In my honest opinion, these are original United States Marine Corp designed
and built cans. I have been told that the CONCO stands for Continental Can
Company. I do know that the cam lock lid is not similar to the US water or
coffee cans, but is similar to the original German cans, copied by the
British and imitated by the US cans. The US cans were altered to make better
use of US manufacturing techinques, where three pieces were joined to make
the can rather than two pieces for the German/British cans.
Until someone can prove otherwise, I think it is safe to accept these cans as
original United States Marine Corp - there is even a photo showing these cans
with WATER painted on the side shown in a copy of the Time Life Books on
WWII. I think it was the Road to Tokyo volume, and the photo was on Iwo
Jima. The small cam lock lid was plainly visable in the photo.
I may be wrong, but I believe they ARE United States Marine Corp cans. (Yes I
do own one as well.)
Tom Campbell - Birmingham, Alabama
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