Canned goods: Tanks were tinned up for storage

LIMA — World War II saw many around this country stepping up to meet the manufacturing demands of a war machine, and the Lima Tank Depot was no exception.

Operated by United Motors Service, a branch of General Motors, the tank plant building started to go up May 13, 1942, just south of Lima. It was built to supply vehicles for service in Europe and elsewhere. United Motors Service was tapped by the U.S. government to run this effort because of its skill in the auto industry.

“The name ‘depot' is a military term — meaning a center for the accumulation of military supplies from many suppliers, their warehousing, modification, conditioning and dispatch as called for by the military. Warehousing, conditioning for export shipment and dispatch at the Lima Tank Depot, while large in variety and volume, constitute the simpler part of the function performed. The major effort goes into the modifications required on the vehicles — the mechanical operations and change-overs demanded by military experience and the use of the equipment on many fronts by many armies,” according to a war-era booklet published by United Motors Services.

The first export orders shipped April 1943, and the factory ran three shifts through the war. Overtime was a rule for its roughly 5,500 workers. Lima men and women helped produce the Tank Retriever, the M-5 tank, the M-8 Howitzer tank and the Tank Recovery Vehicle.

But there were leftover tanks after the war. The government decided it would sell some to allies, but some would be stored. But how to store a tank? It involves more than just throwing a tarp over it, after all.

A newspaper story from May 12, 1946, explained that a $400,000 project would begin that summer.

“The work includes construction of concrete bases and circular tanks similar to oil storage tanks, in which the motor vehicles will be placed for permanent storage. More than 100 of these tanks and bases are to be set up ... with each capable of storing from eight to 20 vehicles, depending on their size. The type of storage selected, it was explained, is the result of research in storage conducted through World War II days. At present, nearly 12,000 vehicles are in temporary storage, with about 1,000 of these consigned to the permanent storage facilities. The tanks are to be approximately 11 feet high and 55 feet in diameter. After the vehicles are placed in the tanks and preservatives applied to the exposed metal parts, a ‘de-humidifying' process will be applied to reduce the moisture content inside the tank and prevent rust and corrosion. The tanks will be located on ground used by the Lima Tank Depot during its tenure of processing work here through the war,” the story reported.

It was later decided there would be 86 large containers and 27 smaller containers. The project — which was nationwide — would built 423 cans for military vehicles. (The other plants were in Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, California, Utah and Alabama.)

About 170 tanks were to be canned, the papers reported. The process would start in September and go into January. The “tank farm,” as the papers called it, was 100 acres along St. Johns Road.

The preservative measures were thought to make the tanks last for years. The vehicles were cleaned and repainted. Anything that could be removed — like treads — was removed. Every opening was sealed tight with what was described as a pitch-like mixture. Small pieces were put in envelopes and affixed to the vehicles.

“Come October 1996, the Army can loosen some bolts on a storage tank at the ‘Tank Farm' on St. Johns Road and tell whether their canning program back in 1946 was a successful one or not,” a story reported Oct. 29, 1946.

The vehicles were lowered into place with cranes and the cans were built around them.

Soon, the cans stood in rows like canned goods in a pantry. But they weren't truly tested. Tanks were gotten out of storage and sent to Korea and sold to allies.

The tank farm went to public auction in 1960, with many of the tanks being sold to Morrison Grain Co., of Kansas, for grain storage. Some cans were sold and remained local, too. Do you have an old tank can on your farm? How do you use it? We'd love to know. Contact Adrienne McGee at amcgee@limanews.com or 419-993-2072.