Weaponizing Ice Cream In WW2

[@DutchTraveler]

“Ask not what you can do for the military, but what the military will do for a Klondike Bar.”

[@the_fat_electrician]

LOL 😆 🤣

[@Rotorhead1651]

That is SOOOOOOO disturbing to even THINK about. I've known a few guys who would ABSOLUTELY take that challenge. 😳

[@HM2SGT]

Klondike bars are now Red Bull and Copenhagen flavoured?!

[@Rotorhead1651]

@@HM2SGT 🤢

[@TheGraffiti600rr]

​@@HM2SGTrip it and snuff. Lol

[@numpiregaming7673]

You missed one of the funniest ships of the Pacific theatre: the USS Kidd. The USS Kidd would scoop up downed airmen then hold them for ransom to get ice cream from the carriers the airmen belong to. She earned the nickname Pirate of the Pacific.

[@Del_S]

Sending notes cut up from newspapers demanding wafers.

[@adamjacobs8606]

When your the only destroyer that can fly the Jolly Roger you gotta live up to the reputation

[@RKidd-ex3rh]

As someone with the last name Kidd and related to the actual pirate, this made me smile.

[@JSp4wN]

That's fuckin AMAZING! 👌👍👏

[@stuckgrenadepin.225]

We used to kidnap platoon leaders from other companies and hold them for ransom. Usually just a case of beer or two. The battalion commander at the time approved of it, even when it interfered with daily business a bit because it taught you to watch out for your platoon and to pay attention. But we could only take them in to battalion area and training areas that didn’t involve weapons. We would tape them to a chair and wait for the ransom to be paid. Fun times.

[@dannydersman8932]

German spy: "How did you find me and break our code?!" Uncle Sam: "Baskin Robbins always finds out."

[@ElGreco15]

31 Flavors of Fuck Around and Find Out

[@dorreyeet1529]

@@ElGreco15or 31 flavors to fuck around and find out

[@ItalianCountryball11]

@@ElGreco15😂

[@thepsycogopherproductions1590]

My favorite story is when marine pilots and mechanics worked together to make ice cream from an ammo can, external fuel tank, and test flights. When the base commander found out he told them one thing and one thing only “I like chocolate”.

[@alexh3974]

Gotta pay your tithes to the boss.

[@kylenguyen7371]

The sign of a wise commander is one who sees such efforts as an act of resourcefulness and productivity, rather than a frivolous waste of time and energy.

[@alexh3974]

@@kylenguyen7371 most commanders also know their men get up to some kind pf hijinks and trouble. No matter what. So I'd the worst Is they making Ice cream while also doing their jobs. Your peobbly not gonna worry too hard and let them keep busy on stuff that's harming no one.

[@porkins93]

Imagine being a German soldier after a battle laying down pretending to be dead and a 16 year old who lied about his age to a recruiter walks past you doing dead checks with a fudgecicle.

[@FedkaSlovanich]

dead checks are only for the japanese, and the SS

[@nutterbuttergutter]

Vaht ze hell?!😮

[@laurahayes8784]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

[@lajoyalobos2009]

Chocolate was also a luxury to the Germans during WWII. It was only meant for German officers. There's a story about a German soldier realizing they'd lose the war when he found chocolate bars while looting a dead American private.

[@Royab1987]

Highly improbable that a fudgecicle would have made it long enough into a battle for them to be walking through what was the enemy lines dead checking people, before it melted. Regular chocolate bar likely, fudgecicle, historically inaccurate.

[@AdministrativeResults]

The absolute flex of a bunch of savage 18yo marines with machine guns landing on your island, smoking you in your spider hole, then eating ice cream after it all is wild.

[@ninjabearpress2574]

Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics, but America has raised it to a fruggin art form.

[@William_Bryant]

Amateurs discuss tactics, professionals discuss logistics, WINNERS DISCUSS MORALE.

[@Urziel99]

@@William_Bryant And the true masters can harness the power of all three.

[@thelegoman1176]

its the talking balaclava

[@PsyckoSama]

@@William_Bryant All too often logistics and morale are the same damned thing

[@tygarrett1007]

Brings a whole new meaning to "What would you do for a Klondike Bar?"

[@the_fat_electrician]

I shoulda said that lol

[@Peter_Aranyos_Jr]

What a legend 😂

[@Rotorhead1651]

😂😝😁😅😜🤣 EPIC!!!

[@dangeruss87rs]

That's legendairy....hah

[@Ladco77]

"What would you do for a Klondike Bar?" Take Iwo Jima.

[@drew7815]

Thank you, my grandfather died while I was in the Marines. When I got leave to see him on his death bed he asked for ice cream. He was a WWII vet in the 83rd infantry division. I'm glad I got him that gallon of ice cream. Even though I didn't know what it meant to him. Thanks.

[@the_fat_electrician]

I'm sorry he passed but that is an awesome story!

[@michaelyoung7261]

o7 🫡

[@Yuki_Ika7]

May he rest in peace o7

[@curtkroeger9342]

Puts my dads ice cream obsession into perspective. He and my mom got a cup of coffee and a McDonald’s cone literally every day. WW2 submariner

[@jimreilly917]

RIP Devil Dog🇺🇸🦅. Thanks for my freedom.

[@robertschumacher2707]

during WW2 the Seabees were famous (or infamous) for their ability to build an ice cream machine out of scrap and have it up and running seemingly minutes after they landed on a new island. As in bullets are still flying and they're cranking out ice cream.

[@alexh3974]

Murrica. Just do not shoot Said machine. The Marines might go a little angry.

[@coreylouviere4466]

So would the enemy shooting the ice cream maker be equal to shooting at the doc.

[@glennbartlett4139]

SeaBees can do

[@lordpumpkinhead265]

@@alexh3974 Shooting said machine will result in a bunch of very pissed off Marines swarming to the same degree of throwing a rock at a hornet's nest.

[@Jack_DeniedMCC]

Maybe Mcdonalds should ask the seabees to fix the ice cream machines 🤔😂

[@jonadabtheunsightly]

One of the things that happened during WWII, was that sometimes British and American naval forces would work together. One of the little morale-boosting things they liked to do when they had a spare moment (ok, it took more than a moment, but you know what I mean), was to let the men interact with one another. So of course, obviously, the men started trading supplies. You see, the British sailors had access to rum, and the American sailors had access to ice cream. So they liked to trade rum for ice cream, and have themselves a party.

[@Quincy_Morris]

Americans are Brits will always enjoy trading. Even after the revolution where we hated each other it was like “so… trade back on?” “Yes but F you.”

[@TheShadowwarrior80]

I remember hearing about an incident where a squad of German soldiers surrendered after taking an American supply depot. Apparently, they found a several dozen chocolate cakes from a small town in the Midwest. The Sargent commented that they were fighting a country that had the logistical ability of sending luxury goods to their soldiers without straining the supply lines.

[@fuzzyhead878]

I love those kinds of stories. Even if they aren’t true they’re fun to hear. My favorite is an urban legend where a bunch of German POWs that were shipped stateside saw the size of American steam locomotives and came to the conclusion that America had already won the war.

[@raynetorrin]

That was even in the movie Battle of the Bulge.

[@ninjabearpress2574]

I'd swear I saw that in some movie or other, might've been Robert Shaw in Battle of the Bulge. Whomever it was made a point of mentioning the cake was still fresh.

[@vidard9863]

That late in the war some of the Germans were only asking wether or not prisoners got fed.

[@kdrapertrucker]

​@@ninjabearpress2574yes. Battle of the bulge.

[@mmasque2052]

America: “Surrender!” Germans: “Why should we?” Americans: “We have ice cream. Want some?” Germans: “…You should have led with that.”

[@fuzzyhead878]

I mean at that point it was us or the Soviets, so…

[@murdock94]

"Ice cream or borscht? Ice cream or borscht?"

[@adenkyramud5005]

​@@murdock94 borscht is fucking delicious, but man I'd rather have some ice cream 😂

[@dosidicusgigas1376]

.... ja

[@fuzzyhead878]

@@adenkyramud5005 I actually finally tried borscht last week. It is delicious.

[@jaredrobinson7071]

No wonder we were told to never fuck with grandpa's ice cream.

[@hammersmith1653]

🤣🤣🤣 All those trips to go get ice cream just took on a different meaning.

[@Proc3000]

My grandfather was in the Navy. Survived Pearl Harbor, was on the USS Maryland the rest of the War..........and you just explained SO MUCH about this man's relationship with Ice Cream that makes sense now.

[@AbbyNormL]

I was a nuclear trained electrician (EM1/SS) on a fast attack submarine. The ice cream machine was the second most important machine on the submarine to keep running, only surpassed by the coffee maker and just ahead of keeping the reactor from melting down.

[@Aredel]

What was it like serving aboard a submarine? It looks scary as shit to even set foot on one of those things.

[@MichaelLynch-zs9mr]

And may god have mercy on your soul if you forgot to fill up the ice cream machine before chow ...

[@BayouBoy2443]

Ice cream machine is more important than the nuclear reactor. I love those priorities lol

[@joshuavoss4354]

We joke a lot that the reactor exists to power the ice cream machine, thus making it a nuclear powered ice cream maker. Side note though, soft serve and a couple drops of soy sauce tastes strangely similar to butterscotch.

[@cara-seyun]

Nuclear meltdown

[@ffbm5716]

I am suddenly more glad that I thanked a vet for his service yesterday when I passed him in an ice cream shop.

[@the_fat_electrician]

That is awesome!

[@dosidicusgigas1376]

Did you thank the ice cream for its service though?

[@ffbm5716]

Always 👍

[@USS_UtahBB-31]

one of my favorite stories from WW2 involving ice cream. An ace onboard the USS Enterprise CV-6 known as "killer kane" was shot down during battle, and the ship that found him would get extra ice cream. Well, 2 days later, a destroyer pulled up alongside the Enterprise cv-6 and asked "how much ice cream is Killer Kane worth?" And if I remember correctly the destroyer got 10 or 15 gallons of ice cream Edit: it was 25 gallons that the destroyer got since he was an ace

[@j.thehappywyvern6397]

One of my favorite stories from the show Battle 360.

[@sunixjester]

I believe the destroyer was the USS Kidd, which still continues that tradition today in some form. I was stationed on it during a WestPac and we did that with the Japanese. Also the USS Kidd is allowed to fly the jolly roger because of it.

[@tenchraven]

SOP back in the day. Destroyers were tiny, everything they had was dried, canned or frozen, nothing perishable unless they got it from an unrep ship, and that would be fruit and the like that just had to be cooled to the point of a root cellar. Dairy, particularly ice cream, amazing luxury. The Brits and Anzacs probably would have traded for booze :P

[@ninjabearpress2574]

How much, and what flavors would you like?

[@adenkyramud5005]

​@@tenchraven pretty sure the brits regularly traded their booze for ice cream when they got the chance. Win win situation 😂

[@craenor]

For years I've heard what some claim is fact and others claim is urban legend that one German general predicted their ultimate loss because a US military mail truck was captured and one package from home contained a birthday cake that was still fresh. The German general opined that any country who could manage the logistics of getting fresh birthday cake from the Midwest of the US to the front lines in Europe in the middle of WW2 would be unconquerable. Maybe this whole story was really about ice cream?

[@the_fat_electrician]

there another legend of a Japanese general quoting he knew they'd lose when he found out about ice but I couldn't verfy it

[@joedirt861]

I heard the same story, it was supposedly during the battle of the bulge when the lead German elements overran the 30th(?) Infantry division. I think. Anyways, they found a fresh birthday cake that the icing hadn't even melted on with a happy birthday card in one of the fighting positions. The Germans had just scraped up everything they had and rationed up fuel from everywhere to run their tanks for one big final push. They saw this and were like yeah, we had to beg borrow and steal gas to get an elite unit fuel for it's panzers and these guys are delivering birthday cakes across the friggin Atlantic... What's the point. Of course there is another similar story from WW1 during the Kaiserschlact so they may just be apocryphal. EDIT: it's also a line in the 1965 movie battle of the bulge

[@SaltNBattery]

Germany had no intention of ever invading the US. That's beyond fantasy and how anyone still parrots the "we'd all be speaking German" nonsense is baffling. It's a little less stupid than someone saying if Ukraine doesn't win this war we'll all be speaking Russian.

[@stischer47]

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ Only if he has ice crream.

[@johngillespie3409]

@@stischer47 amen 🤣🤣

[@hammer1349]

Ice cream was a very special commodity out in the Pacific especially. When a famous pilot was returned to the USS Enterprise, the destroyer that rescued him demanded ice cream as payment, practically holding the pilot at ransom.

[@Kez_DXX]

That "I'm from the government and I'm here to help" line will always be used in a context that proves the point Ronnie was making

[@GeorgeSemel]

I got to vote for Ronald Reagan not once but twice. I sure do miss him. I go back to 20 mule team Borax -Death Valley Days. I will turn 69 in a few more months. Ice Cream is one of my true weaknesses.

[@kylekinsey2624]

​@@GeorgeSemela boomer proud to have helped ruin American politics who's surprised.

[@catdude5567]

My grandfather fought in WW2. He always had ice cream in his fridge. I didn't think anything of it since most people did at that time. From being a kid to an adult, he would always ask if I wanted some ice cream. The video puts things into a whole new perspective.

[@bransonwalter5588]

It should also be mentioned that ice cream was a major luxury item during the Great Depression. My grandfather was 12 in 1929. He mentioned ice cream as a once per few months to year thing and for many people that was only in winter. Getting ice cream was like being given a once in a year treat. Also, my great great uncle served in WW2. This might sound sad, but he freaked out when the military gave him 2 brand new sets of boots. He thought that they gave him an extra by mistake and he would be punished as a result. He brought it up and cried when his commanding officer told him they were both his and he would get more soon. His commander thought he was wondering when he would get more. In reality, this was the first time in his life having new shoes let alone 2 pairs. He talked more fondly of the military than anyone I have ever known.

[@Bmetamaximus]

@@bransonwalter5588 @catdude5567 I have to say same about my grandfather, to both of these.

[@NikoPeludo]

Your grandfather must’ve had some trouble trying to deliver ice cream to you from overseas without it melting

[@ChrisinOSMS]

My grandmother had the same. She drove trucks in the Army Air Corps, pfc but in photos she’s wearing an armband w/sergeant stripes. She told us she was the acting warehouse sergeant in a base in New Jersey.

[@davidtherwhanger6795]

Reminds me of the movie "The Battle of the Bulge". At some point in the movie the German general in charge of the main attack force shows the Commanding general of the operation a chocolate cake some of the German soldiers had taken from a captured American private. The general explains to the commanding general that the Americans have enough fuel to fly fresh cakes from New York City to Belgium for a private. While the general has to scavenge for fuel.

[@ninjabearpress2574]

Yeah I was thinking of the same scene in the same movie!

[@raiderdare7462]

It would be a Oh shi# moment

[@ninjabearpress2574]

@@raiderdare7462 Yeah the sudden, stunning realization that if the Americans can get a cake halfway around the world, fresh, for a private, we can move the world if need be.

[@attackofthehog]

My old man was a sonar tech on a sub in the 80s. One of his most memorable stories was about the time they had a man die on board and spent the next three days eating nothing but ice cream so they could use the freezer as a makeshift morgue until they could make it into port. The moral of the story of course being that if you die on a submarine, your shipmates get to have an ice cream party in your honor. 🍨🍦🍧🥶

[@jaiell2049]

This is morbidly hilarious

[@harveyhandbanana]

It's almost poetic in a way. If that were to happen to me I'd be ghost stuffing my face with some ice cream right there with them.

[@tHEHEAd1138]

Hense the tradition of burial at sea. We're just to soft for that shite nowadays. The weighted box ain't foolin anyone! People need an open casket and all that.

[@brigidtheirish]

The Norse would approve. Norse funerary tradition involved a days long party to share stories of the dead and get absolutely plastered.

[@jamesgeorgevellavella1961]

That is a great way to go and be honoured. Soldiers are the reason why we live the way we do now, thank you

[@Tomyironmane]

Fun fact, before America came along, Ice Cream was a treat for nobility and royalty. Then with commercial ice harvesting we made it possible for common folks to have ice cream. With the advent of mechanical refrigeration, the people who ran Ellis Island wanted to give the immigrants there something that was "Uniquely American" while they were being processed... so they frequently had ice cream. Edit: Or the USS Kidd, which flew a jolly roger and had the pirate painted on the funnel, and "ransomed" the airmen she rescued from the ocean back to their carriers for ice cream.

[@sonicninja3434]

In some old war movie on AMC they had a German Army officer show that a captured mail parcel from Boston sent by a guys mother, it was a chocolate cake. He said "Gentlemen, this is how I know we have lost the war already. They are sending cake from Boston, and we cannot get blankets to Moscow."

[@DESTRUCT0NAT0R]

There's a story about a pair of officers trying to pull rank so they could cut in line for ice cream and getting yelled at by Admiral Halsey who was in line with the rest of the enlisted men.

[@Ebolson1019]

Love this story, when you see the admiral patiently waiting in line you better not be cutting.

[@johndeereboy1945]

Carriers also offered ice cream rewards to THE ENTIRE CREW of other ships for finding their missing aviators. The better and more famous the pilot, the more ice cream he was worth. Ice cream was literally currency to sailors in the pacific

[@mattwolfen]

Fun fact. Yuengling family brewery, the oldest brewery in America, still makes ice cream for the summer every year as a way to remember the stroke of brilliance that it was to fill the void in prohibition. And let me tell you it is some damn fine ice cream.

[@matasa7463]

I wonder if you could make ice cream beer float…?

[@CLibbs]

​@@matasa7463I'd probably rather go with the root beer...but I can't say im not intrigued lol

[@louisinjoliet8546]

​@@matasa7463There are several porters and stouts that make great floats. I prefer those with chocolate notes, but those with coffee notes work just as well

[@calebdoner]

My grandma was one of the first women in the marine Corp and served in WWII. Her father owned an ice cream factory in Texas while she was growing up and it was her job to deliver it after school. Both her and my grandpa (also a WWII marine who fought in the Pacific) loved ice cream and always had it whenever we went over to visit. This short video really helped me understand them and much more. Thanks!

[@arnoldsherrill2585]

Nothing else says America as much as being in the desert, and being able to have your beans bullets, body armor, and ice cream I will think about this story for the rest of my remaining life, every time it's 2 in the morning, rummaging through the freezer, in order to have a dish of ice cream You sir are what the History channel aspires to be, but can never reach that height Thank you from all of us

[@jimreilly917]

PIN THIS COMMENT.

[@AshworthMild]

It's said nowadays that while other countries struggle with supplies, the Americans biggest issue is deciding whether they want a McDonald's or a Pizza Hut on base.

[@happilyinsane2677]

1:40 the fact you were able to say all that with a straight face is impressive in and of itself😂😂

[@the_fat_electrician]

4 takes lol

[@ZoomZoomMX3]

​@@the_fat_electrician that's all. What did you take an ice cream break

[@kalskirata42]

​@@ZoomZoomMX3 he took at least 2, one for each theater won

[@aco319sig3]

@@the_fat_electrician LMAO, yeah. I'd have a problem keeping a straight face as well.

[@GhostBear3067]

​@the_fat_electrician just 4? Still very impressive.

[@gings4ever]

Carrier: man where did my flyboys go... Destroyers: you lose your boys? Catalinas are already scouring the sea for em Carrier: yeah but whoever finds em gets tubs of ice cream Destroyers: DID YOU JUST FUCKING SAY TUBS OF ICE CREAM, WOMAN?! Cruisers: SAY NO MORE, FAM

[@DestroyahTheBanned]

Nice!

[@JohnyFins]

Submarines aren't allowed to get underway without an ice cream machine, for morale reasons. The invisible nuclear ninja boats require ice cream to go blow up enemies...

[@fuzzyhead878]

I’m guessing that goes for Pizza and Jalapeno poppers as well? I heard submariners eat pretty well.

[@knape9]

True facts, can confirm.

[@MrSplic3r]

..And the ice cream machine must be thoroughly tested before leaving maintenance availabilities. A good day for morale all the way around!

[@clonetrooper8669]

“Invisible nuclear ninja boat” will now be part of my day to day vocabulary.

[@halfgecko3202]

​@@fuzzyhead878 I mean, would you want to spend a month in a tube with no windows, only like 50 people to talk with, everything being painted grey or key lime, and have to eat the same "meals" they sent for grunts to eat a month after it was made?

[@natureman1740]

My favorite ice cream related story was when aircraft carriers would award gallons of ice cream to ships who would bring back downed flyers. Fighter aces were going for like 5 gallons a pop 😂

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

Yesh no wonder the Kidd became known as a pirate ship for holding pilots ransom😂

[@zarajhudiel]

"How much ice cream is Killer Kane worth?" 🤣 Then I read somewhere that they had to bust down a door in the USS Patterson because they got an ice cream machine on board.

[@qzwxecrv0192837465]

"The ultimate flex. You are eating ice cream 2,000 miles from, while the enemy is 15 miles from home and can't get food" I laughed loud and hard at the sheer irony of this statement. I am not sure if that for flame throwers are more demoralizing.

[@jasonanalco542]

My dad, an Infantryman in WWII, who served in the Pacific. Never talked about his experience except for one thing. Ice cream aboard USS. Alaska. He'd thank the Navy for the ride home, great chow and ice cream

[@Kitkat-986]

The Alaska was a hell of a ship, it's the closest the US navy ever came to building a battlecruiser. They were the fastest ships in the world to carry such large guns.

[@cliffhooper3558]

If only they'd have more time with the POGs and Officers

[@earllamerica9348]

Was USS Alaska a participant of Operation Magic Carpet?

[@danielbickford3458]

I seem to recall hearing somewhere that fairly frequently if an airplane from an aircraft carrier was shot down and rescued by an American ship, the rescuers would Ransom the pilot back to their aircraft carrier for ice cream.

[@the_fat_electrician]

yup 10 gallons to rescue a pilot

[@danielbickford3458]

@@the_fat_electrician water is about 8 lb to the gallon, and with ice cream being fatty and aerated it probably is considerably less, but even so that's still a significant proportion of the pilots weight in ice cream.

[@HM2SGT]

@@danielbickford3458 8.3 pounds to be precise. _(I like to trick probies and try to teach them to actually listen and think by asking them how much does a _*_pound_*_ of water weigh? Invariably they always say "8.3 pounds! ")_

[@ronaldrobertson2332]

​@Wasn’t tomorrow Wonderful? Ahhh, yes.. I remember my probie days!

[@raynetorrin]

Yep USS Kidd. The pirates of the pacific. They got that name because they did exactly that. They are the only ship authorized to fly the Jolly Roger. That extends to the current USS Kidd.

[@trailblazer632]

Ah hell you didnt mention how the aircraft carriers that had all the ice cream would use it as an incentive to pick up crashed pilots, creating a near war in itself of ships fighting over crashed pilots to get icecream rations lol

[@prongATO]

My grandpa served in the pacific theater (New Guinea two years) during WWII. He loved his ice cream! I can remember countless times growing up, that he was so excited to get an ice cream cone. He was a Sea Bee (Chief carpenters mate) and worked as a foreman doing construction for 50 years. He’s also the best man I’ve ever met and I am a better man today for having known him.

[@Trippp550]

5:03 i’m eating breakfast while watching this video, and I literally spit my orange juice all across my dashboard when you said that and I saw that picture. I cannot think of anything more American than flamethrowers and ice cream being carried by an American soldier at the same time. Thanks for that lol

[@77mcmarine]

This explains why Ice Cream trucks always looked tactical to me... also why SweetTooth from Twisted Metal is even more terrifying...

[@bawdydog176]

Hadn't thought about that game in years. And now I'm going to have nightmares... lmao

[@77mcmarine]

@@bawdydog176 my bad lmao

[@justincase699]

Who would of thought soldiers survived off of adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin whenever it is available even in the form of food.

[@mr.shepherd_1776]

5:26 I remember that veteran, his name was Richard Overton. He was America’s oldest WWII vet until his passing a few years back. Humble man and proud of his service I hope he’s guarding heaven’s gates.

[@TheProdigalCat]

The greatest tragedy on my deployment (besides the unnecessary loss of human life) was when we got a baskin robins ice cream pallet dropped for us, but the parachute cigarette rolled and it burnt in. We were all standing around the pallet like Winny The Pooh eating gallon jugs with our bare hands. Sad but a fond memory

[@renaissancemarinetv3536]

coca cola did a genius thing during ww2. they offered to put water purification equipment on navy ships in the pacific IF they would be allowed to bottle coke with that equipment one day of the week and provide it to the troops. when the war was over and everyone went home coke was positioned as the preferred soft drink of all those returning vets.

[@ssstealth]

I build Destroyers for a living and there are several construction milestones. Laying the keel, float off, etc.. Everyone's favorite is "ILO", aka Ice Cream Light Off, when we get the ice cream machine functioning and "test" it. Always a morale booster in the shipyard!

[@pauldietrich6790]

Quality control....gotta make sure it works properly...

[@jimreilly917]

Not many can lead in with...I build DESTRYERS for a living. Thanks😁🦅

[@shockwavegaming5907]

I remember hearing in the Pacific, during a night operation one of the Aces of the U.S.S. Enterprise did not return, "Killer" Kane. They said they would reward any ship who found the prized Ace, not long after they got a frantic signal from a destroyer asking, "How much ice cream is Killer Kane worth?" I can't remember the exact number bit they got hundreds of gallons of ice cream as a reward, shows how much we valued our men. Also racing for a lower division of NASCAR I want to say thanks for the shoutout!

[@microchrist6122]

As a former USAF cook for years, I had no ideas why ice cream was always such a big deal 😂 now I get it.

[@bransonwalter5588]

It was also because during the Great Depression food was extremely scarce. The US actually started the child food programs because in 1934 it was found that over 40% of 18 year olds would be ineligible to fight as they were severely under weight. Sugar and milk were like gold. My grandfather who was 12 when the great Depression started said that getting ice cream once or twice a year was considered a luxury. The only time he really got it was in winter when freezers weren't needed. This was literally giving people who rarely had sugar and fat (2 very addicting foods) the ability to have it for free and in large amounts regularly. Of course it was a massive morale booster.

[@nameless5512]

“Now… what would you, do for a Klondike Bar?” **Slides M1911 over to the viewer**

[@sygnusadun4832]

As the local icecream man, I love this. I grew up in a tiny town with one of those main street icecream parlors. That old man also made the finest shine in the county for decades.

[@VBunplugged757]

That guy sitting there, wearing the veteran hat while eating ice cream, was and still is more of a badass than most people in that restaurant Also, flamethrowers and ice cream. Favorite part of the video

[@ninjabearpress2574]

Flamethrowers and ice cream...Baked Alaska, anyone?

[@AlexKS1992]

Dude was a 100 years old, owned more guns than you can count, smoked cigars like a chimney and was a tough SOB.

[@donaldploger5630]

True story: I was in some shit hole country and we stopped at one of the larger FOBs to refit, before heading back out. I'm in the chow hall at their ice cream bar ordering my cookies and cream when 107 rockets started falling like someone won the Golden buzzer in America's Got Talent..... As the guy turns to run to a bunker, I grab him, held him until he served my ice cream and enjoyed every bite white the dust settled. Sometimes it's the little things like Cookies and Cream that make the biggest difference. Thanks for your videos.

[@victorwaddell6530]

During WW Uno the US ordered 18 refrigerated ships to be put in service . The War ended before they sailed , so they were scrapped . I was in the US Navy from 1985 to 1995 , and we often received frozen food stores from fleet replenishment vessels . My second ship had an ice cream machine that was used for special meals about once a month with grilled steaks and Florida lobster tails .

[@wethepeople4762]

Now it all makes sense why my Grandpa had his own thing of ice cream non of us kids could have. However, if we asked grandpa directly he would give us a scoop and tell my parents “it’s good for growing boys.” Truly appreciate this video. Thank you.

[@robertsutton1295]

My Dad was a Sea Bee in WWII, entered service in '43. His first duty assignment was in the Aleutians, and he recounted how they pushed ice cream constantly on them while they were in Alaska.

[@WvlfDarkfire]

Now if I see a ww2 vet eating ice cream I'll have to talk to him about it

[@the_fat_electrician]

I wanna 2!

[@ninjabearpress2574]

If I see a WW-II vet, any vet, waiting in line at an ice cream parlor, he's not paying for it.

[@WvlfDarkfire]

@Ninjabear Press thank you for servicing those who have served. Had a guy pay for my burger one time after I got out and had a little tear knowing I'll never be able to give him the money back. What an American

[@dogloversrule8476]

4:41 the destroyers usually didn’t get to have their own ice cream machines on board. Because of this, it was a competition between them as to which ship could pick up downed aviators first because who ever picked them up got ice cream for their troubles

[@can_hauler]

"Usually" being the key word there. But if they knew where a machine was they might take it, and not let minor inconveniences like a door lock stop them. USS Kidd (the first, DD661 I think) got one like this (officially, source unknown), Samuel B Roberts (a DE, aka, economy sized DD) also got one this way (allegedly from an unlocked storeroom...)

[@dogloversrule8476]

@@can_hauler yup, the navy must have had to keep the excess machines under close guard to make sure that sailors didn’t STEAL them

[@dogloversrule8476]

@@can_hauler I’m pretty sure the DEs were technically frigates. I think drachinifel said something to that affect in one of his videos

[@Ebolson1019]

I know two submarines got machines by taking them from a bigger ship in the same port a few hours before leaving for patrol. By the time anyone noticed they were gone a group of subs had left and were radio silent.

[@GrumpyIan]

Also depending on the pilot the more the ice cream.

[@Nithor666]

If Doc gets shot at, every grunt is gonna deliver heavy fire including an air raid or 5. If Ice Cream barge gets attacked. How many nukes do we have?

[@alexh3974]

*Iowa Class battleship* "So. We took that personly."

[@christinebonner2210]

In the Navy,going to the mess deck & hearing some FNG saying that the menu "has been changed.It's steak,lobster & guess what,ALL the ice cream we can eat! Isn't this great?" means only one thing:the cruise is being extended...again.

[@taprackmiss4613]

Ice cream highjinks related: the USS Kidd, which is in Baton Rouge, had an ice cream machine and the crew would extort other ships by threating to drop their mail into the ocean unless they traded some of their ice cream supplies for it.

[@stefanlowe9067]

Lol even in Iraq the amount of ice cream and 'non alcoholic' beer we had was ungodly

[@ninjabearpress2574]

Anything we can do to bring a few comforts of home to an otherwise hellish existence is worth the time, effort and expense, that's the American way.

[@JAY-gl5xd]

Never saw anyone ever drink the near beer though. Everyone was too busy crushing Rip-Its.

[@stefanlowe9067]

@@JAY-gl5xd I did both while driving my mrap

[@jrev2284]

You are honestly one of my favorite channels. You, Donut, and Brandon are the best youtubers. Discovered you like a year ago from unsub and your content has always been great, but you're really stepping it up. Love the weird military history stories. You're one of the only channels I will watch again directly after I've watched it.

[@the_fat_electrician]

thank you!!

[@GeorgeSemel]

Brandon is running for Congress, I find that refreshing as an old man.@@the_fat_electrician

[@cattoc]

I love the comment about the old guy with the black hat at the end. I always look at these guys and just think of how this little old man was once a warrior who saw and did only god knows what. Let the old man have his ice cream. He earned it❤

[@punkkidgaming7554]

If I remember correctly, some higher up on the axis side did find out about the ice cream ships and it crushed his moral bc they were struggling to keep up producing military vehicles and America had so much they repurposed ships for ice cream

[@troybaxter]

Imagine realizing that your enemy, who is a literal treacherous ocean away, has good enough logistics that they can essentially provide their troops anything they want, while you can't even get a loaf of bread and some bullets just 100 miles outside and later inside your own border.

[@nathanielhill8156]

​@@troybaxteradding to the embarrassment. The axis at the time was aggressively pursuing and sinking the merchant marine supply lines. In response, shipbuilders held competitions to see who could build cargo ships faster. The record was 15.5 hours from drydock draining to the ship leaving the shipyards

[@LargerRanger5-Mhz-mW]

The delivery for the darth Vader pic is so on point, like I can imagine Vader saying that, and I love it “your on the wrong side of this argument, come to the red, white & blue side; we got ice cream!” XD

[@vcam83]

It suddenly becomes clear, why my granddad had a fridge full of ice cream.

[@CFarnwide]

Rescue ships and submarines, who found pilots who survived being shot down, would use those pilots as bargaining chips to get as much ice cream as possible. 😎

[@ninjabearpress2574]

I can imagine some downed pilot grumbling, "This is embarrassing, I'm worth more than five gallons of vanilla."

[@heuhen]

USS Kidd was expert at that, there is a reason, US ships that have the name "Kidd", is allowed to use the pirate flag. They was apparently much better at "getting more" ice, for the pilotes.

[@JEllis170]

Shows up with ice cream and a M1. "I am here to liberate you and eat Ice cream"

[@TheShadowwarrior80]

And I'm all out of ice cream.

[@domitype]

My ship, USS SAN JOSE AFS-7 delivered fresh and frozen food during the Viet Nam war (and other conflicts after that.) We sent many pallets of ice cream to ships (and a few land bases ) of all sizes. It was mostly very popular, but Black Licorice ice cream was a very hard sell.

[@anthonyhayes1267]

My grandfather was a navy vet in ww2. I never really knew him, but one thing my mother consistently brings up about him is that he sure did love his ice cream.

[@ralffsmith2655]

Ok, strap on your helmet its Story time; Ice cream for the Americans, tea for the British, deep rich Turkish coffee, and then there are the Canadian troops. Canadians...well, we never have had that level of support, so we have to "adapt" A Korean war vet Sgt took a bunch of guys, including me, during our junior leadership training in the 80s and explained the grand old art of bartering. On a completely separate topic, he gave detailed classes on how one can manufacture a rather high octane fuel for "emergency" situations through distillation. Funny enough, my guys never did without, ice cream, tea, and the other little comforts . 😊

[@nosauce3039]

I remember hearing how the USS Kidd used to barter almost anything for ice cream and i even think they even pseudo kidnapped other Sailors and sold them back for ice cream

[@jsquared1013]

Rescued pilots were exchanged for ice cream when they were brought back to their parent ship.

[@autobotzapof0002]

3:53 boat, barge, if it’s a machine that floats, it’s a boat

[@xxdrsomexx]

2:26 you could say we've come full circle

[@dystopianlucidity4448]

I’m from the government and I’m here to help! The worst thing you will ever hear from a politician.

[@the_fat_electrician]

fax

[@dystopianlucidity4448]

Bro, you gotta do a video on the XB50, the most guns on a single airframe ever, it’s right up your alley.

[@granadakimj]

It doesn't even matter what country you're from

[@alwelle3902]

I’m going to say it’s worse if the speaker is someone who WORKS for the government. FEMA … or the Red Cross, Salvation Army, or whatever flavor of church you like. Who would you rather have helping you?

[@GenX-Dan]

​@@the_fat_electricianI do love that Regan said those are the worst words you can ever hear.

[@michaelmartin4874]

Would this be "ice cream churning to body stacking" technology?

[@TheGearChaser]

5:28 - 5:29 The smile on his face is so genuine when he says “you know what’s up”

[@RowdyAndroid]

Wasn't there a Japanese officer who was captured and still believed his nation would emerge victorious, until he saw one of these ice cream ships and realized his enemies were eating ice cream while his own men were lucky to even get enough rice?

[@rickwestlake3048]

You got me with the Yuengling's Ice Cream truck at 1:20. I enjoy their beer ... but I see a Pennsylvania road-trip to find the cold-and-creamy stuff! (They're between Harrisburg and Allentown, PA.)

[@hauptmwolf]

After the Battle of the Philippine Sea the USS Enterprise offered up a bounty of ice cream for every downed airman returned to the ship at 5 gallons per airman, one of the missing airmen was the commander of the ship's torpedo bombers, one day a destroyer sailed up to the Enterprise having rescued said commander and held him hostage demanding 50 gallons since they figured since he was a wing commander he was worth more ice cream, negotiators were called in and the airman was exchanged for 25 gallons of ice cream

[@georged9234]

Dad was a SeaBee in the Pacific. He always emphasized these types of things in his stories. Morale is critical!

[@Ryumen]

I did not know about the ice cream barges, but that's hilariously terrifying. I mean imagine if some how they managed to sink one of those barges? Those grunts go in to a rage Doc isn't going to be able to cure and Geneva isn't going to want to mess with!

[@coreylouviere4466]

One command: Fire for Effect

[@jimreilly917]

We're here to eat ice cream and kick ass. And we're out of ice cream...

[@Ebolson1019]

If my memory if correct some high ranking Japanese navy officer told Americans after the war that the day he heard about these he knew the war was lost saying “Americans can make ships to provide sailors with a luxury while we can’t replace our losses”.

[@mrs.thomas-usmcwife5686]

My grandfather was a WWII Navy veteran. He used to keep vanilla ice cream in his freezer for me because he knew my nosey behind would go look for it and ask. Now it means so much more to me after hearing this. Thanks!

[@michaelhowell2326]

When you think about feeding an entire army 500 gallons of ice cream doesn't sound like much.

[@ethanslagle4799]

Another video that would be similar to this would be the traveling Coca-Cola stations during the war

[@the_fat_electrician]

ooo I'll have to look into that!

[@ninjabearpress2574]

Yeah, gots to have something to wash down your ice cream.

[@lupenngrimpaw936]

I will throw hands if someone gets between me and an ice cold Coca-cola.

[@ninjabearpress2574]

@@lupenngrimpaw936 I'd throw you an ice-cold Coke.

[@joshuagop5909]

Now I understand why my grandfather loved ice cream so much...... I miss him so much he was a ww2/Korean War vet and the most badass man I've ever met....

[@caumberg]

D.G. Yuengling & Son of Pottsville PA (my hometown) is the oldest brewery in America because of their switch to ice cream and "near beers" with 0.5% alcohol. A few years back, Yuengling decided to release ice cream again, and to most people it felt like a gimmick, but this video makes it all make sense.

[@CorePathway]

Weird that the oldest brewery in the US is Chinese 😂

[@TheSybermedic]

If I ever see a vet eating ice cream, I'll buy him another one. Thanks for sharing this story.

[@AzzClapicusRex]

@TheFatElectrician you just taught me one of my dad's secrets on accident. Hand on my heart when I asked him about this incident and starting looking at the old photos of his. No joke he is standing next to the train with a bottle in his hand alongside with my Godfather. When I asked him about it he yanked me into the next room amd told me not to tell my mom. Thank you sir, I've always wanted to find more interesting stories about The Seabeees and the stuff my dad got up to before I was born.

[@dastardlyduke2638]

My grandfather’s love for ice cream definitely has me looking at it from a whole new light. Rest in peace Gramps.

[@IPARZ]

Another great video! 😂 I always learn so much. 😂 thank you Mr fat electrician. Also that “right” was felt, by everybody. 1:48

[@the_fat_electrician]

HAHA 😄 🤣

[@morrisdomke8920]

My Greand Father was assigned to a 2Star Gen. As His Cook on the Way to Timain after the USMC had the Island back to our Control..... He Told Many Stories of having Icecream for all the Troops all the time ... I all way thought it was Crazy they have Frozen Milk in the South Pacific... Thanks for Another Great History LESSON

[@LarryH2]

Love your history lessons and that last statement about a Veterans eating ice cream almost made me tear up. Awesome stuff, thanks

[@XDRUGZBUNNY420]

You so need to do one on how many teabags Britain bought in WW2 we literally bought the worlds supply 😂😂

[@alexh3974]

That matters. No one wants to see British when they are not calmed by endless cups of tea lol

[@LIL-RED-BIRD]

@@alexh3974 someone has to keep the Canadians busy playing hockey.

[@karlinyoder6753]

These videos have become so top tier!🎉

[@the_fat_electrician]

thank you!

[@Rubberducky457]

Love how we still have ice cream socials in the navy today!

[@Knate1104]

I’ve always loved seeing an old vet just sit and slowly eat his ice cream. Such a simple dessert being enjoyed by an American hero who’s literally seen hell.

[@ArkamasRoss]

I like how you didn’t even have to go into the fact that a concrete ship was named the USS Quartz.

[@J_o_B_is_back]

Weaponized ice cream?! That sounds deliciously deadly!!

[@the_fat_electrician]

oh it was

[@Rotorhead1651]

@@the_fat_electrician 😂😝😁😅😜🤣 Killed 'em with ice cream headaches! (or brain freeze, whichever)

[@Jalandarah]

oddly i'm a little sad that the "concrete barge" was not actually a barge that made concrete that was refitted to make ice cream...

[@the_fat_electrician]

I also was disappointed

[@tenchraven]

Maybe. But look at it this way. We made ships out of rock, and they worked. We would have made an aircraft carrier out of ice and saw dust, but the Germans died too much and reality outran the project.

[@josiahzabel8596]

@@the_fat_electrician that said- isn't it awesome that American industry made CONCRETE float?

[@brownpcsuncedu]

@@josiahzabel8596 BY WWII, ships out of concrete was proven tech. Both the US and the UK had built concrete ships already in WWI, and it worked. (Displacement works 😃.) Concrete didn't work as well as steel-concrete ships had less available cargo volume than comparable steel ships, and the concrete ships additionally had a bad habit of shattering in a collision-but it did work. In fact, of the 12 concrete merchant ships built by the USA in WWI, one is still afloat (as of 2022, at least), and four more are grounded and findable. Which isn't a bad longevity record for a group of 12 ships (that nobody much wanted when they were new) after 100 years!