Plastic field bottle AICO - 1943

An American experimental World War II etocellulose canteen, dated 1943 and marked AICO.

In an attempt to produce a non-metallic canteen during World War II, the U.S. government attempted to produce a plastic canteen using Dow Chemical's etocellulose plastic. The canteen was manufactured by several government contractors, including AICO. Production of the canteens began in mid-1942 and production ceased in 1944.

Canteens were usually issued to troops in the Pacific. This canteen was commonly found in USMC units. The problem with the canteens was that they had a tendency to crack over time due to heat exposure. Also, the water they contained took on a bitter taste. To remove the aftertaste, soldiers commonly added baking soda to the water when filling the canteen.

 AICO produced only 4,400 of these canteens.