All About Military Gerry Cans
Filling gerry cans during Third Army maneuvers in Louisiana, 1942.
The 5 gallon military gas can -- often called a "jeep can", "Gerry Can", "Jerry Can", "army gas can" or "Blitz Can" -- is one of the most ubiquitous items of military hardware in the world. Jerry cans are not only ever-present during military operations, but you will see them regularly in civilian life, mounted on a tow truck, in someone's garage, or on the back of an off-road rig. This has been the case since the jerry can first appeared early in World War II and remains so today.
These pages of Olive-Drab.com tell the whole story of the military gerry can in all its forms:
Table of Gerry Can Data
The design of the U.S. military steel gerry can was established during World War II and did not change until the introduction of the plastic 5 Gallon gerry cans in the late 1980s. The dimensions and specifications of the stell gerry can are:
| Length | 13 3/4 in. |
| Width | 6 3/4 in. |
| Height | 18 3/4 in. |
| Weight (empty) | 10.5 lb. |
| Weight (full w/gasoline) | 41.0 lb. |
| Liquid Capacity | 5.05 gal. or 20 litres |
| Volume | 1 cubic ft. |
There is a technical manual for support and maintenance of the US military gerry can: TM 10-7200-200-13 (February 1974). An article about gerry cans appeared in Army Motors (journal of the MVPA), No. 102, Winter 2003.
Gasoline arrives by Air Evacuation C-47 to help fill the needs of Patton's 3rd Army, September 1944. Nurse Irene Steffens is carring two gerry cans at at time, about 80 pounds! Note British/German style spouts on these cans.
Find More Information on the Web
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