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SFC_Jeff_Button

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:33 am Post subject: Re: Mermite Food Container Info sought....

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From my 2003 article - still looking for the other article with dates in it:

Mermite cans
Copyright 2003, David Doyle

The mermite can is made up of an inner aluminum shell, surrounded by an outer shell. The space between these two shells is filled during the manufacturing process with formed in place foam having a density of 1.8 pounds per cubic foot. This makes for a container that will maintain the temperature of the foods placed inside for a minimum of three hours. This is commensurate with the intended use of the food container to transport prepared foods from the kitchen to troops in the field.

The can was supplied with three removable interior containers, which each had a fitted lid sealed with a rubber gasket. Each interior container had a bale to aid in its removal.

When the can is going to be used to transport hot foods, the inserts are removed, and two quarts of boiling water poured inside the mermite can, then the inserts are replaced and the cover latched. After 30 minutes the inserts are again removed, and the hot water poured out. Hot foods are placed in the inserts, their lids installed and the inserts placed back in the can. The latches are secured diagonally on the mermite can.

If the can is to be used to transport cold foods, much the same procedure is used. However, instead of filling the can with two quarts of boiling water, the can is filled with ice, or two quarts of ice water. Obviously, both cold and hot foods can be placed in the mermite can at the same time.

After use the inner containers should be hand washed, and the gaskets removed from their lids and also hand washed. The gaskets should be reinstalled before drying. The can itself should also be hand washed. Do not submerge the can when cleaning, as it would be possible for a slight leak to cause the insulation to become water logged.

Appearance of these cans was quite important evidently, with no less than three different PS Magazine articles being published on the subject of repainting. The proper color is X24087 semi gloss olive drab. During manufacture, decals were placed on top of the lid giving operational instructions. These decals were available through supply channels so that repainted cans could be properly remarked.

Over the years these containers were made by a variety of firms for both US and allied forces. They are also dated, on both the external container and on the inner lids. To be correct, all four dates should match each other. If used in a living history or vehicle display, care should also be taken the dates are appropriate.

In February 1996 the specification for the familiar mermite can was cancelled, it having been phased out in favor of a more modern plastic container. "

DDOYLE,
Did you ever find that other article you wrote? Would you happen to know the TM for Mermites?

SFC_Jeff_Button

Hey Doug, the wife and boys say HI! And yeah, he's grown a bunch. He just completed his H.S. freshman year of Football where he played offensive tight guard.
When are you getting Fort Hood way? I'd love to show you around the post.
I've been collecting numerous items for a re-inacting display for someday when I retire, the Mermite was one of those finds. I hope to be more of a regular on here than I have been recently. I'm currently working in the Warrior Transition Brigade, (WTB) as cadre / platoon sergeant for soldiers wounded in theater. Assisting their transition to civilian life or rehab back to a new MOS in the Army amoung other choices. Let me know if you ever get this way, which is an open invitation to anyone else as well that gets to Central Texas.

JG300-Ascout

- Maple_Leaf_Eh

Hayboxes were either a pleasant surprise or a damned drag. Decades later I can still recite the standard fare: Boiled potatoes. Boiled carrots. Fried breaded veal or pork cutlets (infamously known as 'track pads'). Maybe some vaguely kitchen-like gravy called "Hunter's Sauce" on the cyclical menu. Coffee in vaccuum urns. A box of fresh fruit (still unripe hard from the wholesalers' warehouse). A few loaves of sliced white bread. One lb blocks of honeymoon-hard butter. And if it was a special occasion, a 2' square white slab cake. Get in! Get your meal! Keep the line moving!

See what comes of not having a unit ninja to raid the mess hall walk-in?

Laughing

Maple_Leaf_Eh · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 517

Hayboxes were either a pleasant surprise or a damned drag. Decades later I can still recite the standard fare: Boiled potatoes. Boiled carrots. Fried breaded veal or pork cutlets (infamously known as 'track pads'). Maybe some vaguely kitchen-like gravy called "Hunter's Sauce" on the cyclical menu. Coffee in vaccuum urns. A box of fresh fruit (still unripe hard from the wholesalers' warehouse). A few loaves of sliced white bread. One lb blocks of honeymoon-hard butter. And if it was a special occasion, a 2' square white slab cake. Get in! Get your meal! Keep the line moving!

JG300-Ascout

That boy's grown a bunch since I saw him last!

SFC_Jeff_Button

My sons car is on a web-site much like this one, except it's all about "A" Body MOPARS. The site is called www.forabodiesonly.com. If you click on the link below you can see our restoration over the past two months. Our thread there is 4 pages long with over 1,500 views so far. Thanks for all the cool comments, Jeffrey got a kick out of reading them.

www.forabodiesonly.com...hp?t=44709

DDOYLE, thanks for the information on the mermite. I tried Googleing it but couldn't come up with much of anything.
The Mermite has 1948 as its date on all three lids for the sleeves and on the outside of the main body. A SFC I know that worked in food service as a DFAC Manager said that Mermites were developed and first used in 1948. I'm just gratefull I stumbled onto such an old one in decent shape. I expected to find a 1970-80's era one and was pleasantly suprised by my find. Even the rubber gasket is still pliable. I'm not sure why the pictures came out so small before so I will re-attempt to post them again here.

[img]

[/img]
[img]

[/img]

JG300-Ascout

- sapper141

Hi guys
In the Canadian army we usually used call the Mermites "hay-boxes". I actually do remember the inserts they used them for hauling soups. I had this one cook who had to add (what I swear) was lard to every soup he made. You'd have to skim off the oil or fat to eat it. Still can't look at vegitable soup yech

This thread is for you, then! C'mon in, set a spell! Laughing

www.com-central.net/in...mp;t=10294

sapper141 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Apr 09, 2006 Posts: 46

Hi guys
In the Canadian army we usually used call the Mermites "hay-boxes". I actually do remember the inserts they used them for hauling soups. I had this one cook who had to add (what I swear) was lard to every soup he made. You'd have to skim off the oil or fat to eat it. Still can't look at vegitable soup yech Rolling Eyes

SHAWN · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 484

well, one of those things you can take for granted. you can use the thing and never really pay any attention to it. my is sitting here by my pc.
it is better than the plastic and/or styro ones out there.

it is from the Wyott Corp. Cheyanne Wyo. 1974.
never really thought to look at the date, all of the dates are matching so yee haw for me i guess...
thanks jeff, took a closer look at it...

i dont know if i think that to be funny/odd or just nasty doug-- green eggs?. like i joke, i cant handle real dairy or eggs, it has to be powdered, everything powdered, eggs, milk, potatoes... my stomach cant handle real milk... no that is why i always took the eggs when they were over easy/sunny side up-- i knew they had come right from the shells!!!
but all of that is irrelevant, worthless info...

bsmart

I wonder if the pre heating/cooling instructions were followed in the field most of the time or were the containers grabbed of the shelf, the hot or cold food thrown in and taken out to the troops? Any cooks/mess attendants out there?

JG300-Ascout

- Dontos

- JG300-Ascout

Mermite cans were also the perfect instrument for smuggling steaks 'n cakes from the mess hall cold room out to we in the field on those forays in to pick up prepared food.

Don't ask how I know this....

uh huh.....

On an 'Urban Legend' note.

Mermites are the direct cause of 'Green Eggs'. You know this to bw true if you've had to be the unlucky individual who gets the final scoops of scrambled eggs from the deep recesses of those tin inserts.

The greyish-green 'egg' remnants cured my early morning hunger on many occassions.

Perhaps why I still shiver at scrambled eggs.

regards
Don

Tin inserts my freckled, white fanny. Never saw a tin insert, but many a huge pile of runny scrambled eggs come out of the whole container. I'm not good with color, but they sure weren't the same hue as they are at home! Laughing

Dontos

- JG300-Ascout

Mermite cans were also the perfect instrument for smuggling steaks 'n cakes from the mess hall cold room out to we in the field on those forays in to pick up prepared food.

Don't ask how I know this....

uh huh..... Cool

On an 'Urban Legend' note.

Mermites are the direct cause of 'Green Eggs'. You know this to bw true if you've had to be the unlucky individual who gets the final scoops of scrambled eggs from the deep recesses of those tin inserts.

The greyish-green 'egg' remnants cured my early morning hunger on many occassions.

Perhaps why I still shiver at scrambled eggs.

regards
Don

JG300-Ascout

Mermite cans were also the perfect instrument for smuggling steaks 'n cakes from the mess hall cold room out to we in the field on those forays in to pick up prepared food.

Don't ask how I know this....

ChrisC · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 147

I love my Mermite! I keep one insert full of water in the freezer, I drop it in the mermite, put stuff on either side and go, I have had it stay frozen for 3 days at one living history event....
Even though they are technically not "correct" most WWII re-enactors accept the rectangular Mermite in displays, the WWII ones were round and have been getting harder to find.

I was told the Rectangular ones came out late wwii or just post war.

ddoyle · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Nov 12, 2008 Posts: 61

From my 2003 article - still looking for the other article with dates in it:

Mermite cans
Copyright 2003, David Doyle

The mermite can is made up of an inner aluminum shell, surrounded by an outer shell. The space between these two shells is filled during the manufacturing process with formed in place foam having a density of 1.8 pounds per cubic foot. This makes for a container that will maintain the temperature of the foods placed inside for a minimum of three hours. This is commensurate with the intended use of the food container to transport prepared foods from the kitchen to troops in the field.

The can was supplied with three removable interior containers, which each had a fitted lid sealed with a rubber gasket. Each interior container had a bale to aid in its removal.

When the can is going to be used to transport hot foods, the inserts are removed, and two quarts of boiling water poured inside the mermite can, then the inserts are replaced and the cover latched. After 30 minutes the inserts are again removed, and the hot water poured out. Hot foods are placed in the inserts, their lids installed and the inserts placed back in the can. The latches are secured diagonally on the mermite can.

If the can is to be used to transport cold foods, much the same procedure is used. However, instead of filling the can with two quarts of boiling water, the can is filled with ice, or two quarts of ice water. Obviously, both cold and hot foods can be placed in the mermite can at the same time.

After use the inner containers should be hand washed, and the gaskets removed from their lids and also hand washed. The gaskets should be reinstalled before drying. The can itself should also be hand washed. Do not submerge the can when cleaning, as it would be possible for a slight leak to cause the insulation to become water logged.

Appearance of these cans was quite important evidently, with no less than three different PS Magazine articles being published on the subject of repainting. The proper color is X24087 semi gloss olive drab. During manufacture, decals were placed on top of the lid giving operational instructions. These decals were available through supply channels so that repainted cans could be properly remarked.

Over the years these containers were made by a variety of firms for both US and allied forces. They are also dated, on both the external container and on the inner lids. To be correct, all four dates should match each other. If used in a living history or vehicle display, care should also be taken the dates are appropriate.

In February 1996 the specification for the familiar mermite can was cancelled, it having been phased out in favor of a more modern plastic container.

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