Tootsie Rolls Saved Troops at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir

Troops were stationed at Chang Jin mountain reservoir. The Americans there had began calling it Chosin Reservoir. The 15,000 troops were facing off against a division of 120,000 men. Strongly outnumbered, outgunned, and undersupplied, the troops weren’t sure what to do next.

One thing was clear—they needed a supply drop. Nearly out of mortar shells, the troops called for an airdrop using the code name they’d established for 60MM mortar ammo: Tootsie Rolls. To their surprise, when the airdrop arrived, it was filled not with ammunition, but with actual Tootsie Rolls.

Realizing that when the candy was warmed up, it became a kind of putty, the troops were hit with a brilliant idea. The soldiers started using the putty-like-substance to patch bullet holes in vehicles, hoses, and other equipment. With their equipment fixed, the men collected their injured and frostbitten comrades, fought through the enemy lines, and retreated to safety.

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