Our American Stories How Spam and Chocolate Became America’s Secret Weapons in WWII
Feb 19, 2026
A look at how Spam became a logistical staple, shipping millions of pounds to troops worldwide. The story of Hershey’s creating a heat-resistant, high-calorie chocolate ration for soldiers. Production scale and surprising long-term uses of wartime food innovations are highlighted in short, vivid anecdotes.
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How Spam Was Born And Deployed
- Hormel launched Spam in 1937 to expand into canned goods and used underutilized pork shoulder to make a moist canned meat.
- Over 100 million pounds of Spam were shipped to troops and helped feed millions during WWII.
Lend-Lease Made Canned Food Strategic
- The Lend-Lease Act let the U.S. supply Allied nations with food and goods while remaining technically neutral.
- Canned products like Spam were ideal for long shipments and large-scale logistical support.
The D Ration Bar's Unlovable Design
- Captain Paul Logan asked Hershey in 1937 to make a heat-resistant emergency chocolate for soldiers that tasted only about as good as a boiled potato.
- Sam Hinkle created the D ration bar: dense, high-calorie, fortified, and famously not very tasty.