Strong box

[Charles]

I have what I can only discribe as a strong box or a safe. It is 24 X 15 X 15.5 with a door 21 X 12 in the top. The top, bottom and sides are made from two welded and riveted steel plates with a total of 3/8 inch thickness. The top is secured with a lock and a handle that throws two 3/4 inch bolts. It is one heavy dude that takes two men to carry when empty and they won't carry it far without setting it down and resting. I am guessing somewhere in the 150 pound range. It is painted an olive drab color. It also has a pair of lugs on top so it can also be locked with a padlock. On the inside of the lid is lable that reads:

Brown Steel Tank Co.
Minneapolis - 1942

Anybody run into one of these before or have any speculations as to it's origins and use. It for certain is a strong box of some kind.

[Hobie]

Sounds like one form of the "company" safe used at the company level to store valuables, at least in garrison. Once upon a time every company had such a strong box or safe. Some soldiers kept their savings in there.

[donw]

when i was in the 2ad at ft hood, we had similar 'strong boxes' to keep SOI-SSI, confidential communications coding machines and documents in.

they were easily transported when a unit made a move (deployed) and secure enough that they would be difficult to open by someone not authorized...(assuming they could get possesion)

[horsesoldier03]

Yep its an old Army Safe! It may have an eye bolt on it somewhere or a ring. These frequently had a chain that ran from the safe to an eye bolt in the floor to keep it from being carried off.