1943 dated Ethocel Canteen

[thorin6]

I recently picked up this Ethocel canteen at a flea market for $45 (including 1942 dated cover and 1943 cup). I’ve found information about the Dow Chemical Company and the ethocel formulation on the web, but I don’t know how uncommon these canteens are. One of the older posts on this forum said that millions were manufactured during WWII, but other sources say they were experimental and rare. I’ve shown the Ethocel canteen with my porcelain ones (blue and black) and all are supposed to be uncommon/rare but a quick review of ebay sales shows quite a few of the enamel coated canteens (more black than blue) and only one Ethocel canteen. It also seems that any and all of these are attributed to the USMC, but I have never seen any definitive proof of that (unlike the cover on the left in the first picture with the cross flaps).

So, are the Ethocel canteens rare or common?

Were they experimental or produced en mass under a contract?

Are they USMC orders, or is this just the usual hype?

Thanks

 

Here are the enamel canteens with the Ethocel canteen in the middle.

 

 

Close up of the Ethocel and the bottom marking

 

 

 

 

 

[warguy]

The plastic canteens are far more rare in my opinion than the enameled ones. I don't believe there is any specific connection with the plastic canteens and the USMC. You got a good buy on yours-I sold one last week and have been watching a bit. Retail of $125.00 or so right now for just the canteen itself. Good score. Kevin

[thorin6]

By the way, I called the blue and black porcelain coated canteens as enamel coated, which I understand is not the correct terminology.

[TheGrayGhost]

These are definitely uncommon. I found one at a garage sale last year, very cool piece. In good condition, they are a easy $100+ I never found definitive proof for either of the experimental or USMC questions.

[dustin]

This is another one of those topics where the answers are locked away in the Field Gear reference section that is being reorganized. Very detailed information about both types of these canteens are there and were discussed in depth in threads back in 07-08 by individuals that have done the leg work in the National Archives.

The plastic canteens were manufactured in 1942, 1943 and 1944.

It will be nice to see that back up again as there is oodles of fantastic info buried away there. I highly recommend the newer members and newbies to search that section when it is back up for a quality education on what you collect. when you search "canteen" and see 12+ pages, or any subject for that matter, suck it up and take the time to research, heaven forbid you might learn something

And again the USMC connection is another one of those darn collector myths!!!!

[thorin6]

This is another one of those topics where the answers are locked away in the Field Gear reference section that is being reorganized. Very detailed information about both types of these canteens are there and were discussed in depth in threads back in 07-08 by individuals that have done the leg work in the National Archives.

The plastic canteens were manufactured in 1942, 1943 and 1944.

It will be nice to see that back up again as there is oodles of fantastic info buried away there. I highly recommend the newer members and newbies to search that section when it is back up for a quality education on what you collect. when you search "canteen" and see 12+ pages, or any subject for that matter, suck it up and take the time to research, heaven forbid you might learn something

And again the USMC connection is another one of those darn collector myths!!!!

When I first went searching for information browsing the web, I found the standard references to Dow and Ethocel. When I searched the US Militaria forum I only found three pages on canteens, and only three posts on the Ethocel canteen, one of which said there were millions and millions of them produced. Then last night, after posting this thread, I search the web again and found a link to a 2007-2008 posting on the US Militaria forum but in the old format. That one had the specifications and a number of pictures and discussed the manufacturers and the differences in the caps. Even though I was signed in to the forum at the time I did the search, the link to the old format did not show me as signed in. So the question is how did I link in to that information on the web, when I couldn't find it on the forum?

As an aside, I always search the web and this site's forums before posting anything new, even when I've already researched it via different collector's books and other sources; this site has all sorts of information buried in it that is not always obvious to the casual observer.

[dustin]

I'm not sure how that linked worked, It might be a fluke. The Field Gear reference section is closed temporarily with many of the topics purged from this forum to the reference section. Once that is back up you should find more info on the enameled and plastic canteens. The old topic you did find should have answered many of your questions if its the topic I'm thinking of.

If I recall the conversation correctly the plastic canteen was not experimental, it was implemented to reduce the amount of critical war materials in the manufacture of canteens. It later received negative feedback which led to cancelation. The enameled canteens were not experimental either but a way to provide corrosion resistance on steel bodied canteens and cups, again another attempt to eliminate the use of aluminum. Both were US Army QM developments with no USMC connection. The other myth about either of or both of these canteens is they were designed for use in the jungle/tropics.

I'm not sure how the USMC receives their mess equipment i.e. canteens, cups and meat cans but I assume they come from the Navy Department. The cognizant within the Navy responsible for procuring field mess equipment is the Bureau of Ships, they utilize the Army QM specifications and have the same Federal stock number as seen in the QM supply catalogs. Also this is why we see US marked covers in wide spread use within the Navy departments. At any time a purchasing office within the navy could have requisitioned/procured plastic or enameled canteens as per QM spec. which is why we see these in use by naval and marine personnel.

[cllctrtom]

Enamel are cool and Plastic ones are better but what I'm looking for is an enamel canteen cup. Priceless!

 

BTW, I dug up an enamel canteen out in the woods while I was at Ft Hood 1981. Half of it was gone but a nice find anyway. I don't believe Marines trained at Hood during WWII so this would prove the Army used them in areas beside possibly the tropics? Thoughts?