As the temperature reached -38°C during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in late November 1950, weapons began to malfunction. Tank fuel pipes froze and cracked.

Running out of mortar rounds, the US Marines requested more mortar shells (codenamed “Tootsie Rolls”) by airdrop.

With the next airdrop that’s what they actually received – boxes of Tootsie Rolls.

Ingenuity transformed a potential disaster into success. The solid lumps of chocolate toffee that melted in your mouth could also be applied to seal cracked fuel lines.

With the tanks up and running again the Marines were able to continue their perilous escape from overwhelming Communist Chinese forces.

Source: How Tootsie Rolls Saved US Marines In The Korean War – HeadStuff