[This article was first published in Army Sustainment Professional Bulletin, which was then called Army Logistician, volume 3, number 3 (May–June 1971), pages 24–25. The text, including any biographical note, is reproduced as faithfully as possible to enable searchability. To view any images and charts in the article, refer to the issue itself, available on DVIDS.]
MILITARY UNITS DEPLOYED in or adjacent to forward battle areas provide one of the major challenges to Army logisticians. The tremendous automotive and aviation fuel requirements generated by the airmobile warfare waged in Southeast Asia is a prime example of such a supply problem. Bulk fuels are readily moved across water by the use of tankers and positioned at bulk distribution points ashore; however, the onward movement from terminals to tactical areas looms as a logistics complication.
In the past, automotive and aviation fuels were sealed and moved in rigid containers, such as 55-gallon steel drums and 5-gallon cans. These metal fuel containers present many problems. They are difficult to fill and transport and heavy, bulky, and expensive in proportion to the amount of fuel they hold. The management of small containers is difficult since they are more susceptible to loss and theft.
Today, the Army relies heavily on the 500-gallon collapsible rubber drum to satisfy its staggering fuel requirement in the Republic of Vietnam. Collapsible rubber drums have added new dimensions to the Army’s ability to transport fuel and water to combat units located in remote areas of Vietnam. Introduced into the Army system in 1961, the 500-gallon container was designed for transporting fuels by ground vehicles and aircraft. The container is shaped like a great, wide wheel for easy rolling, pushing, and towing. Special fittings at each end of the drum permit lift by helicopter, and the drum’s rugged multiple-ply tire cord construction prevents damage when dropped, fully loaded, from motor vehicles or landed aircraft.
The tropical climate of Vietnam, the greater dispersion of personnel, and the increased use of dehydrated foods increased the demand for potable water substantially. The successful performance of the 500-gallon rubber container in liquid fuel transport led to the adoption of collapsible containers for distributing potable water to forward units.
A 250-gallon container, similar in design and configuration to its 500-gallon fuel counterpart, has been developed and has become an authorized item. Additionally, a smaller, 55-gallon collapsible container whose size and weight is more suited for use by forward combat units has been developed for use in Southeast Asia.
Since almost any material in a liquid or powder state can be stored and transported in collapsible rubber containers, they have been adapted for moving other liquid products, such as milk, vegetable oil, and even rum. Dry cargoes hauled in them include dehydrated foods, chemicals, and cement.
Collapsible rubber containers save on handling and storage costs since they are used as transit vehicles and as portable warehouses that can be left in the open with no need for costly protection or maintenance. Another distinct advantage of these rubber containers is their long-term reuseability. They also require less retrograde cargo space than rigid metal containers, since more of them can be stacked and transported on a single truck.
The 500-gallon collapsible container is produced in two basic designs. The longer drum, known as the 500-L, is nearly 46 inches in diameter and has an 80-inch overall length. The shorter drum, 500-S, has a 54-inch diameter and is 63 inches long. Their volume to weight ratio is excellent for air transportability. When compared to an equal volume of fuel in 55-gallon steel containers, the rubber drums yield a 40-percent space savings.
The 55-gallon rubber container is also a molded tire cord item with a neoprene outer surface for wear resistance and a special nontoxic innerliner. The empty container weighs only 50 pounds and, when filled, is 23 inches in diameter and 34 inches long. The water drum is fitted with D-rings on each end to provide for sling loading under helicopters and a spigot to fill canteens without loss of water.
Thus, the Army is meeting the challenge for versatility and mobility in Vietnam with its collapsible rubber containers.
Mr. Hubert J. Morgan was a member of the staff of the Army Materiel Command’s Directorate of Distribution and Transportation and participated in the development of collapsible containers.
| Date Taken: | 09.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2025 16:15 |
| Story ID: | 548988 |
| Location: | US |
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