Today I stopped by an "antique mall" and picked up an interesting piece. I am totally unfamiliar with this item but have never seen one before and thought the markings were unique. I just couldn't pass this up! By the way, no markings anywhere except for the manufacturer's markings on handle brackets only.

Thoughts? Comments? Time period? Typical use?

I have one exactly like yours, and I know nothing about mine either. I presume that it's WW2.

Thanks for the quick reply. I assumed it was WWII based on the construction/style. I primarily collect WWII Med Dept items as well as reenact / display WWII Medical.

Is that metal-lined and double-walled as if it might have insulation? If so, it may be the WWII equivalent of an ice chest.

In the 1970s whenever we deployed to Ft. Irwin we had very similar chests that we used for ice. The mess teams drew ice every day along with rations and the ice was placed in these chests along with all food items that required cold storage. Any ice remaining at the end of the day was passed out to anyone that wanted it although that was not often. Our mess teams made large containers of chilled drink and often put chunks of ice in the lister bags to help cool the water. It seems to me these were troop property and were also used occasionally in garrison.

The markings on the chest subject to this post looks like something from the 1950-60s to me.

I have found out the military still carries a "CABINET, FOOD WARMING" and that is what most of us (at least those of us in the US) call a "freezer" is called a "Frozen Food Cabinet" in the military (back in the 1940's civilians also used that term). I found a photo on a surplus liquidators website of what was called military ice chests with a 400 pound capacity (it was wood on the outside).

I think it is indeed safe to call these boxes ice chests. They'd probably good for storing those old wool uniforms you want to protect from moths.

I used to have one of these and it holds two larger and three smaller containers to carry food into the field or hospital tents. Never did find any info about them.

Heres a couple of pics I found with the containers

Surplus Sammy; The containers are from a M-59 Field Range set. The M-59 Field Range is pretty neat. It uses a M2 or M2A Burner unit, that can fit in the unit at one of 3 places, the level of placement determins how the Range is used. Placed in the lowest position, the M59 is an Oven. Placed in the lower part of the oven, you can cook using the Containers you have an example of in the previous post. If you place the M2 Burner in the upper track you can use the M59 as a griddle or large roasting pan.

Anyhow, to cook with the containers, there is a metal piece that has 6 slots that those containers can fit into. However, during all the time that I had to use the M59 I never knew anyone that ever cooked in those narrow containers. Usually, a bank of M59's were set up and bulk cooking was done. If hot food was to be taken directly out to the troops, Food was transfered into those containers you have a picture of, and the box helped keep the food warm until it could be moved up to the front lines for issue.

Those are pretty old. By the 70's the boxes where made of metal. They were phasing out the M2 burners with the new M2A Burners for the Seabee's TOA in early 2000's. Seabees usually change over after everyone else. M2 Burners used Regular Gas and M2A Burners used Diesel and had an electric start. God Bless who ever invented that. It could take forever on a cold day to get a M2 Burner to lite.

Jon B
Newaygo MI