1952 2.25″ Rocket Container Mk 2 Mod 0 — Cold War Navy Ammo Crate

Not every relic of the Cold War sits in a museum or on a pedestal — some sit quietly in steel, paint, and the faded marks of a Navy supply yard. This 2.25″ Rocket Container Mk 2 Mod 0, stamped “439195-P-1 US R.R. Co. 1952,” carried four rockets at a time when the world balanced on a knife’s edge.

Issued to ships patrolling tense waters, this crate’s job was clear: keep rocket heads dry, secure, and ready. Heavy-gauge steel walls. A thick rubber gasket. Six simple latches to keep salt spray out and high explosives in. It did the job without fuss, so a young deck crew could do theirs under the roar of a carrier’s flight ops.

The stenciling still shows; the scratches and scuffs speak of years at sea, decades in storage, and the stories only steel remembers. Lift it — feel the weight of Cold War history that once flew under a fighter’s wing.

Condition

Good overall: shows expected wear, scratches, scuffing, and oxidation from honest Navy service and long storage. Gasket remains intact and seals tight; latches hold firm. Stenciled markings and side writing still legible.

Specs