WW2 USMC Ethocel Canteen (“AMOS /1943”) Experimental NEAR MINT+++

Description

WW2 SCARCE USMC/Army Ethocel Canteen (“U.S. / AMOS logos / 1943”) made by "AMOS Molded Plastics" (AMOS).
NEAR MINT+++
This Canteen is a handsome, structurally SOLID example of what is now a VERY RARE piece of gear.
AMO
S
Molded Plastics
was one of the
SMALLE
R contracts and
less frequently encountered of the six manufacturers.
This innovative
ETHOCEL CANTEEN
has the
improved “Recessed-post” M1942 CAP,
made by the
KELLER BRASS COMPANY
of
Grand Rapids, Michigan, is also dated
"1943"
under the
Cork Gasket.
Harlan Glenn reported (
“782 GEAR”: UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS FIELD GEAR & EQUIPMENT OF WORLD WAR II,
p.136) finding a 1943 dated
Ethocel Canteen
similar to this one on
Peleliu
while climbing up to the “Five Brothers,” establishing the use of Ethocel Canteens by the
1st MAR DIV
in September of 1944.
- Well marked on the bottom with
“U.S. 1943”
as well as the contractor’s 'logos" for
AMOS Molded Plastics.
This example has NOT been ‘over-stamped’ by the Quartermaster with the letters “I.C.” for “Inspected, Condemned.” Few of these Ethocel Canteens have survived, and many t
hat have survived are
found with the letters “IC” heat-pressed into the plastic over the manufacturer’s logos or the “U.S.”cypher.
“IC”
was the
QMC’s
designation, first introduced during the Civil War, for
“Inspected Condemned”
which was stamped onto equipment that was to be removed from service for various reasons. Many of the Canteens that did survive removal and/or destruction as
“Inspected Condemned”
show significant warping, cracking, structural deformation, and extreme accumulation of a white residue that exudes over time (on virtually ALL of the
Ethocel
Canteens
.)
- This
Ethocel Canteen
has ZERO cracks, fissures, or warping!
- This example a very, very MINIMAL amount of the usual INTERIOR exuded material which I have not attempted to remove. (As is most often the case with these Ethocel canteens, this early generation "plastic" exuded a gummy, chalky residue over time. It can be wiped off, but more will reappear over time. There are solvents that you can research on line, but I would advise leaving the interior as is.)
- Exterior overall is NEAR MINT +++, with virtually NO wear to report! See photos.
- The
M1942 “Bakelite" CAP i
s marked inside in three places,
"U.S. / 1943"
and
"KELLER BRASS CO. / GRD. RAPIDS"
and what appears to be a Lot or Mold number,
"69".
- The ORIGINAL chipped
CORK GASKET
is present.
- The
CAP
threads on SMOOTHLY and is EXCELLENT shape, e.g. no cracks, no damage to the vertical striations.
- The
CHAIN
is in PRISTINE condition, ZERO corrosion!
*****
Background on the ETHOCEL CANTEEN:
in 2014 R.T. Ellis wrote,
The prioritization of aluminum to production of other than field mess equipment is well known by collectors. What is generally unknown is that the prioritization order occurred during the "defense emergency" before U.S. entry into WWII.

Plastic was the first material the
Army QMC
examined as a substitute for aluminum in canteens, cups, and meat cans. The
Dow Chemical Co.
, and other plastic producers, were requested to produce plastics suitable to this purpose. Many different plastics, and formulations were developed, some of the chemicals used sound toxic. Several formulations of Poly-unsymmetrical di-chlor-ethylene
“Saran”
plastic were tried, but failed the tests mainly because of brittleness. Many small lots of canteens, of experimental plastic formulations, were molded by
Dow
, and tested by the
National Bureau of Standards.
The use of plastic for canteen cups, and meat cans, was determined unsuitable, and there was no further development. The
QMC
turned to the porcelain plating industry for substitute canteen cups, and meat cans, both of which were determined unsuitable and were then tin- or zinc-plated (galvanized). The
porcelain plated canteen M1942,
tin or galvanized canteen cup M1942
, and
meat can M1942
were manufactured in large numbers. These items were prohibited from issue to troops going overseas, and removed from issue at the ports of embarkation.
Dow
eventually developed an acceptable formula of
Ethyl Cellulose
plastic
"Ethocel"
that had the undesirable property of transmitting odor and taste to contents. The undesirable taste and odor remained with all formulations, however in field tests it was determined that the taste and odor was not strong enough that soldiers testing the canteens refused to drink the water. In September 1942
Dow
molded 10,000 canteens that were sent to various test boards for field trial. The reports of the trial were all favorable that the plastic canteen was a suitable replacement for the
canteen M1910
.

The
QMC
concluded that plastic was the future for all production of canteens, and tried many different applications of products, including
tin-plating
, and
silver-plating
, to eliminate the leeching of taste and odor to the contents.
BTW alcohol in a solution of 50% or higher attacked the plastic and destroyed the canteen. Other undesirable features was the plastic would not tolerate heat, and softened when boiling water was introduced to sterilize the canteen.
The Quartermaster Corps Technical Committee
in November 1942 recommended the plastic canteen for production classified
SUBSTITUE-STANDARD
for the canteen M1910. Production of 3,750,000 was authorized for 1942-44. The initial plan was for the manufacture of 85,000 in December 1942, 100,00 in January and February 1943, and 50,000 per month thereafter. This limited production schedule was because the
War Production Board
in
November 1942 released aluminum and stainless steel for the production of canteens, canteen cups, and meat cans.
The known manufacturers of plastic canteens and years of manufacture:
Dow Chemical
(unmarked) numerous canteens of various plastic formulations, and 10,000 Ethyl Cellulose canteens for field trial - 1942.
American Insulator Co (AICO) 1943.
Amos Molded Plastics (AMOS) 1943-44,
General Industries Co (G.I.) 1942-43.
Mack Molding Co. (MACK MOLDING CO.) 1943.
Unidentified (P.I.) 1943-44.
Strong Mfg. Co. (S.M. Co.) 1943-44.
Unidentified (unmarked) 1943-44.
...and of the several manufacturers of prototypes and production canteens, it appears that only three manufacturers had contracts of any size:
MACK, AICO,
and
General Industries.
AMOS
Ethocel Canteens
are SCARCE!!
Though no documentation exists of field trials with the
U.S.M.C.
for evaluation by its
Marine Corps Equipment Board (MCEB)
, it is most likely both samples and general distribution of the manufactured Ethocels WERE sent to the
Fleet Marine Force (FMF)
.
Navy records show delivery of 20,000 or these canteens to a West Coast Depot.
The
U.S.M.C.
drew upon both the Navy's and the Army’s supply systems in addtion to the Corps’ own supply system of their own specifically contracted 'materiel.'
Additionally, though less conclusive, these
Ethocel
Canteens have turned up in
USMC
canteen covers in
USMC
veterans' estates.