Ice cream aboard an airplane might not sound like a big deal these days, but it came as something of a lifesaving treat to some bored World War II pilots on the Micronesian island of Peleliu. The frozen treat was the brainchild of Marine squadron commander J. Hunter Reinburg, who wanted to boost morale among his men. The American pilots were frustrated by the lack of engagement with enemy planes, despite Japanese fighters being stationed on nearby islands.
Reinburg and his squadron assembled a makeshift ice cream churner – an old ammunition can filled with cocoa and canned milk – and strapped it to one of their F4U Corsairs. The plane took the mixture up to 33,000 feet (10,059 m), high enough to freeze it. After a couple of disappointing attempts, they got it right – and kept getting it right, enjoying smooth and tasty ice cream on a regular basis. The stuff was so popular that even group operations officer Colonel Caleb Bailey, Reinburg's superior, heard about the "Operation Freeze" flights and demanded his share.
We all scream for it:
- Americans eat more ice cream than any other nationality, followed by Australians and Norwegians.
- Though vanilla is more popular than chocolate ice cream, chocolate flavor was invented first.
- Every one gallon of ice cream requires three gallons of milk.