year, M&M®, Ltd. began production in Newark, N.J., and the first M&Ms® went on sale. The candy, originally sold in paper tubes, came in brown, yellow, orange, red, green and violet, later replaced by tan. A year later, World War II began, and M&Ms® were immediately popular among soldiers because of the candies’ ability to travel well and withstand high temperatures. Soon the Armed Forces incorporated M&M's® into soldiers' C-Rations and sold them in Post Exchanges and Ships Service Stores."

[Collector5516]

Mars official history and other reliable sources say they were put in C Rations. This is from the MIT university website:

 

"The design was patented on March 3, 1941. That year, M&M®, Ltd. began production in Newark, N.J., and the first M&Ms® went on sale. The candy, originally sold in paper tubes, came in brown, yellow, orange, red, green and violet, later replaced by tan. A year later, World War II began, and M&Ms® were immediately popular among soldiers because of the candies’ ability to travel well and withstand high temperatures. Soon the Armed Forces incorporated M&M's® into soldiers' C-Rations and sold them in Post Exchanges and Ships Service Stores."

 

Thanks for sharing that, Forum Support. Have you ever seen an example that was included in the C-Ration?

[Jack's Son]

It also seems that the OSS put them in Red Cross POW packages. These were branded with the famous M&M logo on one side, and other letters on the otherside. This way the POW's were able to pass messages (in code) to Allied command. If the German guards discovered the messages, the POW's would just eat them. :w00t:

[BOLO]

were they the plain M&Ms or the ones with a peanut inside? I think they only had the plain M&M's during WWII

[doyler]

were they the plain M&Ms or the ones with a peanut inside? I think they only had the plain M&M's during WWII

 

Just the plain.I believe the peanut was introduced in 1954

[Jack's Son]

Just the plain.I believe the peanut was introduced in 1954

You are correct RD.

It wasn't until AFTER the Korean war that the OSS allowed the peanut veritity to be marketed. (This was because the peanut M&M's would roll and confuse the code breakers!) :thumbsup:

[121eagles]

M&Ms came in the WW2 USA Red Cross parcels and they were packaged in a clear plastic or cellophane package with the M&M logo printed on it. I have an empty wrapper in a pow log book. The pow kept all the labels from the food products that were in the Red Cross package. This would lead me to believe they were also sent out to US toops in food rations. I have read about troopers eating M&Ms.

[Collector5516]

M&Ms came in the WW2 USA Red Cross parcels and they were packaged in a clear plastic or cellophane package with the M&M logo printed on it. I have an empty wrapper in a pow log book. The pow kept all the labels from the food products that were in the Red Cross package. This would lead me to believe they were also sent out to US toops in food rations. I have read about troopers eating M&Ms.

 

Wow, thats great information. Are you able to take a photo of the wrapper? I'd really appreciate it!

[BEAST]

Hopefully this may also help. I bought this reprint of a 1942 poster a few years ago. As you can see, it is telling all of its civilian customers that it is now 100% at war and it also illustrates how the candy was packaged. It looks like the packaging was a tube, something like BBs come in. If anyone has an original example, it would be great to see!

 

[BEAST]

[BEAST]

[BEAST]

[Harlan]

Excellent, BEAST. I have never seen them before and that's a perfect illustration.

[uplandmod]

Fantastic image!

There is a Japanese candy that still comes in these packages, and come to think of it they look like M&Ms! I guess M&Ms post war packing must have influenced them.

 

Ive never seen these packages before thanks for post....

Leonardo

[patches]

I recall seeing Milky Way Ads with servicemen in them, one in particular being a group of Swabies in their Blue Jumpers gathering anound a shipmate who had a Box of the Milky Way bars, whether this was sent to the fella in the Illustration from Home, or bought at the ships stores I can tell. Speaking of this, does any onre have the old late 70s-early 80s Time Life World War II history book sets ? if I can remember, in one of the Pacific War titles, there is a photo of Sailors aboard one of the Capital ships bellying up to the ships Geedunk Bar, just off to the side hangs menu, can't really remember if it list M&Ms, and Milky Way Bars, it might but I cant remember, and of course I dont have this set anymore to look it up.

[Chief Bast]

That's great, thanks for posting the vintage ad! These are often the best way for a personal gear/WWII candy collector to help locate the most authentic version of WWII-era sweets.

 

That said, I've never seen any M&M candies of this type for sale, but for those that are interested, a quick search has revealed that these tubes were apparently re-issued a couple of years back as a "retro-themed" package. They're probably not completely accurate to the early 1940s versions, but for those that might like something close and/or filler for the collection, it might be worth a look.

 

CANDYWAREHOUSE.COM

[uplandmod]

very cool link! All this candy talk is making me hungry!

[Collector5516]

BEAST- Awesome poster! Thank you so much for sharing it. I guess M&Ms were issued to/sold to our boys during World War Two. This thread has been very informative and I appreciate everyone sharing what they have. All we need now is to see an original tube!

 

patches - I have the Time-Life WWII set you mention but its at my dad's place. Next time I visit I'll try to find that image.

[dave peifer]

my wife and i both retired from m&m mars,without doubt they were included in rations........dave