US Mess Kit, Meat Can M-1932 / M-1942

Mess Kit

Sierra SFC Assault Bivy

200-

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Nomenclature

History

Features  

Specification

Nomenclature

Logistics

Production

SELECTED ARTWORKS IN THE COLLECTION

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The M-1932 Meat Can is the style that was in use during World War II. It was based on the aluminum mess kit that was in use before World War I, consisting of a pan with a hinged handle plus a lid that fits over the pan and is held together as one unit when the pan handle is folded over. A ring attached to the edge of lid, off center, can be slipped over the pan handle so the two can be dipped in boiling water together. The unit when folded is about 9 inches long and 7 inches wide.

The older style mess kits had the flat lid that could also be used as a plate. The M-1932 unit had the plate divided into two sections so food could be separated. The folding handle, when closed, fits into the groove formed by the divider. The ring on the plate was moved to the end of the groove so the lip of the handle fits right into it. The M-1932 Meat Can was made of "corrosion resistent" galvanized steel, not aluminum. It used the same WW I style narrow profile steel handle attached by a cast hinge.

The M-1942 Meat Can body was the same design as the M-1932, but made of stainless steel. The M-1942 handle was thicker and wider, made of the same material as the body, and attached by a stamped part, not the cast hinge. The M-1942 style remained in use long after World War II, through the Vietnam War.

The Meat Cans are almost universally marked US on the folding handle, along with the date and manufacturer. When the plate/lid was put on top of the pan and the handle foled over and snapped in place, the Meat Can became a unit that was stable and quiet. It was normally stored in the Meat Can Pouch of the M-1928 Haversack (most of World War II), or inside the Musette Bag, Combat Pack, or Rucksack.

Meat can M1932 was adopted to replace the meat can M1910, and meat can M1918, and classified STANDARD in 1932. There is an interesting story behind the development and adoption of the meat can M1932 that starts with the report of a medical officer in 1926. Because of the quantities of meat cans contracted during the Great War no procurement of meat can M1932 occurred until 1941-42. The meat can M1932 pan and double compartment plate were made of aluminum, and the handle that was similar to the handle on the previous meat cans, featured a hole in the handle so that the assembled pan, plate, utensils, and cup could be hung up to dry after washing.

In 1941 the priority of aluminum stopped further procurement of aluminum field, and garrison mess equipment. The Army in 1942 first tried to produce a porcelain plated meat can that was unsatisfactory because the porcelain "crazed" when heated. The meat can M1942 was then manufactured of tin or zinc (galvanized) plated steel, and adopted classified SUBSTITUTE STANDARD for meat can M1932. Early examples of meat can M1942 had the same steel handle as meat can M1932, but the handle was soon changed to the pressed sheet steel handle that remained standard on all the meat cans manufactured thereafter. Meat can M1942 was manufactured in large quantities by several contractors in 1942-43.

In November 1942 the War Production Board released aluminum and corrosion resisting (stainless) steel for the production of field mess equipment. The meat can M1932 was put back into production with the pressed sheet steel handle with the nomenclature Meat Can M1942 Style1. The nomenclature in 1944 was changed to Meat Can Aluminum. Meat can M1932, meat can M1942 style 1, and meat can aluminum were all stocked under the same quartermaster stock number. So you could requisition a meat can aluminum and be issued a meat can M1932, meat can M1942 style 1, or meat can aluminum.

The principal difference between meat can M1932 and meat can M1942 is the pan and plate of the M1932 was aluminum, and the pan and plate of M1942 was sheet steel tin or zinc plated. There were differences in the hinges and handles as well.

Variation

Type 1, M-1932, Steel Handle, WWII Dates
Type 2, M-1942 Style 1, Aluminium with Steel Handle
Type 3, M-1942 CRS with Steel Handle, manufactured to 1956
Type 4, Pan Mess, CRS, with CRS Handle, 1956-65
Type 5, Pan Mess, CRS, with CRS Handle, 1966-75, Vietnam War
Type 6, Pan Mess, CRS, with CRS Handle, 1976-80's